Lucky 13

Chapter 49: Trusting 'them'

Lily's POV

I got downstairs and went straight to the dining room. When I entered, I saw Marianne waiting for me. She was seated on one side of the table while there was a spot for me right in front of her. "Take a seat, let's have breakfast together."

I smiled as I walked to the empty spot. I sat down and looked at her. "Thank you, for talking to me." I looked down then. "I thought, at first, you hated me."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you didn't like me being with Catherine," I then looked back at her, expecting to see her not pleased with what I had said, but noticed she was actually showing me a gentle smile. A smile that said it all: she wanted me to feel comfortable, though I wondered why she suddenly changed. "And because you seemed so distant."

She slowly nodded. "I know," She sighed. "I'm sorry for how I behaved when you first got here. It's just that to me, this is an adjustment as well." She scooted closer to me, reaching for my hands and eventually taking them in hers. "I was worried."

I nodded. Of course, she'd be worried for Catherine. "I know."

"Worried for Catherine," See, I get that. "And for you." She then added, gaining my full attention. "You're so young, I just want you to be sure about this."

I blinked a few times. "What do you mean?"

"Being in a relationship with Catherine..." She looked away, seemingly looking for the right words. I could feel she was withholding information, but I wasn't going to drag it out of her. She has her reasons for not telling me, I knew that much. "It can be hard to date one of them."

"I figured," I nodded. "However, dating Catherine felt rather easy to me. It feels like we click so well." I sighed. "I'm just so uninformed about them."

"That's usually the case, isn't it?" She smiled a bit. "Look, if there's anything I, or my family, can help you with, we're here for you."

I smiled. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate that."

"Breakfast, ladies." Remy suddenly interrupted, putting the plates in front of us. "Enjoy." He then left us alone again.

"And Remy's also a great guy to ask questions about them," Marianne informed me. "He'll love answering all your questions."

"Really?" I took my fork and knife. "Why's that?"

She shrugged while she started eating. "He just likes it. I'm guessing he's proud to be one of them." She then started chuckling, out of nowhere.

"What?"

She stopped and looked at me. "It's so weird calling everyone here them." She put her fork and knife down. "It's been years since I've called everyone here that."

Now, this got me interested. "Then what do you call them?"

She slowly smiled before answering very confidently: "Family."

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Third person's POV

Catherine was pacing in her office, going over what she was going to say to Lily's parents over and over again. She wanted to say the right things, though she didn't want to sound too weak or scared of them. She had to get her point across but not let them order her around.

"Catherine," Esmee entered the office. "They're here."

Catherine gulped, trying to gather all the confidence she could find within herself. "Is security on standby?"

"Of course," Esmee gave her a look that said it all. "Do I let them in?"

Catherine let out a breath, trying to lose what stress was left. "Yeah."

Esmee then disappeared and in came Lily's parents. The looks on their faces were the same: worried, confused. The dad stepped forward. "Why are we here?"

"Take a seat," Catherine motioned to the chairs in front of her desk. When they did, she did as well. "I've asked you to come because I believe we share a common interest."

"I'd never share an interest with you," Lily's dad exclaimed, he wasn't having this. "Neither is my wife!"

Lily's mom understood her husband's anger, though she knew they wouldn't get far if they were shouting at each other. "John, just sit down and listen to her!"

John wanted to fight his wife but didn't. Instead, he sat down and was quiet.

Catherine hadn't moved an inch, she wasn't moved by the outburst of Lily's dad, she just wanted to get her point across. "As I was saying, we share a common interest." She paused, making sure they were both listening before adding: "Lily."

At this, they both looked up. "Where is she?" Lily's mom asked, rather worried than angry. "Is she safe? Is she ok?"

"She is safe," Catherine shooted closer, mainly looking at the mother since she didn't like the father. She knew he wanted to kill her right here, right now. "But I know she misses her family, and her friends."

Lily's mom nodded, seemingly understanding the situation. "Can we see her?"

"Betty, hear yourself talk!" He got up. "You're asking permission to this monster to see our daughter!" He then looked at Catherine. "You better not have harmed her." He then leaned in closer, bringing his face closer to Catherine's. "Because if you did, I'll kill you."

Catherine wasn't moved by this either. "We both know you won't kill me."

He chuckled unamused. "Why wouldn't I?" He then, as Catherine suspected, took out a gun and aimed it at her.

Once again Catherine wasn't moved by this. "Because if you kill me, you'll never find Lily."

"John," Betty looked at her husband. "Please, don't be like this." She then started sniffling, the pressure's gotten to her. "We need to find Lily."

John really wanted to pull the trigger and end the lives of Catherine and all of them, but he dropped his gun, knowing the life of his only daughter was more important. "Ok," He then sat down. "I'm all ears."

"Not so fast," Now it was Catherine's time to get into their business. "Drop all your weapons on my desk, now."

John, already ready to fight Catherine, got stopped by his wife. "Just do what she says, for Lily."

And so John once again did what Catherine wanted him to do, despite him knowing this wasn't the right thing to do.

"Good," Catherine then took all those weapons and put them aside. She then leaned into them. "I want to bring you to Lily, but you have to trust me and my staff."

"I do," Betty said, nodding. Once again John was wondering about Betty, how she could give in so easily. It's possible these monsters would just take them someplace and kill them, yet here his wife was, agreeing with them. "And John does too." But as he did before, he'll forget his training, because what mattered most now was his daughter.