Hidden Truths

Chapter Cincuenta y Dos

"You're lucky I love the two of you so much or else you'd be getting a good scowling from me for missing the rest of the baby shower yesterday" Katherine explained as she sipped her tea whilst Eli and I ate our breakfast.

Following my panic attack yesterday, Eli switched off all his devices and curled up in bed with me, despite the fact that it was only 6pm. We spent hours just laying there together as Eli explained everything that was going on.

He explained that Sebastian was using every resource and tool he had to try and find him. He explained that Xavier had sent out so many of the Kings men to make sure he wasn't anywhere near our compound. He explained that he couldn't stop looking for him until he was found and dead, and that he hadn't wanted me to find out until then. Which is why he had been so distant lately, as well as why Sebastian and Xavier were rarely seen; they were both just as mad over the ordeal.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault, congratulations by the way Mrs. Conseuleos" Eli smirked, as he said her soon to be last name.

"Nuh uh, you're wrong there mister, you're forgetting we don't change our last names when we get married." Kat beamed back, wiping the smirk off Eli.

"Don't Hispanics also have two last names as well?" I asked, remembering a conversation regarding it, that I had, had with Eli.

"Yes, we take our fathers first last name first and then our mothers first last name second" Kat tried to explain.

My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to figure it out, causing Eli to let out a chuckle beside me, "I told you it was a long process princess."

"It is, which is why we now mainly introduce ourselves with simply our first last names, our fathers to be exact" Kat added.

"So technically my name would be," I stopped for a moment as I tried to put it together in my head, "Mia Rey Trejo?"

I heard a gasp behind me followed by a soft mi hija.

I turned around to see Penelope standing behind me, looking as though she could burst into tears at any moment.

"Eli could you help me with something upstairs please?" Kat pleaded, although it seemed as though she just wanted to give Penelope and I some time alone.

As soon as they left, Penelope took the seat beside me, her warm smile so contagious I found myself instantly smiling back.

I had spent quite some time with Penelope, from her teaching me how to cook Spanish food to sharing stories of how she met and fell in love with Sebastian, I had learned a lot about the lady.

"You acknowledge my last name?" she asked, her hands reaching out for mine.

I didn't want to tell her that I was simply trying to figure out what my last name would be according to Spanish culture; I didn't want to see the beautiful smile she was currently sporting fade.

No, she wasn't yet the definition of a mum, nor the best parent, but I couldn't hate her, not anymore. I knew it couldn't have been easy to do what she did. Although, I cannot fully understand or accept it, I knew she was trying her best to make up for it.

"Yeah, I guess I do" I finally responded as she gave my hands a light squeeze.

She reached out and hugged me, before pulling back and placing one hand on the side of my face, "may I ask, please, that you really consider meeting our familia? They will adore you, I know, mija, you are one of us, you always have been, and I am sorry that we lost you for 22 years, I am sorry that I missed your first steps, your first words..." she stopped as she swallowed the lump in her throat, "I am so sorry that I could not have been there for you, but you have grown into a beautiful young lady, such a strong and wise woman and we, I... amor mío, hija mía".

I looked up into her eyes, noting how similar they were to my own, and in that moment, I couldn't say no to her.

"Okay... I'll uh, meet the rest of the family if you really want me to" I decided, realizing that I had actually meant my words.

Penelope instantly let out a string of words in Spanish, seemingly excited, and from what I knew of Spanish so far, I caught that she wanted to go and inform Sebastian as soon as she could.

As she left I remained seated with a smile on my face, her infectious happiness lingering behind.

"I've never seen her so happy."

I let out a small gasp of surprise before turning around.

"She ran passed me, gave me a big kiss on the cheek, exclaiming that she couldn't wait to tell father that you were ready to meet the familia." Xavier stated as he walked over to me.

The dining table seemed to have been a meeting ground today.

"She's really trying, I can tell, and I appreciate it." And that was the truth. I did appreciate everything Penelope was doing. She was really trying to make up for lost time.

"She loves you, she always has, I mean I was only 8 when she had to, you know, give you up... but I could tell how heartbroken she was. She wanted a daughter. She wanted you."

I sighed. I already knew all this, and plus I had, had enough emotional talks to last me a while. So, I decided to turn the tables on Xavier instead.

"Speaking of wanting people...you and Zara?"

"What about us?" he responded, looking at me skeptically.

"I heard you guys have been engaged for a long while now."

"Yes?" he added, not understanding my intent yet.

"Well do you plan on ever marrying her?"

"I, well, I love her."

"That wasn't my question."

He sighed, looking around as if to check that no one else could hear us, "I do want to marry her, I do, really."

"But?" I asked, sensing his hesitation to open up to me.

"...but I don't know if I'm the right one for her."

I sat there, blinking, speechless. Where was this coming from?

"I love her, a lot, and I would love to spend the rest of my life with her... but then I would be holding her back," I remained tentatively silent and he took that as his cue to continue, "she's just so outgoing and confident and she always tells me that she would love to travel the world and meet people from every continent... but if she gets married to Xavier Rey Trejo, her life will be about constantly worrying if the clan is safe, worrying about if her husband is safe, if she's safe."

I felt as though my brain was about to implode. Within the past 24 hours I had gathered so much new information, I wasn't sure how to respond to any of it anymore.

I hadn't known these people as long as they had known each other. I wasn't sure if that was truly how Zara felt. But what I did know was what I had seen of them so far, and that was the only advice I could give him.

"Xavier, you can't make that decision for her... she loves you and she wants to marry you, and you've promised her that much. You know she's always so open and honest about her feelings and if she really wanted a different life, if she really wanted a life without you, then you would know, she would tell you."

"She's right, I would."

Jesus. What was with these people and sneaking up on me.

"Zara..." Xavier breathed, his entire focus now solely on her.

"I'll uh... I'm just gonna-" I said gesturing behind me with my thumb, although I don't think either of them noticed as I snuck away.

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Authors Note: Writers block + having to enrol in the new semester of Uni has caused a little delay in this. I'm sorry!
Side note: how beautiful is Emeraude Toubia!

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