Where I Went From Here

Chapter 19 - Mothers' Dinner Party

~ POV: Kyla Bowers ~

One week later

A whole week has passed since the last Friday, my half-brothers and I spent some "sibling bonding". Christian had told me yesterday that we had o cancel our time together because everyone was busy; from dad, Christian, Elijah with work at the company. To Levi with a special commission painting, Mason with classes and football, along with Ryder with something super busy he had to do with some friends. Therefore, I was left all to myself. Yippie me.

Now dinner has started, so as I hurry downstairs to get my seat that I've self assigned myself, I see Mason cutting me off by going in front of me while Levi just walk by my side. I don't understand why the fuck he hates me so much, when I haven't done anything to him. Once situated on the dining table with almost everyone present, we just wait for Christian so that dinner can start.

Idly seated, I wonder into my own thoughts on how much has gone since my mom and grandma died; I went from barely able to carry on with myself to having seeing my dad for the first time in twelve years to inheriting so much. Plus, no one in this house knows that mom died, I've made dad at least believe that she know's I'm here with them and that completely fine with me spending time with all of them. There was this one time, dad wanted to call mom to let her know and to talk to her about some important stuff, but I immediately told him that I'd do it; that it was most likely that she'd like to hear it from me than him, who hadn't seen or talked to her in years. So after there has been no questioning about my mother by the boys or dad.

It's just been crazy. Hearing footsteps coming closer and closer to the dining room, is what brings me out of my thoughts. Not even a second passes as Christian barely sits, when the rest of the boys go at it with the food. I make no move to get caught up in the entanglement of arms trying to grab of pass dishes; I just go for the closest plate of food to me which is the Caesar salad, when every had their plates filled with some combination of food, I then go for the lasagna and snatch a piece of bread quickly on my plate. Elijah sees me do this and makes a "did you seriously just do that" face; seeming him do that makes me giggle a little too loudly and catches everyone's attention.

"You good, Kyla?" Ryder asks amusingly.

Clearing my throat, I answer him "no".

Dinner goes by smoothly, with dad and the boys making conversation amongst each other while I try to stay out of it; but they still try to include me. Ryder tries the most to make conversation with me and I actually... don't mind it whatsoever. It's kind of nice. I don't say much, but Ryder, man, says plenty for the both of us; he talks about a little of everything. Like movies, shows, places, and music. Especially music, he loves music and formed a band with his most close friends.

Still listening to Ryder ramble on about how one of his friends was a dumbass almost breaking his foot on his skateboard, gets interrupted mid sentence by someone not so subtly clearing their throat. We both turn at the same time to see so see that the culprit was Elijah who then turns to Christian.

"Kyla, we wanted to ask if you could join all of us to go to our mothers' dinner party?" Christian asks.

"Why?" I defensively respond.

"They'd like to meet you. Since you're our sister they just want to get to know you a little, and see you in person" he continues to go on.

"They? As in both of your guys mothers" I inquire.

"Yes" Christian says with confused face.

"Oh. Um.. I don't know" I says hesitantly.

Christian lets it go but I see that glint of sadness in his eyes. Turing to continue my dinner, I turn in time to see Ryder and see that he has a little disappointment in his eyes. Seeing this I feel bad, their mothers seem scary and I don't want to have to deal with them in anyway shape of form.

With dinner done, I head to my room feeling mentally exhausted for no particular reason. In the comfort of my room, I begin to get ready for bed; even if I end up not get much sleep, I just want to be in bed. Showered and in my pajamas, I go to lay down but as I'm fixing my blankets on myself I get a knock on my door. Reluctantly I give a tired 'come in' so that whoever it is knocking can come in and let me sleep.

Not so surprised it turns out to be Ryder the one who knocked. He rapidly enter my room and makes a beeline to the my bed and plops down to my side. Making himself comfortable on my bed, I have to readjust myself and sit as I tun to face him feeling slightly annoyed.

"Ryder, what do you want?" I whine to him.

"Do you really not want to have dinner with our mothers'? Not even meet them? Aren't you curious about them?" he bombards me with question after question.

"I not that curious about them, I could get to know them vicariously from others and meet them far away at some point or something. But I just don't know, okay. I don't know" I spill out my mini rant.

He turns to face me becoming serious in his expression. "Look, I get it. They're new people who so happen to be the mothers' of your brothers, but they're not bad people. Yes, they can both be a lot to handle and say stuff without filter but they're just fine I guess as mom's go... Plus, I'd really like for you to meet them. You're my sister and even though we've just meet a month or a couple of weeks ago, you mean a lot to me. So please think about it?"

"Okay, I'll think about it" I mumble as I respond.

"Thanks, lil' sis" he says as he goes back to his happy, bright self.

"If it makes you feel a little better, I'd also like to meet your mom one day" he states already off my bed with his hand to the door; and with that said he leaves.

Hearing him say that he'd like to meet my mom, makes my heart ache. It would've been nice to see Ryder and my mom. It's sad think think of the what-if's or the would've been's, but Ryder is starting to grow on me... so I'll at least try for his sake. Only his sake. With Ryder's words in mind, I slowly feel my eyes growing heavier and heavier growing me into sleep.

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In the morning, I anxiously wait for Ryder to come down. I just sit in the living room with the TV on, not really paying any attention to what's on the screen. At breakfast, Ryder is the last to come down to my dismay. When he's comfortable enough in his chair, eating breakfast I pat him on the shoulder to gain his attention. Ryder turn to look at me, and I motion for him to come a little closer to me so that I can tell him something. He brings his ear close to my face but before that I take a deep breathe.

"I'll do it" I whisper only his ears.

"You'll do what?" he asks confused.

"I'll go with all of you to have dinner with your mothers'" I whisper again but somehow managing to whisper even lowly. This earns me a check ear to ear grin from him.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, lil' sis."

Oh, what have I gotten myself into...

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A/N: Hello, everyone!!! I hope you all have had a good week! Unlike mine where I was busy with finals so yeah... But moving on, what do you think will happen next? What do think the mothers' will be like? Till next time.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)