Emiliano snorted. “Severo, why should you be praised for Seri being amazing?”
“Hah! There it is! See, you agree, he is great.”
“I never said he wasn’t. I’ll praise you when he agrees to marry you. You should get on with that, because I’ll tell you now, I will not be pleased, nor will your mother, if you not only lose our new son, but our new granddaughter.”
“Son?! Granddaughter?!” He glanced down at Skya. “Dad!”
“Don’t ‘Dad’ me. I know now is too soon. That young man needs a chance to breathe. He’s experienced some horrifying things. The trauma he’s lived through is no doubt unimaginable. I’m not rushing you, I’m just telling you our expectations for the future. Don’t take the steps you are taking now lightly. And as far as I am concerned, you are going to start doing things the right way, starting with switching to the realtor we use. Because this baby and that young man deserve to have a house that has everything they want and need.”
“I…I’m not doing this lightly. I want to be with Seri and Skya…forever. I've told him that I want forever. I’m not sure if he believes me, but I did tell him. I love them both, Dad.”
“Then, are you ready to be a father to this little one here?” his dad asked as he fed her another bite. She hummed happily.
“Yes, I am. But I won’t rush it. I know I need to have a discussion with Seri…about what he wants me to be to Skya. But it’s too soon. I won’t push or force things. And if Seri doesn’t want Skya to call me that, then I will accept it.”
His father frowned. “I don’t disagree.” The Dweller sighed. “I suppose, I am looking too far ahead. Despite the pressure, and all you two went through since finding each other, it hasn’t been that long. Much too soon for these decisions.
“I will say, always be mindful that the decisions you two make now don’t just affect you. Mind you, I’m not saying that you should stay together, even if things aren’t working out. I’m saying, if things aren’t working out, find a way to mitigate the damage caused when you separate. In fact, if things aren’t working out, end things quickly. The longer you stay, knowing it’s not working, the more pain you will leave behind.”
“I’d never…”
“There are no certainties in life, even though those Grimms love to say there are. That being said, I don’t see that happening here. I think you two are a good fit.” Emiliano paused before chuckling and adding, “Though, I also think you may want to grab that photo album your mother just sat in Seri’s lap, before your dignity is sorely wounded.”
“Photo album?!” he yelped.
His head snapped in their direction, eyes widening in horror as he recognized the hideous yellow album covered in flowers, currently open on Seri’s lap.
Severo jumped up, rushing over, just in time to hear Seri say, “It has grown bigger.”
“Ma!” Severo cried in anguish. “WHY DID YOU EVEN BRING THOSE HERE?!”
Seri floppedon Severo’s back, giggling. “Aww, are you still mad? I said I was sorry.”
“I’m not mad! But why, why would you choose to say ‘that’, right then?!”
“It just slipped out, to be honest,” Seri said, barely holding back his laughter. “Your mother retold the story from her perspective, and it just came out. Please, forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive,” Severo huffed. “I’m just embarrassed.”
Seri buried his face into Severo’s back. “I’m sorry.”
He squeaked when Severo rolled, causing Seri to fall off him. He eyed the man as he kept rolling to face him. “I told you, I’m not mad…I’m just…”
Seri smiled and cupped his face. “Embarrassed, I know. I’d tell you some embarrassing stories from when I was a child to make up for it…if I had any. Sadly, they are mostly just depressing.”
And they were nothing he wanted to think or talk about.
Severo pulled him to his chest. “It’s fine. We will have many, many years to help you make some.”
Seri barked out in laughter. “No, no, I think I’ll pass on that.”
“No passing, sorry. You are in love with me, so there shall come a time when embarrassing hilarity will come to fruition.”
“Speaking of,” Seri groaned. “You need to unteach Skya that laugh!”
Severo stiffened. “I…can try…”
“Don’t try…DO!”
