Sometimes the wounds that words can leave can be deeper than any cut a sword could make.
He had kissed me. It was sweet and brief, but it was a kiss, nonetheless—not on my cheeks, nor forehead, but my lips!
I had never been kissed in my entire life, not even on that night…Just the thought of it made my stomach flip.
Go away.
Shaking my head from the thoughts of that night that still haunted me, I focused my mind on the present. And the kiss.
The feeling of his lips still lingered on mine even though it happened more than half an hour ago.
We were driving toward the house where the party was going to be held. It was really dark outside, so there wasn’t much to look at to kill my time, hence why I had been thinking about that kiss so much. Melissa and Ayden were rather silent on the backseat, and I had a feeling that Blake would’ve killed me if I dared to take his attention off the road. So I was stuck with my own thoughts, which was rather dangerous for someone like me.
Since he had kissed me, I began wondering if he did that just because the situation gave him that opportunity or because he genuinely wanted to do it. That didn’t help my wild imagination at all because I began to ponder on the idea of him actually liking me. You don’t kiss someone unless you truly want to…Well, most of the time you don’t.
“We’re here,” Blake said, and I threw a quick glance at our surroundings. We were passing through the huge gate leading to the Blackburns’ residence, and I couldn’t help but stare in awe. It was amazing, perfectly decorated garden with…
“Hold on, are those labyrinths?” I asked, noticing them on both sides of the passage. I have never seen one in my entire life, and let me tell you that the view was breathtaking, more than you could see on the picture. The night that engulfed us was brightened by those little lights on the pathways and the labyrinth. With my dress on, I felt like I was Cinderella going to the ball to meet her prince…Except, my prince was here by my side, taking me there. At that moment, I just wanted to get out from the car and lose myself in those labyrinths, venturing and exploring to the last corner because it was, what would they call, a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
“Pretty much. Interesting thing about them is that they were all planned and designed by my grandfather personally, down to the last detail,” he replied with pride in his voice, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at his statement. He seemed like an awesome grandfather. I never met mine. I didn’t know the reason, but my parents never talked or took me to my grandparents. And they left me so soon to…No. Don’t think.
It won’t help.
“Awesome!” Ayden exclaimed, bringing me back to reality, “Can we explore them?” he asked excitedly. I had been losing myself in my past way too much. It needed to stop before it fully engulfed me. Before I could no longer see my future.
“I’m afraid we can’t. It’s dark and dangerous now, Ayden. Maybe some other time. We’ll be coming here often,” Blake replied, and I silently thanked him for averting Ayden’s attention from those labyrinths.
“And we’re taking off.” The car stopped right in front of the stairs that, by the looks of it, leads to the entrance. Blake turned to us from his driver seat. “Wait, I’m a gentleman now. Don’t go out before I open your door,” he said, and I sighed. Melissa, on the other hand, already took off and proceeded to enter with her daughter by her side.
“So now I’m a lady, huh?” I asked him once he had got out and opened the doors on my side.
“Nope, but you look like one, so I will let it pass,” he said, giving me his hand, which I gladly accepted. Getting out of his gray Audi, I decided to go along with his joke.
Back was the playful Blake I loved to talk with.
“Why thank you, kind sir,” I said, bowing a bit, and he took my arm before planting a kiss on it—with those lips that were previously on mine.
“Shall we, milady?” he said, acting like a gentleman—Cinderella’s prince, now that we’re at it. I couldn’t help but give him one of my biggest grins.
I was about to reply to him to keep our conversation rolling, but Ayden, with his young and confused mind, decided to join us.
“Why are you speaking so strange?” he suddenly asked in the middle of our act. Not knowing how to explain this to him, I just shook my head and smiled, changing the subject.
He asked why we were acting like long dead people from the past. He really loved to think logically.
“Well, Ade, isn’t this great? We’re going to spend a Christmas together, with Amy and Mel too,” I asked, and he smiled excitedly.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go to them now.” He didn’t even waste a single second as he started running inside, both Mel and Amy have long disappeared from our sights.
“Ade, wait,” I tried to stop him, but it was too late. He had already climbed inside, trying to catch up to those two inside.
“I’ll catch him. You come slowly. We don’t want you tripping now, do we?” Blake said as he rushed to catch him. Good idea. Leave me unattended because my premonition for disaster kicked in, knowing that I was going to make some mistake.
There was no use in pondering it now.
Sighing, I decided to follow with a slower tempo. I still couldn’t forget his kiss, after all. Maybe it’s for the better that I’m finally away from him, even if it’s for a while, so that I could breathe. After all that had happened, after all that “I should hate him” thing, or “I’ll never see him again in my life,” I never thought I would like him the way I do, or enjoy the kiss we shared. Heck with it, I never even thought that I’ll be kissing anyone after that night.
My hand moved on its own accord, gently brushing my upper lip. No matter how much I tried, there was simply no way I could forget the feel of his lips on mine; that was for sure…I was going crazy. That kiss probably meant nothing to him compared to what I felt about it. Even if it did mean something, it was probably a lot different than my thoughts about it. I was so immersed in it that I didn’t notice an elderly person coming my way until I managed to stumble into him.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you all right? Not hurt?” I immediately asked, trying to see how big was the damage I made. But to my surprise, the person just laughed.
“I’m alright, my dear,” he said. “I didn’t see you before. Who did you come with? Only family and close friends are allowed here. Do you have the invitation?” he asked, making me frown. Invitation? Was I supposed to have one? Blake, where art thou? I’ll weep without thee!
“Oh…No, I don’t, but I’m with”—I tried to point to Blake with my finger, but he was nowhere to be found—“him. Where did he disappear? It has only been half a minute,” I mumbled to myself, but the person probably heard me, and he laughed.
“What’s your name, dear?” he asked.
“Ka-Kaley,” I replied instantly “Kaley Evansville, sir.”
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m the head of the house of this family, George II Blackburn, and I apologize if the person you came here didn’t tell you, but if you’re not family, you needed an invitation.” Well, if we were going to look at it that way, I was going to be a part of the family.
“That aside, who did you come here with, again?” he asked, and I sighed. What’s the danger in saying it, anyway?
“With Blake. If I got it right, I’d say that he’s your grandson,” I mumbled. I really had a feeling that this night was going to end really, really bad.
“Oh, probably another one night stand. You can leave now, girl. As my father said, only family, not a partner for a night.” Another guy who seemed around his late thirties or forties appeared. I widened my eyes. He looked like an older version of Blake, but that wasn’t the reason for my reaction. The fact that he had called me a “partner for a night” was what hit me the most. Suddenly, I had the urge to cry because of the memories his words invoked inside of me. But before I could do or say anything, he grabbed my arm and started pulling me down the stairs.
“Lucas, stop…Don’t be so rude toward the girl.” George tried to stop him, but it was useless. He didn’t even bat an eye as George followed after us.
Just as we reached the last stair and he was about to push me, Blake’s very angry voice resounded in the dead of night.
“Get the fuck off her before I break your arm!” And with that, he stormed toward us, and he who I believed to be his father moved away from me. I was sure that it would leave some bruise, but at the moment, my goal was to calm Blake down. He looked ready to kill, and fear started to crawl up my skin.
It was quite amusing and terrifying at the same time how the voice of a guy yelling affected me. I feared it. My body prepared to engage in a fight I knew I’d lose, and it didn’t even matter that he wasn’t yelling at me. And I’m sure that I am not the only girl who felt this.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Once he got down here, he took my arm to inspect it, and with an angry glare toward Lucas, he told me to get inside. Not sure if it was a good idea to leave him in this state with his father, I gently nudged him to come as well. He glared at me, and I gulped and looked down, trying to shake away the fear that crawled in my skin as I decided to calm him the same way my mother used to calm my dad on that day.
“It’s Christmas,” I mumbled, and after some time of silent glares, he nodded, doubtful.
“Fine,” was all he said as his left arm found its place around my back, pulling me gently by his side. However, as we passed by George, I looked down again, remembering all the words they said about me.
Blake just turned around and said, “This is the last time I came here with him invited as well or ever again.”
George said nothing, just sighed, and Lucas didn’t even seem fazed by what happened as he walked to another direction.
Once we entered, I decided to start a conversation with Blake to somehow make this night less awkward.
“Sorry,” he said before I could even say something, “for having to see me like that once again.” For a second, his words left me stunned in confusion until I realized what he meant. Like the way he acted on that night.
Gulping, I just smiled.
“It’s alright. It didn’t affect me at all,” I half-lied, and he glanced at me doubtfully, but probably decided that it was for the best to keep it at that.
I was glad he was able to take the hint. Because if he started a conversation about that night, I was sure I would break down. I was just not ready to talk about it with him, but I was trying. I was trying to move on, but it was so fucking hard with all the things going on in my life.
“So.” I needed to stop. “Where’s Ayden?” I finally got to ask. Has he found him?
“Oh, I left him with Amy and other kids. We grown-ups decided that it would be for the best if they had their own space to play and talk,” he replied as I nodded. That was a smart idea. No children loved to deal with adults talking about things too complicated for them to understand.
“Come. Some people are waiting for us.”
The halls that were designed all too spacious were nothing compared to the living room where we came in. I had honestly begun to doubt that we were in a normal mansion because this looked like the place Queen Elizabeth would come to rest at. Just rich were they?
“My sister!” Melissa’s voice boomed through the room as everyone turned their heads toward us. I blushed and froze with all attention was directed toward Blake and me as I wanted to kill Melissa because of what she did.
“You mean my sister,” Max said as he suddenly appeared behind me and hugged me tightly. Since when did I have another sibling?
“She’s dating Blake. So that means she’s my sister,” Melissa defended, and I sighed. This didn’t seem like a night that was going to pass just peachy.
“No way. I was the first to claim her as my sister. Go away!”
“Date and moment?” she asked him.
“Two years ago, February 14, when she almost threw her plate on me because I was persistent and annoying.”
Ah, now I remember. Max tried to flirt with me when we met, and despite having by his side Melissa, who I then believed to be his girlfriend, he wouldn’t back off. So, I wanted to throw his food all over him.
“Weren’t you two on a date back then?” I asked, suddenly remembering the times when I met them at my workplace.
“Doesn’t that make it even then?” Blake joined as Max finally released me from the hug, allowing me to breathe.
“Not a chance!” they both answered at the same time.
“And what’s all that with Kaley? What about me?” he asked, pretending to be hurt. I rolled my eyes at him. Playful Blake once again.
“I’ve been watching your face for twenty-five years now. I think that it’s about time for a new face to come in our lives,” Melissa mocked him, being a pain of a younger sister I didn’t know she was.
“I totally agree,” Max added, making Blake put a hand on his chest with a loud gasp. Attention from other people died off.
“Don’t be so harsh, guys,” I joined. “If it weren’t for Blake, I wouldn’t be here, so he was of some use after all.” I grinned, and he smacked my head.
“What the—” I started and returned the hit. Of course, since he anticipated it this time, all I could manage to hit was his arm.
“You’re so weak. That didn’t even tickle,” he said, and I huffed. I was so going to bite him if nothing else.
“How dare you to hit a lady?” an elderly woman said. She approached us with a smile. Melissa widened her eyes before coming closer to Max.
“Trust me, mother, this is no woman at all,” he replied as she hit his other arm and I smiled. So she was his mother, then.
“Still, she’s a girl, and that’s no way to treat one,” she continued, and I hid my egotistical “there you go” thoughts behind an innocent smile Blake only raised his eyebrow to. He could read me too well. I didn’t care; I was trying to impress his mother, not him.
“Girl, ha!” Max added as I was done and started laughing.
“Blake, you know the rules for this party, right? I understand you have your needs, but keep your women for your dates, not for family meetings,” she said, and my lips parted. Was the problem in his family, or was he just too big of a player? I didn’t expect that from her, not after the little chat she just had with Blake.
Trying to escape from him, Blake only tightened his grip on me.
“I thank you for your concern, mother, but that is not really a way to speak to your future daughter-in-law.” With those words, her lips parted as he only smiled before turning to everyone.
“Everyone, can I have your attention?” Immediately, the chatter died as they all turned their heads to look at us. Blake winked at me before going down on his knee, and my eyes widened.
“Since it is too early to kick you out and I didn’t have enough time to prepare for my speech, let’s get straight to the point.” Saying that, he got a little black box out of his pocket. “Kaley, although I don’t have a proper speech prepared, or some trained chipmunk to bring you the ring, I only have two words to tell you hoping for a positive answer. Marry me,” he finally said as a few around us gasped, his mother looking like she’d almost faint.
My breathing stopped. I already knew that we’d get married. I was already prepared for him to put the ring on my finger, but this…Words can’t express how speechless I was from his actions.
“Yes, say yes,” Melissa said next to me as Max followed after. I blinked a few times and bit my lips. Suddenly, a few more people repeated that. I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“I can’t say no, huh?” I joked, and he nodded. “In that case, I will.” And with that, he took my hand and put the ring on my finger.
Rising up, he picked me up before swinging me around a few times. The moment he stopped, he rested his chin on my head as a chorus of applauses continued in our background.
“Now, you’re officially mine. No more chances for you to escape,” he whispered, and I grinned, inhaling his cologne. God, he smelled so intoxicating. I loved that smell.
“When did I ever say that I’d run, anyway?” I whispered back as he laughed.
“I’m pretty sure that it was the only thing on your mind when we met again. I was afraid that you’d be gone the same moment I removed my eyes from you,” he said as I shook my head.
“Can’t argue with that one.”
To anyone watching, it probably seemed like we were having some type of lovers’ conversation, but we were far from that.
“Wait. How come you’re so relaxed over it?” Max asked me as I removed myself from Blake.
“I already told her that I’ll be marrying her. There was a problem with the jewelers. It took him a few days to prepare the ring. It was just a matter of time,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. Leave it to Blake.
“I…I apologize for what I said. Kaley, was it?” his mother said, and I nodded my head. “Sorry about that. I was on edge the entire day, so it clouded my judgment. But I truly apologize for saying those things in front of you,” she said, and I nodded.
“It’s all right. I kind of understand. It did come out of the blue.” Blake probably never brought a girl from a serious relationship before, if he even had one.
Just as I was about to say something else, in the corner of the room, I noticed them. I immediately remembered all the calls I made trying to reach them when Ayden was in the hospital and how they said that they couldn’t spend their money on something as insignificant as his life.
My aunts.
Or rather, our flesh and blood that turned their backs on us when we needed them the most.
What the hell were they doing here?
Why is it that we people cannot laugh from the bottom of our hearts when we achieve things we so yearned for? Are those tears we cry at the end of everything really tears of joy? Or are they tears we cry from all the regret and pain we’ve been through?