Girl in a Hoodie: Where the Future Lies

Chapter 25

James's POV:

There's a short silence as Riley and I enter the living room, my arm wrapped around her waist with the suitcases in the other room as she smiles inevitably, looking at her mother and her mother looking at her, both with the same resemblance as they take in the fact that they're technically meeting each other for the very first time.

Her mother was wearing a skin-tight red dress, dark brown hair tied into a bun, not so much as a high or low one but more so in the middle with multiple bobby pins on the edge where her hair had been gelled down. She also wore black heels and wore light make-up on her face. I could see more of Emily in her than of Riley but I think one thing they actually did share was their same, whole-hearted and sweet yet soft smile.

I smile as I let go of Ri and allow her to walk over to her mum before hugging her tightly, more tighter than the way she's ever hugged me before. Her mum's eyes closed as she faced me although I couldn't see what Riley's face looked like but I'm depicting that she shut her eyes just the same. They mumble something so quietly to each other and I exchange a look with Emily who smiles at me. It's like during the whole encounter all you can do is smile, there's nothing else to do because it's just so beautiful to watch a mother and daughter, who have been separated for years, reconnect for the first time.

"My beautiful baby," her mother whispers. Ri pulls back and giggles a little before turning around to face me where I notice she had a tear rolling down her cheek. She quickly wipes it away with her thumb however, before rolling her eyes playfully at me and grabbing my hand, pulling me forward.

"And who's this handsome boy? You didn't say you were bringing company," her mum says before glancing down at Riley's stomach and noticing the bump for the very first time. I don't get why it takes people so long to notice but I'm beginning to think that her reaction might not be what we hoped... Why? Because her lips are suddenly pursed and she has an eyebrow raised. I don't think Ri's realized though and I don't expect her to because she must be experiencing emotions beyond words at the moment.

"Mum," she says, emphasizing it. It must feel nice to say those words for the first time. I can't imagine how Riley is feeling right now. "This is James, my fiancé." Her mother somewhat nods, chewing her bottom lip the slightest before shaking my hand and I smile.

"Alice," she introduces herself as. "So you're pregnant with his child too?" she asks. Riley looks up at me and slowly nods her head, perhaps coming to the same realization that I was.

"Yes...?"

"And you're sure this is what you want? The both of you?" she asks us. I place my hand on Ri's back as she nods, furrowing her brows. "Well, you do know that it's a lot of responsibility and you're still young, don't you, sweetie?" she says. 

"I know. But we've discussed everything and I'm almost seven months along so it is far too late to change anything, not that I'd want to anyway," she says, muttering the last part. I hold her hand and squeeze it a little to relax her in a way but all she ends up doing is forcing a light and weak smile.

Suddenly a guy walks into the room to join us, planting a kiss on Alice's cheek which tells me he must be her partner or something. He seemed to be Italian or somewhere in the lines of being European, with a beard, dead brown eyes, a stern look on his face, tall and at the same time extremely muscular, wearing a plain white shirt, hanging over the top of his navy blue jeans. He looks at me and Riley with both brows raised in clear comprehension.

"Ah, Riley, is it?" he questions. She nods without a clear facial expression on her face as he puts his hand out.

"Marcus," he tells her. She nods again, obviously not having an idea of what to say. "And you are?" he asks, turning to face me.