The Everlasting Effect 💖

Chapter Nine: Denara

"We are going to hunt for another bottle of wine, and I cannot reach the shelves. Mason, c'mon! You need to help me with that, and we discuss that work thing that you came to talk about." She screams as the door to the kitchen shuts behind her.

Jamie, how could you?! And Mason, you too?!

I look up at Arawn and awkwardly wave at him while getting sucked into his chocolate-brown eyes. The pools of a chocolate abyss that can drown me with the depths of emotion that it holds. Pulling out of my shocked state, I pull myself together and put a fake smile on my face. Rhys is genuinely happy that he is here and I, on the other hand, wanted him far away from us.

My mind keeps screaming at me and telling me to get Rhys far away from him that the damage has been done, but my heart is yearning at the sight of them together. This could have been our family from the start instead of the broken family I gave her. My selfishness and stubbornness are what ruined so many lives, and yet here we are.

Eight years and everything is different now. I have a kid. That's my world when Arawn was my everything once upon a time. I guess that part is still technically true because Rhys is my world, and she's half Arawn.

I can't help but be slightly a bit memorized and guilty when he interacts with Rhys. It comes naturally, and if you didn't know better, you would think that they had known each other their whole life.

So this is what it would have been like.

"Hey, what are you doing here?...." I quickly pretend to be busy gathering some random books on the counter and back a beeline to the shelves on the other side of Arawn to avoid any form of communication. He looks about ready to explode but holds everything back because of Rhys.

Of course, he follows me, leaving Rhys alone momentarily to be distracted by her plane. I pretend that I'm too focused on finding the correct alphabetical section for the book in my hands. My palms felt sweaty, and I felt a qualm in his presence. Danny will be here to pick up Rhys soon, and Arawn being here will not help the situation.

I can already imagine what will run through Arawn's head when he sees Danny. All the cheating accusations will come back to life, and Rhys is around the exact age when those occurred. None of this would have happened if my mother hadn't meddled with my life at every waking moment that she got.

I would have my family together and not separated like this, nor would I be so messed up. I see Arawn's eyes, and for the first, since we talked, I notice his eyes don't sparkle the way they used to. They look tired and lifeless with emotion. Their bags were under his eyes. Part of me still believes that I did this for your benefit, and that's the reason I never told you, but maybe it's just an excuse.

"Denara, first, the book in your hand starts with "W" and you are standing in front of a label that says "C." Second, Wuthering Heights does not belong in the Sci-Fi section," Arawn says, looking bemused while pointing to the sign above our heads. He takes the book from my hands and slams it shut, the sound echoing loudly throughout the shop.

Dammit, busted.

"Look, Denara, just tell me what's going on. "

Arawn looks sad for a moment before his face becomes devoid of any emotion. Every ounce of emotion disappears, and I can't get a read on him. I stare into his cold eyes, and my anxiety increases. The sound of the shop's bell ringing and a male voice shouting enthusiastically for Rhys and my mind goes blank in realization.

Shit!

"Baby girl, your dad is here for you!" was more than enough to shove him back into his icy shell. I could see his eyebrows furrow. I quickly slipped past Arawn and panicked. There he is, Danny, standing high and mighty. His confidence and arrogance just scream in his expensive attire. Could this get any worse?! They said that bad luck comes in pairs.