Falling For Your Antics (Editing)

Chapter 22- I Love You, I Love You, I Love You

Since the competition was on a Wednesday, we had two more days left until school finished for Christmas. We didn't do much work- just celebrated River's success by having a food party and doing arts and crafts. Personally, I was looking forward to Christmas because in my house, it was a big deal. My mum loved to fully decorate the house on the inside; think garlands, twinkling lights, trees- yes, plural, ornaments, beads, accessories- you name it. Also, on the outside we had a large reindeer decoration in our garden, with a Merry Christmas lit up sign on the wall with icicle lights and some other pieces. It put me in the best mood ever.

We finished school for the holidays, but River still wasn't speaking to me. Honestly, I was quite hurt- I felt like he used me. All negativity aside, Carter finally met my mum and it was highly amusing.

"So," she asked him, trailing her eyes over him from head to toe, "you must be Carter."

"Hi, Mrs-" he cast a look at me, and I shook my head. "Branwen's mum." He settled on. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Oh, sweetie- the pleasure is all mine." She winked at him. "Come on through!"

Carter slipped his hand in mine and gave me a confused glance. "I thought you said she was married-"

"It doesn't matter." I snapped harshly, then realised my mistake when he looked a bit hurt. "Look, I'm sorry- can we just not talk about this now, okay?"

He nodded, and the conversation was dropped.

I was so worried that this meal wouldn't go well, considering my siblings and all, but it actually went pretty okay. My mum joked around as usual, back to being her funny self now that Mason was gone. He could never take a joke, he was always too grumpy.

"What are your life goals?" She asked Carter, who was spooning some beef casserole on his plate.

"Well, I want to go pro in athletics-"

"No, not like that!" She waved him off. "Life goals. As in do you want kids?"

I choked on my water.

"Mum-" I began to say, but she shushed me. I sat back in my chair, blowing air in my cheeks.

"Um, yeah?" He nervously glanced at me and cleared his throat.

"Wonderful!" She chimed. "I've always wanted to be a grandma!"

My eyes bulged out of their sockets, my face going beet red. Carter looked pale.

"But don't you think that you can go knocking up my little girl, young man. Just because I want grand babies, it doesn't mean I want them now."

I was legitimately thinking she was going to whip out a box of condoms from under the table and hand them to us. She was so embarrassing!

Carter gulped, I placed my hand on his thigh. He turned to me and smiled.

"Well, mum, you certainly know how to get to the point." August said, trying to hide an amused smile.

"Mum, how are babies made?" Angus asked.

I turned my face away, hiding it with my hand in shame. "Oh my god."

"Angus!" August shouted. "You can't just ask that!"

Carter jumped in. "Don't worry, mate- you'll learn it at school." He winked at him.

Angus seemed happy with this, and so we finished our food with normal topics- such as our family, Carter's family and school.

"I'll help clear up." I told my mum, who refused but I persisted. I told Carter to go into the living room with Angus, and August went up to her room.