In His Arms

Chapter 9

'Growing Affection'

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8:20 A.M.

".....I-I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me. It's been quite long since I've seen a girl act that way towards a boy her age, actually. It was pretty cute, really."

Cass' tone seems to indicate that she's on board with the idea more than she is repulsed by it. Namely, the idea that my daughter and nephew are up to not-so-familial things behind me and mother's backs. Assuming what Issa had said and done yesterday was true, that is.

"Cass, c'mon."

"Whaaat? Do you really think they're going to do anything? For all we know, Jace's probably just Issa's emotional support at the moment, on account of what happened to her recently."

She just gave me her usual nonchalant smile while I'm over here worrying my little head out. Not to say what she said isn't true of course, and truth be told, I can still feel a tinge of guilt to this day for not being there for Issa enough when she told me about her ex-boyfriend cheating on her. Her faint sobs as she cried herself to sleep in her room for a few nights still echo in my mind.

".....But what if it becomes more than that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I trust Issa, but Jace? Well......it's not that I don't trust him, but...."

"I know Jace used to catch a lot of tail for quite a while, or so Nicole told me, but I'm pretty sure everyone draws the line when it comes to blood family."

Though still quite unsure myself, I decided to just take Cass' words so as to put myself at ease. I suppose Jace wouldn't really go that far.

"No guarantees, though. Issa herself is quite a looker and I'm sure Jace would agree, even if law and blood dictates that she is family to him. They may not be doing anything right now, but even if they aren't, do you really think it'll stay that way for very long?"

I just fell silent as Cass' words registered in my head. She has a point, there's no familial bond between them whatsoever. They didn't grow up together, hell they didn't even know the other existed until very recently. They're more akin to step-siblings being introduced to each other for the first time than actual uncle and niece.

I slumped forward on the table of the cafe we were in, groaning as I worry about what those two might be up to whenever there's no else around the house, which is to say, nearly all the bloody time.

"Not that I'm particularly concerned about that happening."

".....Because you think it won't happen or.....?"

"Because I think it's cute?"

"Cass!!"

"Nhaahaha! C'mon, Fran lighten up! Even if they do end up doing, err, 'things' together, I don't think it will last very long. That's usually how Jace's flings go as far as I know."

"I'd rather they DON'T do anything at all, Cass."

"Please, says the one who also seduced her own uncle back in the day."

My heart sank a little as Cass brought up my history with her dad. I immediately looked away, but I can tell her smirk grew larger from how much that struck a nerve to me. Part of me is still confused as to why she doesn't hold any hard feelings against me. If anything, I owe her a lot for keeping quiet about it not just from our family but from our entire circle of friends in general.