Mine (Book 2 of the His Series)

Fifty-Four

Ellie

Over the next few days, we had a lot of visitors come and go. All of them wanted to hold Alori but I was strongly against it. So no one held her for a a few days until Leo convinced me to lighten up and let them. The first person to hold her after Leo and me was Mrs. Calavry and then Katie.

"Just wait until she get's older, I'm stealing her from you at least once a week. She has a cool aunt she needs to know."

"Get in line girl, She's got two more right here." Brandi teased,ticking Alori's cheeks

I saw Alori briefly open her eyes to peek at who was tickling her, and soon closed her eyes again. 

"She'll definitely be a heartbreaker. The boys better watch out." Evan smiled, taking Alori from Brandi. 

"Hey, I wasn't done holding her yet."

"Yes you are. You've been hogging the princess all afternoon."

I smiled at the small scene, watching Evan and Jack coo at my little girl and I felt so very happy. Everyone I thought was supposed to share this moment with us was here

Or so I thought. 

Leo had been acting very weird for the few days I had been here, and soon I found out why. He entered the room with a huge smile on his face and behind him I noticed two people walking into my hospital room. The salt and pepper beard and bald head of my father walked in first, and was soon followed by my mother's smiling face and that wild and crazy afro she often wore when I was a kid tamed into a fluffy ponytail on the top of her head. It looked like a crown and instantly, I was afraid and felt like I should be standing in their presence. Even if I was still too sore from childbirth to do so.

"Ellie, I'd like you to meet your parents." He teased

But when he saw the look on my face his smile disappeared.

I looked over warily at my parents who were slowly walking towards Alori who had been placed in her crib. They looked at her with admiration.

I felt sick to my stomach.

"What's the matter?"

"Why did you bring them here?" I hissed, careful not to draw attention to ourselves.

"They deserve to see their grandchild."

"Wait...how did you even find them?"

"Trust me, it wasn't easy but I did it. I just wanted to show you that they'd be genuinely happy. Look at them over there."

If he only knew that was just an act. They were ashamed of me, I knew it.

"Please don't be mad at me. Look, I offered that they could stay with us for a little while before they go back overseas. We have plenty of room."

I stayed quiet, flashbacks running through my mind.

"You must never be second place! You are to sit here and study until you can recite this whole thing from memory. I don't care if it takes all night!"

I received yet another rap on my knuckles from the plastic ruler my mom held firmly in her hands. She was drilling me on different math equations for the SAT I had to take the next morning.

I was only in the 9th grade, but because I tested so well, I was technically a junior.

"Circumference of a circle?"

I muttered my answer and she hit my knuckles again.

"Speak loud and proud, there is no room for weak willed losers in this house Ellie! You must ALWAYS be the best of the best, always be number one!" My mother drilled