Emilia ✔️ NOW PUBLISHED!

48

Emilia.

"You know, I was kind of worried you were going to send me off somewhere without you." I tell Aiden quietly, as we sit in the back seat of his black suburban, cuddled up while Howard drives us to our new home.

I watch as the cabin disappears out of sight, closing that chapter of our lives out with a wave as we head towards our new life. Now, when we come to visit it will be for fun and not somewhere safe to stay for a while.

"I'm too damned selfish to let you go anywhere without me." He replies, his hands grazing my thigh. I sigh, melting into his chest.

The ride is long, but I don't mind. It gives me time to mentally prepare, at nineteen I'll be moving in with my boyfriend. Not into an apartment or a safehouse/vacation home but an actual home home. The feeling is surreal.

I wonder what it looks like, it seems like everyone has already seen it or knows about it. I couldn't be happier than to take this step with him. I wouldn't care if we lived in a shoebox as long as we were together... I hope he knows that.

Finally, after a couple hours, things start to resemble something I know. Driving back into the familiar territory near the town I grew up, I relax. Then we turn down a long winding road to be met with a huge gate, Howard pulls up and presses a numerical code in. The gate swings open and we descend down the street.

My eyes widen at the sight of the neighboring houses, they're massive. But they're not close to each other at all, huge lush lawns go on for what feels like miles until the next mansion comes into view.

Aiden pulls a stray piece of hair behind my ear, "We're home." He says, gesturing his chin towards the Spanish mansion at the very end of the winding road. We pass a small guard station, a man waves us in as the black rod iron gates swing open.

I peek up from his chest, raising my head further to get a better view. An immaculate landscape lays out in front of me, weeping willow trees line the stone driveway. A Spanish style home with moss rising up the sides sits at the end. The moss is not crowding in a suffocating notion, it looks like the home is being hugged by the lush greenery.

It's magical.

I'm speechless as we pull into the roundabout drive, tears threaten to spill at the sight of what is our home.

I listen for noise. In the city it was sirens, in the cabin, it was crickets and wildlife; but here... it's so quiet and serene. The gentle sounds of what I assume is a fountain is all that I hear.

"Welcome to your new home, Emilia." Howard says as he rounds to the back to get our things. I'm so happy he listened to my advice on not calling me 'Ms.' Anymore. Especially since he and my mom are becoming close, it's just too formal.

Aiden leans forward, whispering something to Howard. Who leaves our things at the front door and drives away with a grin. "Where is he going?" I ask, my eyes panning across the gorgeous lawn. Still unable to fully comprehended what's in front of me. I've never seen a home so big before.

Aiden leads me towards the front door, I admire the stonework and vines that creep along the walls. "We're alone for the night."

I wonder where Ash and Ricky will stay. I assumed they would be here, maybe they're just staying somewhere else for the night. I look up at the twisting vines, curious about the lack of guards on the property and Howard not being here. "Is it safe?" I ask him, my voice quiet.

He pulls his hand in front of him, marking out all of the reasons we're safe. "Armed guard at the post, completely gated community, another gate locking us in, a top-notch security system." He smiles, "and you have me."