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Family dinner

Coltons POV:

Me and Aiden pulled up into the driveway at our childhood home. The lights were on inside the house, and everyone's vehicles were in the driveway. It is safe to say that I wished I could just shove Aiden out of my rental car, head back to the airport, and fly home to my penthouse. This had already been a wild first day back. First my mom, then Aiden, and Everleigh. I really didn’t want to know what would be next.

“Are you ready?” Aiden said, getting out of the car.

“You think it's okay to get my stuff and go back to the city?” I said, trying to make a joke out of it, but it came out more like a plea.

“Really funny Colton. Come on, I'm sure everyone is waiting for you. Mom has this whole dinner planned with some of the family.” he shut the door, and started walking to the front of the house. I shook my head, trying to prepare myself for what was waiting for me inside.

Here we go, I guess. I got out, and started up to the house where Aiden was waiting for me.

“Alright, let's get this over with.”

“Good thing it's you and not me.” He laughed as I shove him inside the door. Everyone was laughing and talking until they saw me walk in. My sister came up to me first and punched me in the arm.

“Ouch, what was that for?” I rubbed where her fist had made contact.

“That was for being a d**k to mom.” Then she pulled me into a hug which was not normal for Daphne. She was never the one to endure physical contact first, unless it was with her fist.

“Okay, what was that one for?” I gave her a look of confusion.

“That is for coming home and me actually missing you for once.” She smiled at me, but that didn’t last long because she punched me right back in the same spot which hurt, once again. She walked away, and my mom came up. I looked down at her, and tried to smile.

“Hey mom.”

“ Hi, son. Look, I'm so sorry for earlier. I've just been so exhausted, and”

“Mom, it's okay. I can't even understand what you are going through right now. If you ever need to let it out, just let it out of me. I don't care.” I pulled her into a hug and felt her let a breath out against my shirt. She pulled away from me and turned to everyone else that was standing around talking.

“Alright everyone, let's eat.” A big cheer went all around. Mostly because everyone loved mom's cooking. A knock sounded from the door. I turned to get it, but heard mom say something.

“Oh good, they're here.” she smiled and reached for the door.

Wait, who is here? The door opened and there stood Mrs.Roberts and Everleigh, who looked like she wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Of Course, my mom would be the one to do this.

“Oh I am so glad you guys could make it.'' She stepped over the threshold and gave Everleighs mom a hug, and then ushered them in with her hand on Everleighs back. Mostly because she knew that at any moment Everleigh would disappear at any given moment. I smiled at Darla, Everleigh's mom, as she reached in for a hug.

“It is so good to see you. Don't worry about Everleigh. She is on my leash right now.” She ever so quietly whispered in my ear. I laughed under my breath because I knew that Everleigh was fuming without even looking at her. We hadn't said anything to each other since our run in early. I just didn't know I would be seeing her soon after all of that. I turned and started into the kitchen where my mom had escaped to. No wonder she is probably hiding from me. Everyone was saying hi while I grabbed hold of my mom's arm and brought her to where we couldn't be heard.

“When did you invite them, mom?” I said in a huff.

“I saw Darla earlier today at the store, and we got to talking, so I figured they might want to come over for dinner.” she held a little bit of a smile on her round face.

“I'm assuming you didn't tell them I was home either?”

“Oh, no I definitely told them you were home, and Darla said that her and Everleigh would both be here for dinner.” She looked around the corner to see if anyone was listening to them, conversing.

“Why though, mom? Don't you think it is a little too soon? I mean I just got home.” annoyance laced in my voice.

“Time is precious, Colton. You of all people should know that.” and with that she tapped my arm, turned on her heel, and walked back into the room where laughter could be heard from there in the pantry. Of course, I knew time was precious, that's why I was here after all. I hadn't even managed to make it to the hospital to see him yet. Hell, I haven't even been home a full day yet, and my mom is already trying to set me back up with my ex.

I walked back into the living room and saw Sophie sitting next to Everleigh and my heart dropped. She was smiling. Not just a regular smile that you give to people in passing. She was smiling her big ole Everleigh smile. She seemed happy sitting there next to Soph. There was I time I could almost imagine that being her with our kids-

Colton, stop. I know that would never be. No matter how much I let my mind wander. It wont work, it can't work, right? She must have realized that I was staring at them because she looked up at me almost embarrassed that she had been caught. She looked back down at Sophie and started to talk to my sister. Daphne was the reason I met Everleigh. The Roberts family moved to town when Daph was seven and I was nine. My mom was always so Adamant on sending people that just moved into the block a welcome basket. Her and Daphne walked down about a week after they moved in and I guess you could say the rest was history. Everleigh and Daphne turned out to be best friends and she started to come around all the time. Me being me, I just hid in my room, annoyed most of the time. Until Everleigh started getting boyfriends and boobs. I knew she had a crush on me, but I didn’t do anything about it because I always saw her as a little sister. Up until I didn’t anymore.

“So Daph, are you gonna have any more little ones for me to play with anytime soon?” E’ said, bringing me back to the real world.

Wait, did Everleigh still watch Soph?

“Well, when you get a husband and start having s*x to make babies that rip you open when they come out of your v****a, then you can come back and ask me that question” I nearly choked and E’s face got bright red and she looked up at me with a nasty face. Leave it to Daphne to always be a little open about things. Mostly she just knew how to get under Everlieghs skin and embarrass her. Everyone knew that Everleigh was a very, how do I put it? Prude? Little do they know I changed that very quickly.

“Alright kids. Time to come eat.” Mom said, coming into the living room. Sophie ran into the kitchen with Daphne hot on her heels. E got up and started heading that way but didn’t make it very far.

“Wait, about early today”. I felt the need to reach out but stopped my self short.

“Colton, please, I just want to get this over with and leave.” Her eyes were hot on something on the wall. I just wished she would look up at me.

“Then why did you come? You knew I would be here.” I spit out, annoyed. I didn’t want her here as much as she did.

“My mom made me. Plus, you know how much I love your family. I was your sister's friend way before we ever started dating.” She laughed and kept going “So please, this isn’t like I’m some random ex you dated in high school. I was actually part of this family before us.” She slipped past me and left me standing there fuming.

I could feel my mom's eyes on me, and I was right because when I turned around I knew she felt bad for inviting them by the look on my face.

Instead of heading to where everyone else was, I turned and went upstairs. I needed to cool down before I joined everyone. Because if I didn’t I would march right into the kitchen, grab Everleigh, take her upstairs, and show her how much she wasn’t like some ex from high school.