I've never been more afraid to touch my husband than I am at this moment. We're seated together on our love seat like two teenagers who were just caught having sex and the notion of what sex causes drilled into our heads. My robe is tied tightly around my body, while Vylad is sloppily dressed. I'm so afraid to touch him in the slightest way that I've crammed myself into the side of the love seat to prevent our thighs from touching.
"Vylad, Alex, I want you to remember that adult situations lead to children," she drones on, appearing rather proud of herself. "However, I am all for little Paris having a baby sibling of her own. I was already pregnant with Zuzu when Gargar was her age."
Vylad groans, dropping his head into his hands. "Mom, when Alex and I are ready, we'll have more children."
"You were most definitely creating something!" She defends herself, growing offensive. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was another child running around in nine months calling me grandma."
"Can we not talk about my sex life, mother? I'm a grown ass adult," Vylad retorts. "And I know this is not why you stopped by at seven in the morning."
"Little Pea! I did not raise you to have the mouth of a sailor."
The two fall silent. I've never seen the two of them bud heads the way they are, so I think their responses to each other are shocking themselves.
Zianna reaches into her purse and pulls out a folded up magazine. She tosses it onto our coffee table with a sad frown. Vylad is the one to reach for the paper out of the two of us. I visibly stiffen, and Zianna's eyes shift towards my direction.
Vylad asks why she felt the need to bring this to our attention once again when we had to face it by ourselves to begin with. He reaches to give it to her, but her hands remain at her sides.
"You two didn't seem pleased at the dinner," she announces, eyes dropping to the cover. Vylad eventually drops it back down onto the wooden surface when his arm grows tired. "I'm sorry for tricking you the way you did. You both have been distant since then."
"It's only been a few days, mom."
"You've still been distant. So have your sister and brothers. It hurts as a mother to know that her children don't want anything to do with her."
Vylad shifts in his seat. I can tell he's uncomfortable with the conversation at hand. He goes to argue with her, but Zianna continues nonetheless, worried about how she'll grow older and alone.
I stand from my spot, reaching for her hand to bring her to my spot. I stand behind her, looking at my husband. He looks up at me with begging eyes, but I shake my head. I can't fight every battle there needs to be fought between him and his mother.
An excuse is made on why I need to leave the room. I claim it's to make tea for our conversation, but my nerves have hit me hard in my stomach. When I get to the kitchen, I set water to boil, but I reach for my phone to tell Kandi to keep Paris for a little while longer.
While they talk and the water boils, I set a small tray up to bring out into the living room. Vylad's cup is already set the way he likes it, and Zianna will normally prepare her cup how she wishes to. Zianna is in tears by the time I walk back out to the living room, and Vylad is trying his hardest to comfort her.
"I didn't mean for everything to go the way it has," she sniffles, dabbing a tissue under her eye. I place the tray down on the table, and Vylad reaches forward to prepare Zianna's cup for her. She takes it gratefully, but she looks up at me with tearful eyes. My own heart nearly drops to my stomach. "I didn't mean to upset you, either."
I choke on my own words, unable to produce them. I look like a silly fish gasping for air with my loss for words. It's her turn to reach for my hand, and she holds it within her own two. It's comforting, and it's moments like these where I can feel the warmth and sincerity of a mother. "I–You didn't upset me, Zianna."
She shakes her head. "Nonsense. I saw you walk off to that bathroom, and my Kandilyn followed after you. You were in there for quite some time. You both have to believe me that I wouldn't dream of hurting my poor grandbaby for anything in the world."
Vylad stands from his spot, reaching for the magazine once more and tossing it into the trash can nearby. The two of us turn to look at it due to the loud sound it caused. His face is stern, and I can't help but find him incredibly attractive at this moment in time because I know this side of Vylad.
"You're hurting your children instead. Paris is too young to know what's going on."
Zianna's breath hitches in the back of her throat. She places one hand in front of her mouth to hide how it has fallen open, but it's little to no use.
"Mom, none of us are fit for that company. Garroth felt forced. Zane felt forced. Kandi and I feel forced. Forcing me into doing something is one thing, but forcing my wife and my children into continuing it is another. I refuse for them to have to go through it, either. I want my children to grow up knowing they're free to choose what they do with their lives, not that it was picked out for them before they were even born." Vylad walks towards us, wrapping his arm around my waist and drawing me closer to him. "I'm not fourteen any more mom.
I have a child now of my own that I have to look out for. A wife too."
Her tears have died down, but her eyes are still cloudy. Zianna's frown has been replaced with a sad frown. She places her hand on Vylad's cheek before pulling him into a hug. "My Little Pea has grown up into a fine young man."
"Why don't we pick up Paris up and go to breakfast?" I ask, smiling softly at the sight in front of me.
Zianna nearly pops out of the hug, acting as though she wasn't affected by what happened moments before.
"That sounds wonderful! You both will shower, won't you? Get the sex off? You really should use the bathroom after you do it."
Vylad's eyes widen, "Mother!"
