THE PLAYERS SERIES : S.M. {book 2}

XXXIX

I knock at Alexia's door around 8 pm, biting my lips: ever since Abby declared her love for me, I just realized my heart was set on somebody else, and on one person only. Now, all I needed was to make sure she knows that.

Only, when another woman opens the door, my jaw drops.

"Hola. Supongo que usted es la famosa que besa a mi hija en las fotos del periódico." {EN: Hello. I guess you are the famous woman who is kissing my daughter on the pictures in the newspaper.}

Of course my ideal first meeting with Elisabet Segura, Alexia's mother, had nothing to do with what was happening right now.

In a loss for words, I just stare at her in shock, while Alexia's voice raises from across the apartment:

"Mamá. Hablamos de esto. Por favor." {EN: Mom, please, we talked about this}

The mid-short hair woman, who was dressed quite elegantly, just smirks and stares at me, before saying:

"Estás aún más guapa que en la foto. Hermosos ojos. Pasa." {EN: You're even prettier than on the picture. Pretty eyes. Come on in.}

"Mamá, basta" Alexia says, before opening the door wider and softly pushing her mother aside. She then winks at me and says: "So, Mew, please don't freak out, 'cause your parents are in the living room."

My heart skips a few beats.

"What?" I let out, utterly stressed out now. As Alexia is firing me a deadly look, I turn toward her mother and politely struggle to say in the best Spanish that I could: "Estoy muy contento de conocerla, señora." {EN: I am glad to make your acquaintance, m'mam}

Jesus fucking Christ. What are my parents doing here ? Last time I checked they found out about my divorce with Pat but never asked any question, and now that I haven't heard from them since the damn article came out and just figured they hadn't seen it, they just freakin' show up at Alexia's place? Why the fuck would they do that?

My thoughts were so loud that I forgot where I was for a moment. I am snapped out of my trance by Alexia elbowing me in the ribs. Groaning, I just follow her into the living room. Before we enter, she whispers:

"I'm here. It's gonna be okay."

"If they kill me, please make a party out of my funeral, and scatter my ashes in a lake or something with water in it, 'kay?"

Smirking, Alexia just literally pushes me inside the living room of her apartment, where an unreal scene of Melissa and Bob Mewis sitting on one of the couches, and then Kristie and Lucy, joined by Alexia's mother on the other, all laughing their asses off to a joke. When they realize Alexia and I are standing there, they just stop talking and turn toward us.

I cross my sister's gaze, and somehow I knew everything was going to be okay.

"M-mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" I ask in disbelief, before turning toward Kristie and asking: "Kratch? I thought you were preparing your wedding? What are you... oh my God, my sister's pregnant!"

Almost crying out of joy (and panic, let's be real) I just run toward Kristie and, as she only had time to get up, I give her the biggest hug, truly happy for her and Lucy.

After a few seconds, we pull away, as my sister says:

"Vlatko told me about his decision, and honestly when I realized you haven't even told me I thought it'd be better to actually come here to support you. So I had to tell mom and dad and they decided to join."

Half-moved, half-shocked, I just sigh.

Before I can even say anything, my mother gets up and walks toward me, grabbing my cheeks in between her hands just like she used to when I was a kid. When both my eyes and hers are filled with tears, she pulls me into a tight hug, slowly patting my back, just like when I had those recurring nightmares around the age of 10.

While I am hugging her, I cross gazes with my father, who cracks a soft smile and nods his head, as his way of saying 'everything's okay, kiddo'. Just like when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Sighing out of relief, I just pull away, while my mother grabs my hands and says in a confident voice:

"I am so sorry you didn't feel like you it was safe enough to tell us about your divorce and then about your new relationship. We just wanted to let you know in person, so you can see the love in our eyes: we love you no matter what. And we are glad you found Alexia."

Bob choses this moment to get up and join in the hug, adding:

"We're proud of you, kiddo. Not only did you stand up for yourself, but you also upgraded in terms of romantic tastes."

Everybody in the room burst into laughter, while I hug my dad.

"The hell" Kristie lets out, rolling her eyes while getting up, "I belong to the Mew-clan too."

With that said, she joins the collective family hug, while Alexia goes and sits down next to her mother, who grabs her hands and relies her head on her daughter's shoulder.

I could see her smile from miles away.

***

After going to the restaurant with both our families, our respective parents had gone back to their hotels, while Alexia, Lucy, Kristie and I were now alone.

Quite immediately, my sister announces:

"So, we gotta get ready for next week. I know there's a nice bar around the corner of the street, so let's go!"

Alexia frowns.

"I'm sorry... next week?"

"Our wedding" Lucy explains, smirking.

"You have no choice but to come now that you have chosen to date my annoying yet endearing sister - which basically makes us sisters-in-laws." Kristie then says, dead serious.

Alexia stares at me, lost, while I grab her hand and say in a low voice:

"It would mean a lot to me if you came."

Cracking a smile, Alexia wraps her arm around my waist and then says for the entire group:

"Alright, then. We should definitely get a drink right now to celebrate the pre-wedding."

It is with enthusiasm and easiness that the four of us sit down on the balcony of some cute bar - with only Kristie drinking non-alcoholic drink since she is pregnant. Underneath the table, Alexia grabs my hand.

I know we're reached a new point in our relationship: thing is, I needed to tell her about the hard choices I had to make in the upcoming weeks...