37.
977 Words
The room her aunt had set up for her was beautiful just a small pale green painted room there were two windows one that looked right into Crescent City while the other looked to the stunning forested hills of the east. Both were great views staring at the hills she couldn't wait to start her discovering of the plants that grew around the area, Gatlin had other interests but botany made her feel closer to her father, he loved nature also probably because he spent so much time in it as a tracker. Gatlin was young when her father passed but she remembered his garden fondly, the variety of plants that would grow in the well-maintained soil was quite a sight then when her father passed she did what she could be only a small child Gatlin had to watch the once flourishing garden fail and become neglected reflecting a lot how she felt really. “Linz!” Aurella’s voice pulled her from thought and she turned to face the beautiful brunette “so do you like your room?”
“Yeah, Rella. I love it thank you” Gatlin couldn't help but smile at her. Her aunt quickly crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her young niece.
“I'm so glad you're here, Linz” Aurella sighed leaning back she cupped her hands over Gatlin’s cheeks “I'm sorry I couldn't bring you out sooner... Your mother and everything....” Aurella sighed once again.
“I know, Rella but I'm here now...” Gatlin attempted to hold the smile.
“How are you with everything... With your mate?” Aurella questioned her eyes focused on Gatlin. Those same sage coloured eyes staring at her.
“I'm fine though now talking I realised we need to find a witch” Gatlin suddenly recalled. The pain had subsided because of the tea then seeing her aunt the whole thing had slipped her mind.
“The separation pains?” Aurella cringed at the thought.
“Does everyone know about this besides me?” Gatlin asked. It was starting to dawn on her she actually didn't know much about mate bonds at all but why would she, Gatlin had never cared enough to show any interest in the subject.
“Probably” Aurella flashed a smile and Gatlin could see the sympathy written in it and she couldn't help but turn away she couldn't stand that look “look, Linz... I will help you through this I promise--”
“WHO ARE YOU!” a feminine screamed interrupted the tender moment between aunt and niece.
“Oh no,” Aurella mumbled practically running from the room.
“Rella! Rella who is that!” Gatlin called chasing after her and stopped once the reached the lounge room that sat at the end of the hall. It was quite a comedic scene Arro with his hands raised in surrender while a young quite beautiful woman stood by the door with a baseball bat in hand her dark eyes fiercely set on Arro.
“Mira, calm down this is Arro he is friends with my niece” Aurella comforted the armed woman who suddenly nodded in understanding when she eyed Gatlin standing behind Aurella.
“Oh... My bad” she shot Arro an apologetic smile lowering the bat “ah nice to meet you both.”
“Linz, Arro this is Mira” Aurella gave a wide smile as she approached the woman before pecking her lips it was brief but affectionate “my girlfriend.”
“It's great to meet you” Gatlin greeted her with a smile.
“Yeah... Same probably better if I wasn't being threatened with a baseball bat” Arro grumbled but Gatlin laughed at his childish reply.
“I'm sorry about that” Mira gave another apologetic look.
“Linz, Mira is a professor at Northcrest where you'll be attending. She teaches biology so you two can geek out together” Aurella laughed looking between the two.
“I'm so glad to hear you will be attending Northcrest, you will love it, it has wonderful programs, Gatlin. Rella told me about your love of botany it has great classes” Mira spoke wide-eyed it was obvious her love for the place.
“You don't have to sell me on it” Gatlin giggled at the woman's excitement.
“And you Arro are you attending with Gatlin?” Mira questioned.
“Ah no just here to make sure, Linz settles in alright” he smiled throwing an arm around her shoulders.
“Quite a good friend” Aurella couldn't help but tease.
“I like to think of myself as the best” Arro flashed a wide grin but it disappeared quickly with a wince when Gatlin pinched his side.
“Well, I'm very happy you are here. Your aunt has been talking non-stop about how excited she is to see you. It will also be nice to have someone here to back me up when Aurella decides she wants to experiment with cooking” Mira teased and gave Aurella a cheeky grin to which the woman rolled her eyes.
“My experimenting with cooking is always successful” Aurella countered with a pout.
“Say that to last time when you almost blew up the stove and set fire to the kitchen--”
“I resent that it was a small fire and it was only a little smoke” Aurella huffed.
“Oh sorry, we only had to repaint that one wall” Mira replied and the woman began to laugh. Gatlin watched the two women interact it was refreshing to see a pair so carefree and happy “anyway before Rell gets any ideas how about we all go out to dinner we show you around town then tomorrow we can catch a train into the city get some breakfast and I can show you the university?” Gatlin was almost taken back she had never felt so included. At her mothers, she was never asked about meals or going out and the thought these woman one of which didn't even know her but had put the time and thought into this for her was enough to make Gatlin want to cry.
“What do you think, Linz?” Aurella asked when she still hadn't replied.
“That would be great thank you” Gatlin finally answered. For once in Gatlin’s life, she was beginning to feel at home.
- Writer
