Here's Where I Belong

Chapter Three

Elena took a sip of her wine, listening to Elijah as he talked about his younger siblings. After they had finished the dishes, they had migrated to the living room and were now sitting on the couch. Elena sat with her feet pulled up under her, facing Elijah. He sat in a similar fashion, but with one leg crossed over the other.

"So, any other siblings aside from Jeremy?" He asked, taking a drink from his own wine glass.

"Two. I have a younger sister named Amara that currently lives with my Aunt Jenna. When I was sixteen, my parents and I got into an accident. I was the only one that survived. Aunt Jenna moved into our family home and took care of us after that. A little while after I turned of age, I got my own place. When Jeremy turned 18, he moved in with me. We had always been close, and while we loved Aunt Jenna... it wasn't the same for us that it is for Amara. She was only five when our parents died. So Jenna had pretty much became her sole parent. We still see Jenna as the crazy pot smoking college student she was before they died." She took a rather large gulp of her wine.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said softly, watching as she nodded. "You mentioned another sibling?"

"One day I was with my friend Caroline at the mall in Roanoke, and I literally ran smack into this girl that looked just like me," she said, swirling the wine around in her glass. "We got to talking and come to find out we had the same birth date, but different parents."

"She was your twin?" He asked, eyebrows nearly reaching his hairline.

"Yeah. The funny thing was, her parents names were Isobel and John Gilbert. She said her dad was an ass, and her mother pretty much raised her alone.

My parents names were Grayson and Miranda Gilbert. John Gilbert was my dads younger brother that nobody could stand. Me especially. He always seemed to be so disapproving of everything I did." Elena laughed humorlessly.

"He was your biological father?" He guessed

Elena nodded, taking another drink. When she emptied her glass, she sat it on the table before looking back to him.

"So, that's my story." She laughed shakily, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Not very often did she share personal stuff, so she wasn't quite sure why she told him all of that.

He opened his mouth to reply, but just at that time Ava started crying. He went to stand, but Elena beat him to it.

"I will get her, I don't mind." Besides, she needed a moment to gather herself.

She walked over to where they had placed the car seat and gently lifted the baby out. She checked her diaper, but found it dry.

"She's probably hungry. Moving and everything has gotten her schedule all messed up," Elijah said, pulling a bottle out of the diaper bag.

"If you give if to me, I can go heat it up..." Elena said, smiling softly.

Elijah nodded, taking Ava from her arms as she took the bottle to the kitchen.

Elena quickly mixed the water into the bottle before shaking it well, before turning towards where Elijah sat in the living room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think to ask, how do you usually heat the bottle? I know some people use the microwave, but others don't."

"Microwave, honestly. At least, if I'm not at home. I have an electric bottle warmer there."

Elena nodded, and proceeded to do just that. She watched how Elijah interacted with his daughter, gently cooing to her, and bouncing her gently in his arms. She couldn't believe anybody could just walk out on somebody like him, or Ava. She didn't think she had ever seen a father so devoted to his child, not even her own.