Accepting Owen (Emilia's Perspective)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Owen kissed me softly. "You need to eat."

"I'm too anxious," I complained.

"About Jess?" he asked with his eyebrows drawn up in confusion.

I pressed my tongue to the back of my teeth so I wouldn't say anything mean. "No. About being away from you for a week."

"I told you I'll come and see you at some point. I'm also going to have to teach you how to drive when you get back home."

"I know but I'm afraid that I'll... be afraid without you." I didn't know a better way to explain my feelings.

"I'm sure Elijah can protect you," he said with a slight chuckle.

"It's not just that. I'm afraid I'll feel lonely."

"You'll just have to keep yourself busy. It won't be so bad, I promise." He kissed my lips again.

"I feel so different around you. I act differently around you. Normally I'm all confidence and sarcasm. I don't... cuddle. I don't normally feel so soft. I'm soft around you."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. At least, I don't think it is. You told me to be vulnerable with you, and I am. It's just not my normal state." I squeezed my arms around him tightly. "I want things to go back to the way they were before yesterday morning, before she called."

"They never really will. Our relationship will, I hope. But things will never feel quite the same. This is our 'for better or worse'. There will always be obstacles for us to overcome. I think we just didn't expect to have two of them right out the gate."

"Maybe when we come back together, after I spend time with Elijah, things will be better."

"Just put it out of your mind and let's enjoy the next two days together."

~~

I kissed Owen roughly as his arms squeezed around me. Elijah was standing behind us in the airport, waiting for me. Owen's car was somewhere in valet parking.

I held Owen's face like he normally did with me, but my hands were much smaller. "I'll see you Wednesday," I promised.

"Yes. Wednesday," he agreed.

"I'll miss you," I whispered as my bottom lip stuck out in a pout.

"It will be okay." He kissed me again, and pushed me away. His face looked pained, but we'd already stood in front of Elijah for twenty minutes having the same conversation over and over.

I waved goodbye as I walked backwards, before turning to Elijah.

"Can we go now before I throw up?" Elijah said.

I bumped his shoulder with mine. "Shut up! You'll be the same way with Little Ava."

He made fake gagging sounds as we exited the airport. "That was such a disgusting show of PDA. Did you even spend any time on the honeymoon not crying?"

"Did you spend any time while I was on my honeymoon not crying?" I countered.

He scoffed. "Maybe you're right. So what's on the itinerary, Master?"

I rolled my eyes at his continued jabs about me being controlling. "I'm staying with you, silly. What are our plans for the week?"

"Are you planning to follow me around the entire time?"

"I one hundred percent intend to invade every single second of your personal and even work time for the next seven days. I'm going to break you out of this funk. So, are we going out tonight, hit the clubs?" I did a little dance with my shoulders.

This time, EJ rolled his eyes. "I guess we could go out. That's not part of your twelve-step plan? Step one celibacy, step two sobriety?"

"Absolutely not. Step two is getting your head out of your ass."

"Get in the car," he growled through gritted teeth. He tossed my suitcase into the trunk as I got in the passenger seat.

"I can't believe you're still driving this thing," I remarked when he buckled into the driver's seat.

He patted the dash of the Volkswagen. "It's still running. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You should be rolling in money. Why aren't you spending it?"

"Apparently I'm not supposed to live my life of luxury. Isn't that what you said?" He looked over at me with a smug grin on his face.

I shoved his shoulder with both my hands. "You're an arrogant son of a bitch."

"It runs in the family. Look in the mirror."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Drive before I change my mind about hanging out with you."

"You know you missed me!" He teased as he pulled away from the curb.

"I did, actually. Are you okay?" I asked, even though it filled the car with solemn vibes.

"I'm doing okay I think. Did she accept your friend request?"

"Actually, she did, but it was right before we boarded the plane so I didn't have a chance to check it out." I pulled my phone from my pocket. "Let's see. Octavia... There she is. Alright. So, the freshman dance is this week. Exams just ended. She has a boyfriend," I muttered.

Elijah peeked over at my phone screen instantly. "Let me see."

"She doesn't, but you really are obsessed. What difference would it make if she did?"

"I didn't say it made a difference. I just wanted to see him," he said softly.

"Well, he's not real. I made him up. She's posting normal freshman shit. She doesn't seem to be into any sports or extracurricular activities. It looks like she went on a school trip to DC last summer."

"Does she look happy?"

I flipped through a few of her pictures. "Yeah, she looks okay."

He sighed. "Can I see her?"

I bit my lip for a second as I considered it. "Yeah. Here. This is her most recent selfie." I turned my phone screen to him.

He admired her for a moment, his eyes constantly moving between the screen and the road ahead of us. "She's so beautiful."

"She's going to make a great wife for you."

"I know that. I just want to make sure I'm a good husband for her."

"You will. You just have to be yourself," I told him. Seeing my big brother so worried made my heart ache.

He groaned. "I get farther away from who I think I am every day."