Page 56 of Painting Her Fate

“She was attacked?” Dad inquires as he flips a few skewers of kabobs around the grate.

I relayed the incident to them with what detail I had, Ford chiming in with his smart-ass retorts as theatrical fill-in. It’s common place to let him, be him. We are used to it.

“The outcome might’ve been different if she didn’t know how to defend herself.” Dad utters, and he has a point. The thought of Lili not knowing how to defend herself sent a shiver of worry through me.

Do not think about the what-If’s.

“She’s a tough cookie.” I confirm, a smile tugging at my lips, one that doesn’t go unnoticed.

“You like her.” Gavin eggs me on and nudges my shoulder, “Didn’t you two just meet? Or have you known each other?” He questions, already knowing my answer. If I knew her as long as Emma, the family would’ve known. Plain and simple.

This is one friend Emma did not try to set me up with, I wonder why…

“We’re just friends.” I start to say.

He scoffs, not buying it, “Yeah- the way you two held hands are,‘just friends’. Uh-huh, yep- totally believable.” He retorts, “ya could’a had me fooled.”

Ford joins in the snickering fest and,fucking hell- I know that look, “go on and ask him where he was last night, because it damn sure wasn’t his house.”

“Shut it, Ford.”

“Ooh, were you hanging out withLili?” Gavin mocks.

“He sure was.” Ford confirms with a cheesy-ass grin- this bastard is thinking the dirtiest conclusions and it’s nowhere near close.

Do these assholes peg me to be like them? Bang every chick who will let them get their dick wet? I don’t fucking think so.

Gavin claps me on the back, “you sly dog!” He shakes my shoulder,

“finally getting some!” He nods, “good for you.”

“It’s not like that. I walked her upstairs and, we talked. Nothing happened.” That’s a lie, shit went down- but I’m not diving into that mess with these hooligans.

You’re already way too protective of her.

I’ll admit, I’m high on her and do not want this to end.

“Yeah, uh-huh, keep tellin’ yourself that, Corporal.” Ford smirks, seeing right through my ruse.

Lili strolls to our circle, Blake at her side asking about a school project he’s working on, “you think you could come in during my media arts class?”

Lili’s face is alight with wonder, “Absolutely.” Her smile is genuine, “let me know when and I’ll be there.” It’s humbling to see she’s comfortable here with my family.

Emma takes it upon herself to stare me down as she passes to sit next to her husband. Not sure what that is all about.

Lili and I find seats next to one another and immediately my mouth begins to water at all the delectable items sprawled along the table. We passed around dish after dish and made sure to fill our plates to heaping proportions. Nothing better than home cooking.

Conversation continues throughout the meal as we catch up on what each of us have going on in our lives. It’s mom’s way of checking in on her children without being too overly bearing. I have now learned Lili has dedicated time advocating for troubled youth and helping them learn through several types of media and creative explorations. At one point Emma asks if she would ever play and sing at my bar- her hesitance exposed.

I’d love to see that, even if only for me.

Once the main course is finished, mom brought out her famous lemon bunt cake with fresh blueberry icing and,‘Happy thirtieth Birthday Emma’in cursive on the platter. Everyone loves mom’s lemon cake; there will not be a crumb left after today.

Full and ready for a nap, Ford takes his leave and heads to the bar while Blake, Gavin, Wyatt, and I take the food to the kitchen as the rest chat with Lili about growing up in London.

When it’s only myself and Blake in the kitchen, he asks if we can have a chat in the living room. Retaining a question for him of the silent matter, I nod and lead the way.

Being twelve years apart and knowing I’ve changed this kids’ diapers; it pains me to see how distant we’ve been up until this point. Having Hank has connected us.

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