Adoption proceedings were halted as the revelations about my identity came to the light. As it turns out, there is no need to adopt your biological child. Fighting for full custody wasn't much of an issue either when faced with a raging narcissist, not to mention a child-abusing murderer. When the paperwork was finally accepted and charlotte won full custody, we all went out to celebrate.
"Why ice cream?" I asked from the middle seat, as we swerved into the Ben & Jerry's parking lot.
"It's a tradition!" Brooks said, looking down to smile at me. "Whenever we adopt a new sibling, Mom treats us all to ice cream. It made a lot more sense when we were children," he teased, making Charlotte scoff.
She turned her eyes on Brooks in the review mirror and said, "It's the perfect tradition and it's free, so no complaints!"
We rushed into the ice cream shop, jostling each other in an attempt to get to the front. Dominic thrust us all back, even with only one working arm, but Damon snuck around him and reached the counter first. I grabbed Caleb's shirt and yanked him behind me and tried to jump onto Brooks' back, but I still ended up last in line. Dominic and Damon ordered first as I analyzed the options.
"Anything?" I confirmed with Charlotte, giving her a distrusting look. She matched my expression and nodded seriously.
"Anything," She replied with a wink. She was wearing a beautiful blue shirt today that matched the color of her eyes perfectly, and she looked presentable as ever. The first couple of days after our harrowing experience weren't easy, despite bringing us closer together. She mostly wore sweats and old oversized shirts that were her husband's. I knew it was alarming for her to see her ex-boyfriend and learn the truth about her deceased husband all in one day. I was glad to see her back to her usual lovely self.
I pressed my finger to the glass to point at rainbow sherbet and chocolate ice cream while Caleb faked gagging at my choices. He told my order to Charlotte though, so I didn't have to speak. Although I rarely splurged with frivolities, I leaned over and whispered to Charlotte an additional request I had. A moment later, the man passed me my ice cream in a chocolate-dipped sprinkle-covered cone. A second after that, he handed me an extra bowl of rainbow sprinkles.
I walked over to the booth Dominic had picked, sliding into the middle of the seat as Caleb took the spot beside me. My eyes grew huge as I tasted my delectable cone and Brooks smiled from across the table.
"You've got a little drool, right there," he said, making fun of me and pointing to the side of mylip. I stuck my tongue out at him and licked it when I was sure he wasn't looking.
"Unfortunately, now that you're one of us, you have to pay the ice cream tax," Damon said from across the table as his spoon slipped down and pulled a massive scoop away from my cone.
"Hey!" I protested, looking at his bowl. "You have chocolate ice cream already!"
"Well, I don't," Dominic said, pulling a bite from my cone with his spoon and tasting it.
"Ew, is this sherbet? I hate sherbet!" he said, mocking me.
I growled, infuriated, as Charlotte finished paying and walked back over. They all laughed at me and my attempt at a growl, so I hid my face behind my ice cream. I didn't want them to see me looking embarrassed. When Damon said "aww" I slid even further down, trying to escape the situation. I was willing to climb under the table and leave but Charlotte arrived first and rescued me.
"Be nice to your sister!" she told the boys, shooting me a little wink. My stomach was filled with butterflies at that statement. Sister. I was part of this family. Would I ever wake up from this dream? The boys groaned at the new power that statement held but reluctantly got back to eating their own ice cream. Caleb had a sundae he was working on so ferociously I was sure he didn't even hear her.
The sunlight streamed through the shop's window and the bell on the door rang as new customers entered the shop. The familiar faces of my friends came into view as JJ, Lucy, Cassie, Magnus, and Asher entered the building. After ordering ice cream, they came over to congratulate me and hopped into the booth next to us. I hadn't told my friends everything that had happened, just that I was officially a part of the Anders' family now.
Caleb motioned for Asher to switch seats with him, and he did, dropping into the booth beside me. Dominic nearly slammed into the wall so that we'd have more space, but I kept my thigh against Asher's, unwilling to move.
"Congratulations on everything," Asher said, gray eyes gleaming in the sun. I had called him the night before and explained everything to him, excluding why Officer Walker was now in prison. I didn't feel comfortable telling him everything about my trauma just yet, and Charlotte had assured me that I should take my time.
"Thank you," I replied, grabbing his hand, and giving it a squeeze. "I'm really sorry about everything that happened and whatever trouble I've caused you along the way. But we can start all over now if you want?" I shrugged and waited while he thought about it, running his hand through his hair.
He sighed and shook his head, making my heart shrivel up anxiously. "I don't just want good moments with you Maya. I want the bad and the ugly so that our good moments are even sweeter." He took a spoonful of his cookie dough ice cream and placed it on my nose, making me shriek. I swiped it off and grabbed some sprinkles from my bowl, dumping them on his head. My family laughed as rainbow sprinkles stuck in his brown hair, making his head look like a chocolate ice cream cone.
"Oh, you're dead!" he threatened, making me curl up against Dominic and squeal. He wrapped his good arm around me and glared at Asher, making him raise his hands in defense and back up. I smirked up at my oldest brother and he gave me a wink, as a laugh roared from the booth next to ours. I looked up to see that Caleb had his arm resting on the booth just behind JJ's shoulders. He was teasing her with a smirk, but she stuck her chin out, confidently replying with sass. Cassie and Lucy made "ooh" sounds like a third-grade class when someone is sent to the office and they all laughed, smiling at our table when they saw us watching. Caleb pecked her on the cheek and whispered something into her ear that made her eyes grow wide. (A/N something sexy)
"Caleb is JJ's mystery boyfriend?" I asked Asher in surprise, as my brothers craned their necks to see as well. Charlotte had a satisfied smirk on her lips that told me she had known for a while now.
"Damn, I'm the only one without a girlfriend?" Damon asked in shock, looking at Dominic to confirm. Dominic covered his mouth with his hand and tried not to laugh as he nodded to his younger brother.
"I don't have a girlfriend," I replied angelically, raising one hand. Everyone laughed as he dropped his head to the table and began to gripe.
"I guess it makes sense about Caleb and JJ..." Asher mused. "I can't believe you didn't notice! He's your brother and she's your best friend!"
"I was a little busy with everything," I argued back with a smile.
"Stop flirting and eat your ice cream," Damon said sternly, making my brothers snicker and Asher and I blush. We continued eating and laughing while Damon and Dominic arm-wrestled, and Brooks and my mom placed bets on who would win.
The bell on the door chimed again and a little kid sprinted in to press his face to the glass and choose his ice cream. His parents walked in holding hands and laughed at his eagerness, giving each other a knowing look. I looked around at the faces of my family and sighed a breath of relief. I even let my shoulders relax as we continued to tease each other and enjoy our ice cream. For a moment, as we ate and talked and laughed, I contemplated love and happiness. I knew they were inevitably fleeting, but for a single perfect moment, they felt infinite.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: OH MY GOSH IT'S ALL OVER AND I ALREADY FEEL SAD! What am I going to do now that I'm not writing about these lovely people? I love them all so much!
Does anyone have an idea for a new book they want to see from me???
I'm thinking we need an epilogue, just one more chapter to tie it all together... what do you think? (I'm going to do it anyway ;))
YOU ARE READING
Maya (Book #3)
Teen FictionJust when Maya thought it was possible to outrun her past, he caught up with her once more. Maya's uncle had been on the run ever since that terrible night so many months ago. She thought she was safe with her new family and protective older brother...
