Seven more than I needed

Chapter Nineteen

Her slow, patient pacing sent a chill down my spine as I could feel Eithan tense beside me as well. She seemed calm but a muscle moved inside her jaw, revealing a sea of emotion. I gulped quietly and took in a slow shuddering breath.

She stopped and turned to face us, she didn't look so patient now. "So.. How long has this been going on?" she asked slowly, carefully. Her voice was low and heavy, I had never seen her like that before, she was always bubbly.

I glanced over at Eithan, he didn't look too keen to answer. Bastard.. I sighed and tried to avoid as much eye contact as possible. "About 6 months..and some change" I replied and looked down at my palms.

She looked at us. "So out of the 10 months we've been living together, you two have been banging?!" her voice rose but her expression petrified me. Was she going to divorce my dad after this? What will my dad say? Oh my god...

Eithan gulped but stared back at her. "Mum... You've got this totally wrong.." he said quietly. I looked at him, praying for him to not make it worse. "The... thing you just said.. Has only happened twice.." his face lit up and mine did too, it was so embarrassing. She stared closely at us. "And it was during a two week period.." his voice was fading which I was thankful for.

She narrowed her eyes. "Who knows?" Her questions were precise, premeditated. "Noah and James" he said slowly. "And Emma.." I added quietly.

Glancing at us, she took a slow calming breath through the nose. "You have two weeks to end this... If you don't want this family to fall apart you will respect this and end this nonsense." Her voice was cold and somewhat distant.

What did she just say? This can't be happening... Everything was going so well... But I guess, I'm either allergic to happiness or I am not allowed to be content with life as it is...

Eithan frowned in shock. "But mum--" her face became harsher. "Two weeks Eithan.." she repeated coldly and pointed at the door, dismissing him.

He looked down and clenched his fist, walking out of the room. Elynn followed him but stopped halfway. "He will not do it, I am depending on you to end this as quickly as possible.." She said and shut the door lightly.

I looked down and realized that my hands were shaking. "Why me..?" I whispered.

* * * * *

For the next week, I tried my best to avoid him. I had explained to him that we had to keep some distance, it was difficult for me to break up with him immediately. It broke my heart to think that this would have to end.

The hardest part was that we didn't even have school due to Christmas holidays and we had to interact every single day. On top of that, he wasn't helping at all. He would visit me in my room and I felt so horrible to throw him out each time, I wanted to be with him but this family being together was more important than my personal romance.

I was sitting in the living room wasting time on my computer and Lando was drawing on the coffee table, he was so quiet for once. The room was so large that even though my dad, Elynn, and Noah where here too it seemed like we were in different parts of the house.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and we all looked at each other confused. "Did anyone invite friends over?" asked Elynn and put her phone down, walking to the door. We shook our heads and she shrugged.

As she opened the door Shawn appeared, his face split with that familiar warm smile. Elynn gasped in joy and hugged him tightly. "Why didn't tell us you were coming?!" she said smiling wide and he chuckled, wrapping his big muscly arm around her. "A Christmas surprise mum.."