Before You

Chapter 49

Eli brought me back to the couch and placed me on the cushion beside him. He puts his arm around me and get as close to him as I can and put my head on his shoulder.
I'm still sniffling from my meltdown. We sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Baby?" Eli asks quietly.
"Yes?"
"Tell me about your family." Woah that's a deep subject. "If you're ready to, of course." I smile at him.
I clear my throat and take a deep breath. "For starters I was the accident in my family. I didn't fit in their plans... with their career. When I was 5 my parents had my aunt adopt me. They haven't contacted me or my aunt since then. And I haven't tried contacting them. About 4 years ago my aunt passed away in a car accident. I stayed in Seattle for a few more years and moved here."
Eli looked at me for almost a minute. "Please say something..."
"I don't see how anyone could look at you and think you're an accident. It's your parents loss. Screw them. Tell me about your aunt."
I smile. "Aunt Darla was incredible! She was the one who introduced me to music. She told me it would be a good outlet from everything I dealt with as a kid. She wanted it to strengthen me emotionally and mentally. She even bought me my first piano. She came to every school talent show and encouraged me to chase my dreams. We were inseparable. She was tough though and of course has no filter." I laugh and Eli smiled. "You could always count on her to hate the boyfriends I had in high school. She said they were not good enough for her Emma. She said she wanted me to pursue my dream and then meet the one." I laugh and look at Eli. "She couldn't have been more right about that last part." With that he kisses me softly.
"Your aunt sounded like a wonderful person."
"Yeah, she was. She would have adored you."
He caresses my cheek and I lean into his touch. I hum as I do so and close my eyes.
"That's pretty much it when it comes to my family. Tell me about yours." I eagerly urge him on.
"My dad is CEO of Brink's Enterprises. He inherited it from my grandfather. He met my mother in college and she runs the financial department. Of course you know Gracie already. I don't have too close of a bond with any of them. They keep telling me I'm next in line to run the company, but I'm not sure I want to take that on. I want my own dreams."
I look at him. "No matter what you decide to do with your career path, I will always support and love you along the way."
He gave me a sincere look that I adore and he kissed me. "I love you, Emma Williams."
"And I love you, Eli Brink."