MELROSE

CHAPTER 33

Mandaline's POV

I wanted to pull out my hair.

"For the last time Norman they don't want to talk to you."

"Can't you beg for me? I really want to wish them a happy birthday."

I looked back at the small party for family and friends that I'd organized, a warm feeling in my chest as everyone gathered around my babies and screamed cheese into the camera. "I think there's already enough people doing that."

"I'm their father."

I scoffed. "Try telling them that."

"Mandaline ..."

"Bye." I hung up.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips. My twins were having a great time and I really didn't want this day to end because it meant I had to face one of my greatest fears, something I wasn't looking forward to.

Diana sauntered up to me. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you."

I let her lead me to the table filled with food of different kinds and three gigantic cakes because my babies couldn't agree on one flavour. Speaking of my babies, I scanned for them again. Fletch was there, laughing with his best friend and girlfriend but where the heck was his sister?

Slight panic rising in my chest, I scanned again, noting that he had disappeared. If he wasn't here and Aura wasn't here ... Swallowing, I jogged - walked to my son.

"Dov'è tua sorella?"

He pointed to the side of the house. "È andata in quel modo."

I hurriedly went in that direction, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping I wasn't too late.

"I honestly expected you to be angry with me."

I froze. That was Aura's voice alright and since she couldn't be talking to herself, she had to be talking to him.

I wasn't wrong.

"I don't even know why I'm not, but I'm not." He said

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay."

They were silent. Then, he spoke up. "One last time, for the road?"

I could feel her smile. "Of course."

No. I willed my legs to move faster, not caring if I made any noise but I was too late. Their lips were already joined together. It was disgusting to see for many reasons and because I couldn't take it, I, Mandaline Catharina Morales, for the first time in my thirty nine years of existence, fainted dead giveaway.

***

"No! Stay away from me! I hate you!" I threw fabric after fabric at my mother, creating a huge pile on the floor. "Leave me alone!"

Despite my shouting, she still wanted to come closer to me. "Honey it was for your own good."

"I don't care! I hate you! And I hate dad more for threatening him to stay away from me!" I threw my shoe at her, a missile she dodged easily. "He's not the right guy for you!"

I refrained from throwing the other shoe at her with an exaggerated eye roll. "You think I don't know that? I'm not stupid, you raised me better."

My mother stared at me silence for a moment. "To say I'm confused would be an understatement of three centuries."

"Mum. I'm sixteen. I'm still young and not planning to get married tomorrow or next year so I'm free to go out with any guy I want, both the right and wrong ones. I'll learn enough to be prepared for when the true love magic happens."