AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughs while walking out of my office.
I go back to my desk duties for now. Tomorrow, I’m scheduled to investigate the new training facilities for my men.
And so, life goes on.
CHAPTERTHREE
FELICITA
My granddaughter fastensmy stiletto heels while my daughter fixes the final touches of my dress. We’ve been in Valentina’s master bathroom for an hour now, adding the final touches to my look. Jordan is uncomfortable with the professor and schoolgirl theme of his party, but I’m taking full advantage of it. The schoolgirl look is for the guests; I’m the headmistress of this school.
I didn’t come to my daughter’s home for a makeover, but it’s what I received.
My daughter’s entire make-up collection is on display on the marble countertop of the vanity. I didn’t let her transform my face. She applied a little mascara and lip gloss, leaving it at that.
The clothes I wear aren’t mine, though. They make my makeover what it is—an effort to look and feel good about myself for one night. It’s a sexy dress, and as I stand there looking at myself in the mirror, I question whether I should be the one in it. My daughter’s eyes sparkle at the dress. My granddaughter’s the anti-dress girl of the palace, but even she’s mildly impressed.
It’s one of Valentina’s more elegant pieces. Without sleeves, it hugs my curves, and it showcases my cleavage without giving away too much. It’s a perfect fit for my body because Valentina took my measurements. My daughter loves seeing me confident and comfortable in my skin.
I pretend that I’m both—when, all I want is to crawl back into bed and hide there until Monday comes and I must babysit one of the kids again.
Jordan’s birthday party is about to start, and as the organizer, I should be one of the first at the scene of the crime.
“Mom, you’re one hot MILF. I bet all the boys’ jaws will drop tonight!” Valentina cheers for me by my side. Penelope Jade peers up at her mom, weirded out but also amused by Valentina’s strange lingo.
“You’re ready!” my grandchild reveals, rising from the floor. I take a step in the heels, and I feel wobbly. It’ll be a long night.
Penelope Jade’s tall for her age, and she certainly doesn’t get it from our side of the family. The women on our side are all short while the Wraiths…
Yeah.
“This party is for Jordan,” I claim. I must keep it together for my babies. Valentina is a mom now, and Penelope Jade is five years old, but I can’t see them as anything other than my baby girls. “You better check his outfit before he leaves, okay? I must go now, but make sure he looks presentable. We’re doing this for him. He needs some company. It’s been too long. He’s always focused on work.”
“Who needs company?” Penelope Jade asks, fixing her baby blue tie. “I don’t have any friends, and I’m the coolest kid on Katantia!”
“Of course, you have friends,” Valentina quickly adds, blushing. Penelope Jade is the oldest in her generation, and she’s struggling to fit in. She doesn’t turn on the charm for strangers, preferring to be playful toward the people she knows by heart. We never had to have the talk with her.Don’t talk to strangers.Don’t do that.Don’t do this. No jumping into weird cars with people you don’t know. Penelope Jade understands the concept, but she takes it too far. That means she’s lonely.
Like her mom was.
My heart grows heavy.
“Remember the boys from Karate class?” Valentina reminds Penelope Jade. “They can be considered your friends. You broke one of their noses. They respect you. Their moms always invite you to their birthday parties.”
“Boys suck,” my granddaughter grunts.
“They really do,” I agree.
“Mom!” V calls out. “We’re trying to make her socialize!”
Penelope Jade doesn’t like going out and spending time with kids her age. Like Valentina was her age, PJ is a daddy’s girl. She loves it when her dad reads comic books to her. Now, she even reads them herself. She still wants her dad there because she wants him to know that she can read now.
I’ve known Aris since he was in his early twenties. One thing I never thought he’d become was a good father. We don’t remind PJ that her dad wasn’t there a lot when she was a newborn. It’s counterproductive, and it only ruins the balance they’ve found as a family. Aside from her aversion to other humans her age, Penelope Jade is a family-loving child that aces each test her homeschool teacher gives her. PJ goes everywhere we go, and she behaves like she’s one of us, a member of the royal family that has endured all the necessary PR training. Sometimes I fear that she’s too mature for her young age.
“I think grandma is anxious to get to the party for grandpa. We should let her go,” Penelope Jade comments, sounding like the grownup in a room of three generations of Cross women.
“Baby, Jordan’s your uncle, okay?” Valentina approaches PJ, taking her tiny hands in hers. I see the trembling she attempts to hide, and I’m sure PJ notices as well. Nothing gets past the youngest in the room. “You have a grandpa.”
“Let her,” I tell my daughter. Travis wouldn’t mind. In fact, he’d be bothered if Jordan’s role as head of our family wasn’t recognized. “Jordan’s everything in one.”
