Page 71 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

“Are you sure this will be alright?” I asked.?

“Yes, Penelope always makes too much food.” She smiled. “I should warn you guys first. They are the nicest fae you will ever meet, but they are nosy and will ask you a million questions. They are a hugging family, too.”?

“What the hell does that mean?” Remiah asked.?

“Every single one of them will come and hug you, even if you try to shake their hands. They are very loving.” Della turned and took a few steps before stopping. “One more thing. Penelope hasbeen working on her desserts for hundreds of years, and she is still terrible at it. We do not tell her, and we always eat all of it.”?

I smiled at the odd bits of information she shared. Remiah and I nodded. Della returned the nod before heading up the steps and walking inside. Immediately, I could feel the difference this home had compared to mine. It was bright and littered with artwork, but it also gripped me like a hug. Something about the welcoming scent of dinner and laughter coming from in front of us made my brain itch.?

What would it have been like to grow up in a place that felt so safe, like this? What kind of man would I have become if I lived feeling like this? Della walked around the corner, and the chatter stopped.?

“Ardella!” A woman screeched. But as Remiah and I rounded the corner, everyone became silent. My heart pounded in my throat.?

“I brought guests.” Della gave the woman an odd look, and the woman glanced at Remiah but seemed emotional when she saw me.?

“This is so wonderful.” The woman walked up to Remiah and squeezed her tightly. “I am Penelope. You must be Remiah.”?

Remiah nodded at the short woman with dark hair. When the woman looked at me, I had to pause. Her eyes matched mine almost exactly.?The void hummed with happiness inside of me, and it was not an emotion he usually shared.

“Haden,” she said softly. Then she gripped me in a hug that felt like it should be reserved for family. I hugged her back, unable to help myself. Gods, she was nice. She pulled back and stared at my face. “You were right, Della; he is very handsome.”?

“Penelope,” Della groaned and covered her face as it turned bright red. I chuckled softly at her reaction.?

“How’s it going, sweetheart?” A tall man stepped forward, and gods, he looked more like my father than my own father did.?

“It's going good, Henry.” Della wrapped him up in a hug.?

“It’s been too long since we’ve seen you.” He laughed when Della made a noise.?

“Henry, it's been a week.” She rolled her eyes, but I saw how much his words meant to her. “Not even a week actually, because I stopped by to give Penelope that recipe I found for dessert.”?

Henry’s eyes widened as he looked at Della before winking. She bugged her eyes out at him. Henry gave Remiah a big hug before he paused to look over me.?

“Haden,” he said, strained with emotion. He gripped me tightly and didn’t let me go for a long moment.

“Oh, I’ve got to check the vegetables.” Penelope ran into the kitchen.?

Another man stood up. He had the same stormy eyes as me. He looked at Della.?

“Good thinking with the recipe. Did you warn our guests about Mother’s desserts?”?

Della’s shoulders shook in silent laughter.?

“Yes.” She looked at me with some deep emotion swimming in her pretty eyes. “Haden and Remiah, this is Holden. He is Henry and Penelope’s son. And this wonderful woman is his wife, Sara.” Della hugged both of them. Like his parents, Holden hugged Remiah before looking me over and gripping me to him like I had been here a million times before.

“Let’s sit.” Della smiled. “Remiah, you can sit here. This is your seat, Haden.” She pointed to the chair next to hers.?

I watched everyone glance from Della to me.?

“Don’t scare him, or he’ll never come back.” She smiled at them. Della looked at me. “Henry painted everything you see on the walls.”?

“Really?” I glanced around. Gods, he was talented. I wished I had his artistic abilities. “They’re amazing.”?

“Thank you. It took me a long time to figure out my muse, but once I found it, I couldn’t stop.” Henry smiled.?

“Are you artistic too?” I asked Holden. He shook his head.?

“Not a single artistic bone in this body, unfortunately. My brother had all of the talent.”?

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