The Shadows of Tragedy

Chapter 35

When Romeo returned home Erza asked Juvia to keep him occupied once Minerva arrived and to keep it secret that his mother had returned. At least for awhile.

"I'll do as you ask but are you sure it's a good idea keeping this from him?" Juvia said when Erza made her request.

"We will tell him about Minerva and allow him to see her but not yet. Not until I make sure that seeing him is the only reason she's here." The red head explained.

"Has Romeo ever wanted to see her?"

"He's asked about her a few times but it's not really something he's persisted in. After all he was very little when she left. It's been so long, I wonder why she suddenly decided to come back now."

"Perhaps she's realized that she made a mistake and wants to make up for it."

"Maybe but I'm not taking any chances. Not until I find out what she's up to. In the meantime don't tell Romeo anything about this. I don't think I could bear it if he were to get excited about seeing her only for his hopes to be crushed if she ended up leaving again."

"I understand."

Later when Minerva came back to the house Gray and Erza sat down with her to have a little talk. When Gray got close enough to see really look at Minerva's face he couldn't help but notice something strange about her eyes. They were not as a human's eyes should be. Now of course the average human being would not be able to notice this but Gray was a vampire meaning his senses were far superior than human being's.

"Excuse me but who are you and why are you staring at me?" Minerva asked upon noticing his intense gaze.

"Minerva this is my cousin Gray Fullbuster." Erza introduced. "He's recently moved in with us and has been helping me with my financial problems."

"I apologize for staring ma'am." Gray said. "I was just looking for any physical resemblance you may have to Romeo."

"I see." She replied not entirely convinced that what he said had been the truth. "Well unfortunately my son ended up taking more after my ex husband than myself."

"Thank God." Erza mumbled.

"Speaking of which, when will I get to see my son?"

"As soon as you answer a few questions for me." Erza said.

"As you wish dear sister."

Erza cringed at the false sickeningly sweet tone of her voice when she said that.

"Why have you suddenly come back?"

"Erza I thought I made my intentions perfectly clear to you when I first arrived. I wish to be reunited with my son."

"Yes but why? Why now after all these years? Why not come back when my brother died? Or better yet why not come back after that day you left in the first place?"

"I was very young when I married Macao and had Romeo. I wasn't mature enough to be both a wife and a mother. It was a scary time for me. I had to leave and find myself."

"Oh please." Erza said rolling her eyes. "Don't give me that pathetic excuse. You were twenty-four when he was born, I was eighteen but somehow I managed to help Macao raise him while you were doing God knows what in Heaven knows where."

"I have acknowledged the mistakes I have made Erza and I want to make up for them. That's why I have come back now because it wasn't until now that I understood just how awful my actions were."

"I don't believe you. I think you have something else in mind."

"Erza are you implying that I have some ulterior motive?"