The Lunar Destiny Series

Chapter 19

Saturday was here, the big day. I was having kittens. Lio kept trying to reassure me that I had nothing to worry about, but he didn’t know my mother. We went to Edison’s Food SuperMarket to get what we needed for tonight’s dinner. I told Lio that I was going to cook and he eagerly volunteered to help me. It was a nice warm seventy four degrees outside so I wore my yellow and orange spaghetti strap sundress with a blue jean half jacket. I chose my orange wedge heel shoes with the look.

Lio was wearing a mint green, long sleeve dress shirt with a solid gray tie and gray dress pants. His dress shoes were the same solid mint green and he had his hair flowing free. I kept getting strong whiffs of his cologne and I thought I would faint from how good it smelled. It wasn’t even the fact that it was men’s cologne; it was because it was on him.

I walked down an aisle that had the pasta and rice while Lio pushed the cart. He pretty much fought me for it when we came in, I told him he spoils me too much. I wasn’t planning on making a feast but Lio did eat much more than the average man. It had to do with his wolf side, he'd told me. I stopped in front of the tri color rotini pasta and took a moment to look at the different brands.

“Hmm, I’m not really sure what kind of pasta salad I want to make. I haven’t cooked for my parents in a long time.” I said.

“Do they like olives at all?” He asked, leaning against the basket a little.

“My mother loves olives and my dad will eat them but not too often. Why? What were you thinking of?” I asked, turning towards him.

“I was thinking that we could make a sort of Greek pasta salad as a side dish. I’m very good at making my own vinaigrette. What do you think?” He asked.

I smiled and nodded.

“That sounds good to me, good idea.” I said before turning back towards the shelf.

I picked out whole grain tri color pasta and put the box in the cart. I started down the aisle again and Lio followed me.

We came to the end of the aisle and just as we were about to turn out into the center aisle, two faces from my past were about to turn down the aisle we were coming from. Julian and my cousin Denae stood there holding hands. She held a small shopping basket on her forearm. Her stomach was very large and outstretched her lavender gown. By the looks of it she was due any day now. I felt so many emotions in that moment. Anger, betrayal and pain were just a few of them. I wanted to say so many things to them for what they had done to me but I couldn’t bring myself to. It wouldn’t change anything.

Julian’s dark brown eyes widened as he looked at me, while Denae wouldn’t meet my eyes at all. The last time I saw Julian his dirty blonde hair was cut short. Now his hair was long enough to tuck behind his ears; His skin tone had always been very pale but it looked like he’d started tanning. That bronze, orange glow was prominent on his skin. He was wearing a plaid burgundy and cream colored shirt, with vintage style jean shorts, and burgundy loafers. Denae’s off black hair was down past her breasts which looked swollen and full. I noticed she was wearing some lavender crocks and her ankles were slightly swollen. The joys of pregnancy.

“Astraia? Wow, you look great. It’s been a long time since we last saw each other.” He said trying his hardest to be friendly.

I continued to give him a poker face. Lio came to my side and put his arm around my waist. Julian and Denae looked up at him curiously. A pure look of awe was on her face, I hoped she was jealous.

“Astraia, who are your friends? I’ve only met one of her friend’s so far.” Lio said with his good ol’ business man smile.

I didn’t know if he saw my discomfort but I didn’t know what else to do in this extremely awkward situation.

“I’m sorry about that, I’m Julian and this is my wife Denae. Denae is actually Astraia’s cousin.”

Wife? How could he!? How could SHE!? I took a deep breath in then exhaled slowly. I felt Lio slightly tense behind me as if someone had suddenly let off a firework when he heard their names. If I didn’t wrap this up quick there was going to be a fight, and only one of them was walking away. No guesses as to whom.

I looked up at Lio and my eyebrows furrowed at the sight of his very evil grin. That half smile that said, ‘I’d kill you if I could get away with it.’

“So, we finally meet. Astraia has told me all about the ‘fairytale love’ you two had.”

He said.

Julian visibly tensed, the nervous smile leaving his face.

“That happened a long time ago, we’ve put that behind us.” Julian said.

“Well good for you, both of you deserve each other.”

I didn’t hide the bitterness in my voice. Every word held my years of pain and anger in them. I wanted them to see the suffering they caused me in my eyes.

“I’ve tried to apologize to you so many times. We even sent you a wedding invitation.”

Denae said, sounding as if she was on the verge of tears.

“I burned the invitation. As far as you’re concerned Denae, we’re not family. You mean less than nothing to me. Your husband already knows how I feel about him…Let’s go Lio.”

I said walking past them.

I heard Lio pushing the cart again and he was soon walking next to me.

“I’m proud of you. I think you handled that very well, better than I would have if I were you.” He said.

“I did the best I could, and so did you.”

He smiled slightly.

I’m sure if we had been anywhere else I’d have hit him. I really wanted to, but I’d never say it out loud.

We decided on making pot roast, Greek pasta salad, and some crescent rolls. We had the roast already cooking in the Crockpot and the water for the pasta was starting to boil. I stood by the sink slicing olives while Lio was on the other side of the counter making his special vinaigrette for the pasta salad.

“Astraia, are you alright? What happened earlier must have been a shock.” He said, looking over at me.

“I’ll be fine. A visit from my parents is just what I need.” I forced a smile on and went back to cutting.

I could faintly hear knocking at the front door. Before I could set my knife down, Lio was already on his way to answer it. I quickly washed my hands at the sink and dried them on a kitchen towel before heading to the door as well. As I made my way into the foyer, I could hear my parents exchanging greetings with Lio.

“Oh my, you’re a handsome one aren’t you?”

My mother said with her hand held out to him.

Lio smiled wide and shook her hand. My father shook his hand next. My mother’s hair had grown down to her waist in the past three years. It was the same color as mine but she had started to show grays. She was wearing a maroon skirt and blouse with matching flat soled designer sandals. My father wore a teal colored suit with black dress shoes. The shirt underneath was sky blue and his tie was a combination of sky blue, charcoal gray and teal. My father’s hair was dark brown, short, and curly.

“Leon Ilithyia, nice to meet you young man.” Said my father.

“I’m Karme Ilithyia, pleased to meet you.” Said my mother.

She smiled sweetly at Lio and her eyes seemed so much younger then. My mom’s eyes were a darker gray, sort of like an elephant’s skin. My father’s eyes were a rich, light brown. I often see people do a double take when they see us all together because being African American with our eye colors was very uncommon.

“I see where Astraia gets her beauty.” Lio said, running his fingers through his dark curls. My mother and I both blushed and my father simply smiled before putting an arm around my mother’s waist.

“Aren’t we lucky to have these ladies Lio?”

My father said laughing a little.

“Indeed, very lucky.”

Lio said as he looked down at me. I cleared my throat nervously.

“Mom, dad, why don’t you two get settled? The food should be ready soon.” I said trying to change the subject.

I was sure more embarrassing conversations would occur at the dinner table. I wish I had been wrong for once. After another forty five minutes, we served dinner and the most embarrassing moments of my life began in full swing.

“So, what is it that you do for a living Lio?”

My father asked before taking a sip of his lemonade.

“I’m an architect. I’m the CEO of Tri-Build Architecture. I also have a hand in stocks.” He said proudly.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and set it down again next to his now empty plate. I think Lio was the first to clear his plate.

“Tri-Build Architecture eh? You’ve done very well for yourself. It takes a lot of work to become a CEO of a company that big.” My father said.

My mother shifted in her seat a little before directing her attention at Lio. I suddenly became really nervous. I knew she was about to drill him with questions. I felt Lio’s hand on my leg under the table trying to comfort me.

“Lio dear, what are your intentions with my Astraia hmm?” She asked with a slight smile. The smile didn’t quite meet her eyes though.

Lio’s smile never faltered.

“I intend to marry her someday, with your blessings of course.” He said looking from my mom to my dad.

I thought I was going to throw up; my stomach was too full of food and butterflies. One of them had to come up. I didn’t think he’d come right out and put marriage up in the air. Both of my parents started grinning.

“Boy, you certainly are traditional. That’s rare these days.” My father said.

“Lio, do you have any children? Do you want children?”

My mother said almost cutting my father off. He cleared his throat and sighed.

“Mom, I already told you that.”

I wasn’t expecting her to bring up child bearing during the first meeting but surprise, surprise. She looked over at me sternly. She’d probably have told me to shut up any other time but she clearly wanted to make a good first impression. That was a good sign.

“I want to hear it from him.” She said before looking back at him.

“Unfortunately I don’t have any children, but I do want them one day.” Lio said attempting to look embarrassed but I knew different.

He was enjoying every minute of this. I shifted a little in my seat and had to fight the urge to get up from the table.

“Wonderful, how many?” My mom asked.

My eyes widened and my dad nudged my mother’s arm.

“What? I want to know!” She said defensively. Lio let out a deep, masculine laugh that made my mom turn her attention back to him.

“It’s alright, really. Truthfully? I want as many as Astraia will give me.”

Lio looked over at me smiling and I felt my cheeks warm up with embarrassment.

“If we let Astraia have that much power I’ll never be a grandmother.”

She said laughing.

“Karme she gets her stubbornness from you, it isn’t her fault.” My father teased.

I put my face into my hands and hung my head in shame.