A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

JULIETTE SLEEPILY TRUDGES through the hideaway to Aurora's room. The teenager is taking a nap after a long morning of working out. Jules goes to knock on her daughter's door but before she can do that, a sleepy Charles sneaks up behind her. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her neck, making her giggle.

"Baby, come back to bed. I cannot stand to be away from you for another minute." He murmurs in her ear.

"You missed me?" She turns around in his arms to kiss him deeply.

He nods and goes in for another kiss. God he's so in love with her. "So much." He's been traveling for the past three weeks and refused to be away from Juliette and the family any longer than necessary.

Odette steps into the hallway wearing an oversized Saint Laurent hoodie (Christian's hoodie) with matching joggers. "Hi mommy! Hi daddy! What's up?"

"Nothing, honeybear. Just making out in the hallway again. The usual. What's up with you?"

Charles smiles at them both and knocks on Aurora's bedroom doors. "Aurora?" When he opens the door, Aurora is sitting up in her bed, hair all over the place, letting out a loud yawn. "How's my honeybear doing?"

"I'm alright daddy. Just tired."

"Too tired for ice cream?"

Aurora shakes her head. "Is that a bribe? I'll have you know that I take bribes. I'm never too tired for ice cream." She climbs out of her bed and goes into the bathroom to take a shower and wash her hair.

"I heard ice cream. I want to go." Odette mutters.

"We're all going. Just as soon as your sister gets ready."

"Thought you were tired." Juliette walks up to her husband and caresses his face.

He leans in her touch and kisses her hand. "I am. But I also want to spend time with my family."

A curly haired Aurora appears. "I'm ready." She's clad in Justin's SAINT LAURENT hoodie and some joggers with some sneakers of the same brand. "Oh my goodness. I want a milkshake."

Juliette pulls her cardigan on over her shoulder and runs a hand through her eldest daughter's hair. Charles smiles at his three favorite girls and walks back to the bedroom to grab his phone. Carter walks up the stairs to look for his partner Robert.

"Hi Carter!" Aurora smiles at the older man.

"Hello, Miss Aurora. What's everyone up to?"

Odette jumps up and down. "We're waiting for Dad to come back so we can go get ice cream."

"I'm taking you all to my favorite diner. It was one of my favorites growing up. I used to go there everyday after school." Charles was born and raised in Los Angeles. His entire life is there. Can't imagine living anywhere else.

"Daddy, how was L.A Prep for you when you went?"

Charles escorts Juliette down the grand staircase. "From what I remember, it was nothing but scandal everyday. Of course I was never involved. I was a good boy. Always reading or doing homework."

"Did you ever party?"

"I occasionally partied. I was more focused on academics rather than my social life. Then I met your mother, who convinced me that I need to get out more. Of course she was new in town."

He continues telling the girls what his life was like.

"And we're here." The family of four (Jordan and Reese are off doing their own thing with little Celine) gets out of the ROLLS ROYCE. "Delilah's Diner. My favorite place to go to. Still is. I wonder if she remembers me."

Juliette smiles at her husband's enthusiasm for his childhood memories. She finds him so cute. They walk inside.

"Ooh I love it in here. Very 1970's retro vibe."

"Wait until you try the milkshakes." Charles gets cut off by a flash. It's the damn paparazzi again. They have been relentless. "Good god. Not again. Ever the press conference, they won't leave us alone. I get it though. I'm a hotshot billionaire. Who wouldn't want photos of me and my family?" They walk into the diner and wait for a table; they don't wait long though.

"I just realized that I'm not wearing any makeup. Oh well. Natural beauty so I don't need it." Aurora says, running a hand through her hair.

"Aurora, honey, are you ready for your 18th birthday? Your friends are throwing you a party right?"

Wait a minute. How does Aurora know that? It's supposed to be a surprise. Well she overheard Mario and Kingsley talking about it, yesterday. The former can't be quiet to save his goddamn life.

"Yes, they are. They think I don't know about it." She says with a giggle. "They're not as slick as they think they are."

A woman in her fifties walks up to their table."Well, I'll be. Charlie Hollingsworth. What did I do to deserve a visit from a hotshot like yourself?"

Charles grins brightly and stands up to greet the woman. "Miss Delilah. It's so good to see you again."

"You as well honey! Who've you brought here with you?"

"This is my beautiful wife Juliette, and our stunning daughters Aurora and Odette."

"Beautiful and stunning are some powerful words. It's true though. All three of them are exquisite. It's a pleasure to meet y'all. We're quite busy today but I'm never too busy for my favorite boy. What can I get for you all?"

Charles orders four milkshakes for the entire table.

"Four milkshakes coming right up."

The door opens. In walks Jordan and Little Celine. The latter spots her grandparents and squeals. "Grandpa! Grandma!" Upon pointing them out, she runs over and sits on Charles's lap.

"Hey little one, how was school?"

"Good! Daddy pwomised ice cweam!" She loudly states.

Jordan chuckles at his daughter and walks over to the table."That's so true. I told her that if she was a good girl at daycare that we could get ice cream afterwards."

Delilah comes back over with their order. "Milkshakes for my favorite family." She sets the tray down on the table and straightens her back out so she stands up straight."Charlie, boy, you have a twin! Who's this handsome young man?"

"This is our oldest son Jordan and his daughter, our granddaughter, Celine."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Jordan settles into the booth next to Aurora and gives the woman his and Celine's order. "Thank you so much."

The family enjoys their sweet treats.

"So, Roro, your upcoming birthday."

"I need to go into eighteen with a bang! Seventeen was fun. But now I'm becoming a young adult."

"A stunning young adult at that."

Jordan in particular mentions to Aurora that he already bought her presents. "You're going to love it."

Presents are the way to Aurora's heart. She loves any and everything.