Choosing Family

Chapter Twenty Four

"You want to tell me why you're not talking to Uncle Hades?"

Mal sighed as she put the swords away from the sparring session they had just had. It had been about three weeks since she 'moved' out of the Underworld and set up in the clubhouse. She missed her home there more than she thought she would but the last thing she wanted was to watch herself get replaced.

Avoiding her dad and Steph had been easier than she thought, considering there was only one way in and out of the clubhouse and Steph knew where the clubhouse was. Granted, Mal figured they didn't think she'd crawl under the bed upon hearing the gate open like a Boreadon prissy princess. But that was the rule of the Isle--always keep 'em on their toes.

Besides, they couldn't drag her back if they couldn't find her.

"I don't know what you're talking about Uma," Mal said, turning back to the task at hand.

"Yeah right," Uma scoffed. "You've been sparring with Harry more and more, to the point where we have to get the orders to go when we get lunch at Uncle Hades. Of course, whenever we get lunch at mama's shop you're fine with cutting your match short."

"Seriously Uma, you're imagining things," Mal told her, plopping on the bed and petting Estelle behind the ears.

"Uh huh," Uma said, rolling her eyes. Harry and Jay had already left for the day, Harry needing to go man the counter at his father's fish shop and Jay still needed to complete the quota assigned to him by his father.

"Honestly Uma, there's nothing to—"

"So if I said let's go to Uncle Hades right now, you'd have no problem with it?" Uma asked. "Cause Aunt Steph should be back now and yet you haven't said a single thing! You normally never shut up when she gets back from Boreadon."

"She's gone and come back twice since I've known her. Can you really say I never shut up?"

"You know what I mean," Uma said.

Mal sighed. "Steph gave birth," she muttered, petting Estelle as if to have something to do with her hands.

"Mali, that's great!" Uma beamed. "Come on, I can't wait to meet my little cousin!"

Uma made her way to the door but paused when Mal wasn't following her. "Um, hello?" Uma said as she turned around. "Let's go!"

"She gave birth to a son," Mal muttered, rolling her eyes.

"So?"

"So? So?!" Mal exclaimed. "I wanted a sister Uma! Someone who would look up to me! Someone I could teach the important things to! But all he is is a replacement."

"Mali, he will still look up to you," Uma told her. "Boy, girl, doesn't matter. Any sibling would."

Mal shook her head. "No. All he is is a replacement. After all, he's full God, someone who's Steph's kid and not the dragon's. Dad doesn't have to worry about the storm cloud getting taken from him if Maleficent changes her mind about raising him, like she did me."

"Okay, I'm getting the sense that you feel betrayed—"

"Yes, well, that's one of the unpleasant side-effects of betrayal," Mal muttered.

Uma sighed. "Mal, I'm going to ask you two questions okay? And give me honest answers."

"We're VKs Uma. Since when do we do honest?"

"Shut up and let me talk," Uma sighed. "Okay, first question. Have you spoken to Uncle Hades or Aunt Steph about this? Second question, have you ever actually held your brother?"