“And on top of that, you've got four fated mates. Two of which are my gross brothers? I almost feel sorry for you, but four fated mates means four sets of needs being met, and I can only hope that I'm blessed in such a way.”
Everybody laughs as Greta muses. “Two is plenty for me, but I understand what she means. What we need to do for you, sweet girl, is create a plan of action.”
“A plan of action?” I repeat, and she nods eagerly.
“Yes. I think you've got to decide what’s important to you. I think we sit, we make a list of ten things that are at the top, highlight the vital three, build up a plan, and that's what we focus our attention on.”
“Oh, I love it when she makes us do this,” Cami cheers as she claps. “I’ve even got a little notepad somewhere. Wait.” She digs into her bag and pulls out a small pad and a pen. “Okay, fire away.”
“Are you ready?” Aster asks, and I blink at her for a moment.
It’s as if my world slows.
Not only am I making core memories in my room, but I’m also making them with women who are insistent upon supporting me and helping me conquer my problems. They want to sit here and spend their time helping me figure out my mess. They have chosen me for who I am, not what I can do for them.
Tears threaten to gather along my eyelashes, but I wave them away, nodding eagerly as I remain focused on the moment.
“Okay, throw out any ten things that are important to you. It could be things you want to achieve now or later in life. They can be as small or as big as you like, in any capacity; fun, legacy, career, hobbies. You name it, Cami writes it,” Aster sings out,and I nod, glancing around at each of them for a moment before Greta’s hand squeezes my knee.
“I can see what you’re doing, dear, but we’re not going to give you the answers. These are for you.”
Meadow nudges me as I gulp.
“I really like your mother-in-law.”
Blushing, I shake my head. “She’s not?—”
“I am, regardless of my silly boys. I’m here foryou. Now, let our girl figure out her top ten.”
My chest tightens, but as I breathe through it, the tension slowly ebbs and flows until I part my lips.
“I want to find myself.”
“I want to control my fire without setting myselfonfire.”
“I want to feel a sense of pride in being a phoenix.”
“I want to make my father pay for what he did to me.”
“I want to whoop Teddy’s butt at fencing.”
“I want to fly on a dragon.”
“I want to find my place in the world without my parent’s control.”
“I want to love so hard it hurts.”
“I want to see more than what my sheltered life has confined me to.”
“I want to forgive but not forget.”
My heart races as four sets of eyes blink at me, matching grins touching their lips as Cami finishes scribbling in her pad.
“Excellent, there's a great array here, and out of those, what three things are the priority?”
I press my lips into a thin line as I think them over. I’m surprised I can remember every sentence without glancing at Cami’s pad, but apparently, when you speak what you want most into existence, it’s hard to forget.
“I want to find myself, I want to control my fire without setting myselfonfire, and I want to forgive but not forget.”
