• • •

"This is what a normal family looks like,
Unusual."

- Unknown

• • •

"Silent night, holy night. . ."

"Dad's going to kill me," Dawson scoffed as he ran a hand through his hair. Lines of annoyance danced across his forehead as worry for the car we left back at the party filled his thoughts.

"It was the safest option," I assured him, rubbing his shoulders comfortingly. "As well as the most responsible."

Dark orbs stared back at me, deadpanned. "That car was my father's child."

"And so are you," I retorted, rolling my eyes at the drama queen. "Mustangs are replaceable, a son is not."

"My dad has two sons, he does not have two mustangs."

"My point still stands."

"Your point stands on two monsters that annoy my dad and a car that has taken him to see the seven wonders of this world, so, I'll be taking your opinion with a grain of salt."

"Men," I sighed playfully, turning to our uber driver with a pout. "Can you believe it, Maria? We're in the 21st century and yet men still take our opinions with a grain of salt."

Maria, our driver, chuckled at our bickering. "The boy has a point, girlie, a mustang is like a woman with double D's and children are children, take your pick."

"Now that statement definitely brought us back a few centuries." I turned to face Dawson again who was now staring out the car window, his face clouded with anxiety.

I pursed my lips together and took a hold of his hand. The action had him turning to face me, curious as to what I was about to do next.

"You're dad won't mind," I assured once more. "Just tell him that you were with me, your dad loves me, he'll understand."

I expected my words to comfort him but as his face fell into a cold expression and his hand in mine retreated back to his lap I could sense that the mood had shifted. As to why, it was a mystery to me.

"At least one of us knows it," He mumbled, staring back out the window with no sign of redirecting his eyes back to me.

His words struck something in me.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked him, prodding closer.

It was twelve in the morning, almost 1:00 am, and from the amount of alcohol that I assumed Dawson consumed it was a recipe for talk.

"Do you know why I didn't go to the university like Marcus?"

I shook my head no.

"He got tired of having me around. I mean, it's one thing watching your biggest live and it's another to see him succeed."

I shook my head, confused now. 'Biggest mistake?' I thought to myself. 'What did he mean by that?'

As if he could read my thoughts, Dawson proceeded to say-

"Mom didn't care, she loved me, I know she does and it's nice that she doesn't see me as a leech in their home but if I was her and I saw my husband bring his bastard into our home—well, it'll be like Catelyn Stark and Jon Snow."

"Son of God, love's pure light. . ."

The radio continued to play as silence befell Dawson, me, and Maria who had unknowingly found herself to be a bystander in tonight's revelations. I didn't know what to say, all I could do was stare.

My eyebrows had knitted into their usual place of worry and my cheeks hurt from how hard I was biting them. I just felt like I had to say something to comfort the boy who obviously needed it. So, I did what I knew would comfort me if I revealed a family revelation like tonight's.

I placed bought my hands onto Dawson's shoulders, just like how I saw his mom would do whenever he was worried. I squeezed them tightly and leaned my head closer to his until it rested tenderly on his shoulder.

"You'll be alright," I finally decided to say, whispering into the night.

"Glories stream from heaven afar . . ."

"Marcus and I were always fighting after New Year's, dad thought I was overstepping boundaries and decided that since I was grown and mature enough to live on my own. It was mom, or should I say Mrs. Ledger, who urged me to come back."

"She loves you," I told him, truth dripping with honesty in my tone. "All she talked about while you were gone was how much she missed her oldest."

"I know," He chuckled bitterly but I could taste that there was some sweetness in it. "I love her too and she doesn't know how much I wish she was the one who gave birth to me."

"Don't call her Mrs. Ledger."

"Mm," He hummed, finally looking down at me and smiling. "Yeah, she's my mom, isn't she?"

"She is."

Rinngggg!

My vibrated loudly in my pocket and I apologized to Dawson as I fished it out.

Momsie

"Huh."

"What is it?" Dawson asked, looking down at my phone.

"A coincidence," I replied as I picked it up. "Mommy, what's up?"

"I'm home, my love."

~*~

"How was Italy, mommy?" Ventrice asked from the couch, our youngest sibling, Mitrum, curled up on her lap and sleeping.

Mom rolled her eyes dramatically and swooned. "Men. So much hot men."

"That truly comforts me, dear," Dad chimed from beside Mama Lita's bed.

We were all gathered at the hospital, the whole family, our parents and siblings with Katharina staying back home to help prepare late dinner and early breakfast for mom. Dawson and the uber driver Maria had dropped me off at the Hospital before going to President's Hill.

"Ay sus," She scoffed, smirking at my Dad. "You should know by now I like my coffee white and not heavenly tan."

"Ahh, I see now," Dad chuckled.

Vena, who was sitting on my lap, shifted into a comfortable position and leaned in closer to look at Mama Lita. We were both seated beside her bedside with Mom, wanting to feel close to her.

"Mommy, did you come back cause Mama Lita missed you?" Vena asked, looking at our grandmother who was holding my hand tightly in hers.

I smiled at my grandmother who smiled back while mom replied.

"I came back cause I told Mama Lita that eating all that oily food would lead to this outcome, sus Mama, mamatay jud ka ug sayo tungod so imong ka-gahig ulo,(you'll die early from your stubborness.)" Mom scolded in her native tongue. I could tell that her words, despite mean and aggressive, were laced with worry.

"She'll be alright, mommy," I hushed, patting her arm with my free hand.

"That's not what I'm worried about," She scoffed. "Kung magpadayon ka sa imong gibuhat karon magkita-kits jud mong papa ug sayo, nan, (If you continue what you're doing now, you'll say hi to dad soon.)"

"Mom, calm down," Ventrice called out. "Look at Mama Lita's face, you're tiring her out."

"She's tiring me out!" Mom cried. "I can't keep worrying over her like this. I get her nurses and doctors, all tending to her 24/7 because she keeps making bad eating choic–agay! Ma!"

I chuckled as Mama Lita slapped Mom's hand, glaring at her and shaking her head. It was hard for Mama Lita to defend herself when she can't talk because unfortunately the stroke took more than her ability to walk.

"Give your mom some time to rest," Dad piped in, looking at our grandmother who finally turned her eyes to him. I pursed my lips, wondering how the two were while I was gone.

"Antonia will check in on you soon," Dad informed our grandmother. "I need to go back to my office and look over some cases."

"Boring," Mom whined.

"I love you." Dad walked over to Mom and planted a kiss on her forehead before turning to me and Vena, kissing us on the foreheads as well.

Mom smiled at her husband and giggled. "Love you too, my love."

"My turn!" Ventrice whined. Just like mom.

Dad rolled his eyes and dragged his feet to his second oldest daughter, planting a swift kiss on her forehead as well as the sleeping Mitrum's before walking out the door with a, "Love you all!"

"Love you too," We cried out in unison as the door closed.

Mother shifted her seat into a position that would have all her children in her line of vision.

"So, how are all my children?"

"Tris is dating someone!" Vena cried out which immediately got Tris cursing her out.

"What the fuck," Tris shrieked, sitting up from her spot which caused Mitrum's head to move uncomfortably in her lap. He was a heavy sleeper though so the movement did nothing to rouse him from his sleep.

"And the bechdel test fails before it even starts," I whispered under my breath.

"Language, langga," Mom huffed. "Now, Vena, tell me more about this boy your sister is dating."

"Jamie is-"

"Shut up!" Tris yelled, throwing a bottled water in our direction.

I let out an angered hiss as her aim hit me directly on the arm instead of at Vena.

"What the fuck,"-My mom-

"is wrong with you," and I bellowed at the same time.

"Mom tell her it's none of her business!" Ventrice squealed in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice.

Mama Lita sighed and rolled her eyes, Vena stuck her tongue out, and Mitrum slowly shuffled out of his sleep. Mom, on the other hand, looked like she was ready to take a plane back to Italy.

"Palangga, it's none of your business," Mom tutted before turning her eyes back to Ventrice. "And you, don't throw things! Mura man kag walay buot, oy! (It's like you don't have manners)"

Ventrice gaped at the favoritism and then pouted. I chuckled at her dismay which caught her attention. Immediately, from the way her eyes flashed with mischief, I knew she was out for blood.

"On a similar note," Tris began with a devious laugh. "Did you know your oldest is playing the boy across the street?"

A defeaning squeal erupted in the room which had Mitrum waking up fully, an annoyed look on his face.

"Mommy!" The little boy grumbled, pouting. "You're annoying me!"

"Shush, la-lang, the adults are talking," She squealed as she stood from her seat and picked up her youngest. She carried him on her hips while swaying him side to side, ready to get him to bed.

I rolled my eyes at the display. The seven year old had to grow out of his mama's boy phase soon.

"Is it Marcus?" Mom asked, looking at me with excited eyes. "Or is it the cuter one? Dyson? Dawh-son?"

"Dawson," Tris corrected with an arrogant tone, her eyes glued to mine while I flipped her the middle finger. "They've been going out a lot."

"Don't listen to her," I told my mom as she began to hop around the room. She looked like she was that coffee shaker from all her excitement. "Dawson and I are just friends."

"It always starts like that," Mom nodded. "I've had just friends."

"They're better than that," Tris explained, as if my life was her story to tell. "Cassidy keeps asking me about them so you know there's a them if she won't even tell Cassidy."

I gaped at her as she spilled new information. 'Why was Cassidy asking about Dawson and I?' I tried not to think too hard about the implications of Tris' words but I couldn't deny that Cassidy usually always knows about my friendships and relationships.

"Ooo," Mom giggled as she looked between Tris and I. "Does the defendant have anything to say?"

"I'm being serious, we're just friends," I deadpanned, glowering at Tris who continued to give me a smug look. The only reason I wasn't outing her own relationship because it was bigger than me.

"Source: trust me bro," Mitrum interjected which caused Vena and him to chuckle.

"Who dropped you off here?" Ven pressed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. How did she know?

"An uber . . ."

"Is that all?" Mom asked, putting Mitrum down onto Ventrice's lap. "Don't lie to your mother, love."

". . . That I shared with Dawson."

"Ayyy!" My mom giggled, pulling me (and incidentally Vena as well) into a deep hug. "I knew you'd marry into the Ledger name."

"Mom!" I shrieked. "We're not even dating!"

"Not yet."

"Not ever," I retorted, shrugging her off. Vena huffed and hopped off my lap, annoyed to find herself between mom and I.

"Take that boy, my love," Mom suddenly spoke, her voice deepening. My eyebrows furrowed as I stared into her eyes that had a glint of seriousness behind them.

"What?"

"I am your mother, I know what my daughter's want and need," She whispered now, voice quiet. "What you need, is to get laid."

"Mommy!"

"Shush," She hissed. "Just be safe."

"Mommy!" I whined loudly, pushing her away. "Stop!"

She sighed and a look of realization crossed her features. Mom grabbed both my shoulders and then pulled me closer, her forehead touching mine. My eyebrows furrowed at the unusually close position we were now in.

"I love you," She whispered, smiling softly. "That's why I know you—and knowing you, you're afraid to want what you want."

"What?" I scoffed in confusion.

"What I'm saying is that it's okay to want things and it's okay to grab for those things, okay?"

Then, her words made sense.

"Help me make Cassidy fall in love with me."

"No," I whispered under my breath.

Mom recoiled at my answer. "No?"

"No!" I gasped as I registered what I just said. "I meant—yes! I understand what you mean! I'll do it."

"Do it?"

"Grab those things that I want," I told her with a smile.

"What are those things, langga?"

"Dawson," I answered firmly. "I want Dawson."

• • •

Hello all! Unfortunately, I will be posting short chapters for now because school is starting again soon. I probably should call it classes since I'm in college alrdy but who really cares. Anyways, because my schedule is full once again, I would like to apologize if the chapters are shorter or have less quality! One day I'll edit this book and everything will fall into place nicely but for now I would like to just move the story forward.

With that said-

Lots of Love
- T