Intertwined

Chapter 52: Salt, then Sour, then Sweet

A/N: 

Firstly, I just want to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful Lyla Sunshine.   I hope you have the most amazing day! You absolutely deserve it. Thank you for being such a light in my life, I am forever grateful for you, and thank you for your support of my writing and creative pursuits 

Secondly, thank you to all of you who continue to read my story. I do love writing so much. It's part of who I am, and I couldn't stop for good, even when I needed a break. It's so incredible to see people enjoy a story I wrote. 

This chapter is a little bit of a buildup chapter, and I keep adding in original characters... I have a problem! 

Emetophobia warning. 

3rd April 2025

Mia typed a message on her phone while waiting for the kettle to boil.

How is she this morning?

The grey-haired woman smiled when her goddaughter's message came through. She had already received three other texts this morning from their found family, all checking on Autumn, nervous for the outcome of today's morphology scan.

Autumn is anxious but trying to hide it how she usually does; sarcasm and that look she gives

The redhead chuckled as she imagined the pregnant brunette's withering stare, but she also worried for the woman who was always like a little sister, and all the anxiety Autumn must be feeling.

Let me know how it all goes. Love you Mama

Having her godmother, Mama Liz, in her life brought Mia love, grief and a deep sense of comfort. It was a combination of feelings she was still getting used to. The way it made her chest ache with a sadness of loss and feel the warmth of comfort and maternal love at the same time.

I will my sweet girl. Love you always Mims

Lily felt a deep sense of responsibility for Mia. The older woman was the only parental figure the redhead had left and as much as Lily tried not to blame herself, guilt was often there with grief keeping company. The grey-haired woman loved Mia with her whole heart, as much as she loved Reece and Autumn. She was protective over all of them, even though she knew they obviously could look after themselves, they had done that most of their lives. But Lily didn't want them to experience pain again, anymore. It's an illogical desire of parents to protect their children from any and all harm. An impossible wish, a prayer at odds with how life goes. Even the average human, experiences pain and loss.

Sometimes when Lily watched her children, she could still see those little ones from years before. She could see their hearts, the way their souls still had the goodness and spark she had always seen and hoped would exist after everything. The way their eyes held and expressed all of themselves, even when they tried to contain their emotions, made her heart ache with love and a desire to carry them, guide them and shield them through life.

It wasn't the years of absence that made Lily hold back her fierce protective nature, she couldn't if she wanted to, the love she had for them was too strong, too abundant and unconditional. Instead, it was that love that made her wait and see how they would handle things themselves. Her love for them that reminded her of her children's own strength and capabilities, that she knew she needed to trust them to find her, when they needed her. Not overcrowd them with her own anxieties about pain and loss. It wasn't easy, but it was necessary, just to keep a little distance and let them feel her love was always there, a safe place for them to land, not a net to trap them in and keep them from knowing their own power.