Don't Let it Fall to Pieces

56

Genevieve sat at the kitchen table, Matthew to her right, Eleanor to her left, with Seth standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder. She sat straight, holding her head highly like she'd seen her mother do so many times. Her hands were clasped in her lap, desperately trying to ignore how they shook as her mother set down mugs of tea in front of them.

"Now, what is it you wanted to ask me?" Lorelei sat in the seat opposite of Genevieve, sipping her tea delicately.

"My father called me today," Genevieve started, willing her to keep her composure when Lorelei put down her mug to stare at Genevieve. "He told me that the Council had plans to use me for the power I apparently possess, to keep our kind under their control, and that's why I never learned about who I was until you couldn't hide it from me anymore. Is it true? Is that why everyone kept looking at me like I was a raging thunderstorm when we were in Maine? Is that why Thea came to my room the day before we left to try and convince me to stay there with them?" Genevieve stopped when she felt Seth give her shoulder a short squeeze, taking a deep breath to recompose herself. "Please don't lie to us."

Lorelei pursed her lips, pushing the tea away from her. "When you were born, your grandmother warned Geraldo and I to keep you away from the Council. When you turned 11, she changed her mind and wanted you to go back to the community and was determined to take you with or without us. She wouldn't tell me why she changed her mind, but we were determined to keep you away from the Council after Millicent hinted that they were pushing for us to come back to Maine. She and I did some snooping after Thomas attacked you and we think the Council was conspiring to keep you in Maine for their own benefit, but we can't prove anything."

Genevieve frowned, crossing her arms. She tried to push the flash of betrayal away from her heart, knowing her mother was just trying to protect her - her mother was always just trying to protect her. "Were you planning on telling me?"

Lorelei sighed, "eventually, yes. You seemed so interested in the Siren government during our lessons, I knew that we'd have to discuss it eventually. I just didn't want to add more to your plate, especially now that the Volturi is a threat again."

"You don't get to hide things from me!" Genevieve snapped, her cheeks burning in anger. "not anymore. You've hid who I was from me my whole life! I shouldn't have to find out the reason behind that from my father who abandoned me because he hates the idea that my existence is anything but normal. If the Council is after me and is just as corrupt as we think they are, I deserve to know that! If they are, then I want to put a stop to it!" Genevieve was aware that their mugs shattered with her growing anger, ignoring the shards that scraped her cheek as she stood, hands clenched at her side. "I need to know what's going on," her voice was lowered, calm and steady despite the show of anger. "Especially if I'm expected to save us all."

No one said anything for a moment. Genevieve stood her ground, unwavering as she stared at her mother. She deserved to be angry, she deserved to show her emotions instead of keeping them bottled up. She will not apologize for her emotions anymore.

"Genevieve's right," Eleanor's soft voice broke the silence, bringing all eyes to her. She stood slowly, placing her hands on her hips. "Hiding shit like this isn't going to make anyone's life easier. We need to trust each other if we want things to get better. Regardless of if you think we're too young to be dealing with it, the reality is that this won't wait until you think we're old enough to be part of it. The Volturi are coming now. The Council is corrupt now. They won't wait for us to grow up, so neither should you."

Lorelei sat with her arms crossed, eyeing each of the children. Eleanor and Genevieve stood, their jaws locked with an identical stubborn look in their brown eyes. Lorelei knew that look too well, knowing it was the same look her own mother got when she was adamant about whatever she was speaking about. Genevieve held herself stronger than Eleanor did, chin raised defiantly even as Seth slipped his hand in hers, noticeably calming the Siren down with just one touch. Lorelei wondered idly when her daughter grew up, fitting the mold of the woman she knew her daughter would one day fit into. She never wanted Genevieve to grow up too fast like she had to, but some things were inevitable.