“Oh there are my babies,” Maria cooed and she accepted the handle of the stroller gratefully.
“How was your trip into town and your party?” Emma asked.
“It was tons of fun, my dear and my queso dip was a hit. Your Gramps won quite a lot of games.” She turned to Xavion, “My dear boy, are you having dinner with us?”
“Yes, please, Miss Maria. I will have to inform my friends that they can go on without me though,” Xavion replied with a grin. He had had dinner with Emma’s family a few times and they were a delight. Her grandfather had been grumpy on their first meeting but subsequently, he had loosened up. He was still stern but he no longer looked at Xavion like his eyes would shoot daggers. Of course he had asked Xavion what he did andhe replied honestly like he had done with Emma- he was a musician. No, he did not go in-depth about being a hallyu star.
“Nonsense, ask them to come over as well. The more the merrier. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine and this family and hey, they deserve some of my pot roast after babysitting my babies all day.”
Xavion laughed and he nodded, “Thanks Maria, I’ll do that.”
“Are you okay, mi corazoncito?” Maria touched Emma’s cheeks gently.
She nodded quickly. Xavion took her hand in his and she looked at him quizzically. He ignored her and said to Maria, “We’ll take a stroll and watch the sunset.”
The worries on Maria’s face dissipated and she nodded knowingly. “Sure, I’ll take in the kids and let your grandfather know. Go on dears.”
Xavion led Emma up a trail she had taken him on last week. It led to a perfect spot they could see the sunset from, just like the cabin’s deck. He led her to the stone bench and sat beside her.
Softly, he said, “Whenever you are ready, Emma, I’m here for you. My arms, my ears, my words are available to you, so are my shoulders to cry on. And if you don’t want to speak or cry, you have my company and of course my arms because I always want to hug you.”
Emma chuckled. And then she sighed. She held her face in her palms. Slowly, she started sobbing, sobs that wracked her body. Gently, Xavion pulled her to him and placed her head onhis shoulder. She kept sobbing and he held her, drawing calming circles on her back through her vest.
Emma finally pulled away and she averted her gaze. It was obvious she was embarrassed. Xavion turned her to him and brushed the tears away with his fingers.
“Hey, you can tell me anything, you know that right?”
“I’m scared to get any closer to you, Xavion. You’re an amazing person and you make me feel things I’ve never felt. Heck, I thought I was in love in the past but now, I know it wasn’t love. I’m so afraid of what I...”
“Feel for you,” Xavion completed as he stroked her cheek.
She looked at him in surprise and he smiled and said, “You are not the only one who’s overwhelmed with such feelings, Em. I’m completely infatuated by you. I'd walk an ocean to get to you, Em.”
At that, Emma chuckled and he held her face, “I love you, Emma Price. I know it seems crazy and we might not seem like the best match but I don’t care about all that. I’m crazy about you and I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
Emma leaned into his palm, “You make me feel amazing things, Xavion. It’s not just that you care for me when I don’t even remember to care for me, it’s that I always want to be with you, now I know what love really is. I really do love you, Xavion but are you sure about this? I come with so much baggage and we are from different countries and...”
“Hey, first, Mia and Max are no baggage, I love those kids. And second, we’ll handle all the snags one at a time. Just please be mine.”
Emma shook her head and sadly said, “Of course the twins are no baggage. I’ve always seen them as the best things that happened to me and now you are one of them, the best things in my life. I am talking about something else, Xavion.”
“Is that why you cried? Talk to me.”
“It’s John.”
“Their dad? The one that hurt you?” Xavion asked, his eyes blazing as he remembered all Emma had told him about her time with her babies' father.
“Yes, he called today. I have no clue how he got my number. I answered and there he was telling me that he wants to see his children. He wants to discuss visitation. I told him he had no kids and hung up but I’m so afraid of what he can do. What if he continues? What if he tries to take the twins?”
“Look at me, Em. He is not going to take Mia and Max, they have a family, with you, with Maria with your grumpy Gramps and with me. We won’t let him take them. I know nothing about your family laws over here but I’m pretty sure we can fight him. I’ll be with you all the way, my love. All right?”
Emma nodded, “You’re right. I have nothing to be afraid of. He won’t take my kids away. I like it when you call me that, my love.”
“Really? My love?” he repeated and she laughed.
He leaned in and kissed her. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. When they finally broke away, he whispered,
“I love you, Em.”
