Book One: Chapter 20
Macey stared at herputer screen lost in thought. Since revealing the truth about Julius the kids
went back to their usual activities. Aria was busy coloring and naming the subjects ordingly in
differentnguages while Caden yed piano. Neither seemed particrly shaken by the earth-
shattering news their father was alive and well let alone had been spending time with them. It made
Macey wonder if perhaps Augustus had already let that one slip.
She thought she should be mad at her father-inw but perhaps it was the natural course of action.
Julius was his son after all. In truth she wasn’t particrly bothered. She always intended to tell the
twins about their father but could never find a good time. But now things were gettingplicated.
Macey always assumed Julius moved on with his life after she left. She never expected him to confess
to looking for her even after all their years apart. She definitely wasn’t expecting him to act so
passionately. He seemed desperate to keep her at his side…or was that just her wishful thinking?
She felt her face warm as she recalled their night together. He had always known how to touch her.
There was no denying her body’s reaction to him. No one else was ever able to draw so much out of
her but what did it mean for the future? She only intended to stay in the States through the kids’ spring
vacation then return to Paris. What if the children wanted to stay with their father? Was it even possible
to maintain a rtionship across the Antic?
It would be one thing if Julius simply wanted to be a father to the twins which she was happy to
facilitate. The kids could easily spend some of their vacations with him. Yet he also seemed to want
Macey back. What was she going to do?
Macey looked at herputer screen. She meant to check her emails but found herself reading the
tabloid articles about her and the kids again. Aside from the fact they photographed the twins without
permission the photos themselves were quite nice. She couldn’t help but smile at how natural Julius
looked with the children though perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised. Macey recalled Julius had always
been an attentive uncle so it made sense fatherhood would be a natural fit for him.
A knock at the door interrupted her silent contemtion. Closing herptop Macey stood and answered
it to find Rose and Jude waiting. They smiled as soon as they saw her.
“Aunt Macey!” Jude greeted immediately enveloping her in a hug.
“Jude!” Macey hugged him back. “It’s good to see you! You’re so tall! You need to stop growing!”
“Doesn’t he though!” Roseughed.
All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.
Macey stepped back. Jude was the spitting image of his father. He could easily pass for a younger
brother. She smiled at the young man she still saw as a thirteen-year-old. “How’s school?”
“Well…it’s school,” he shrugged. “It’s boring. Dad says it gets more interestingter.”
“He’s not wrong,” Macey assured him. “It gets a lot better but here’s something your father won’t tell
you. Don’t just take your sses. Go to school events. Meet people. Make some bad decisions. As
long as it doesn’t in end in jail time or pregnancy it’s all part of the experience.”
Jude chuckled. That was definitely advice he hadn’t received yet. Macey always knew he would follow
in his father’s footsteps on day. He was driven by the desire to continue the family legacy. In fact he
was almost too responsible for a neen-year-old. He never once gave his parents trouble. There
were never anyte night calls for bail or emergency assistance. Vicki would definitely make a few
more inappropriate suggestions but Macey left it at her own.
“So what brings you here?” Macey asked. She doubted he had gotten kicked out of school so he must
have skipped sses toe visiting.
“Mom sent me pictures of my cousins. I had toe and see them for myself. I mean, if that’s all
right?”
“Of course! Come inside. They’ll be so excited!”
Macey ushered them in. As they entered the piano ying that had been a constant background noise
suddenly ceased. Reaching the living room they found the twins at the coffee table waiting for their
guests. Jude froze staring at his little cousins for the first time. It was like looking in a time warp. They
looked just like their parents in family photos from before he was born.
“Aria, Caden, you remember your Aunt Rose. And this is your cousin Jude.”
“Hi!” Aria said cheerily as she and her brother stood to meet him. “I’m Aria and this is Caden.”
“Hi, wow,” Jude knelt. “You look just like your parents.”
“Thank you!” Aria giggled and even Caden smiled. He liked the idea of resembling his father. Aria had
always borne a strong resemnce to their mother while he only had her eyes. Knowing he looked like
his father made him feel like he truly belonged.
“What is in there?” Caden asked noticing therge bag Jude carried.
“Well, I bought some games you might like to y,” Jude said taking out Trouble?, Bananagrams?,
and Jenga? setting them on the coffee table. “I really liked ying these when I was little. I also
bought a kite if you want to fly it.”
“How do you fly it?” Aria asked genuinely intrigued. They had seen others flying kites but had never
done so themselves.
“You’ve never flown one?”
The twins shook their heads.
“Well, you’re in for a treat.”
Jude knelt at the coffee table and with the twins’ help cleared it off to make room to put the kite
together. The twins watched fascinated. Rose chuckled snapping photos with her phone while Macey
did so with her camera. Both had the same idea of preserving every moment.
When the kite was ready Jude led them outside. Despite its small size the yard was spacious. He
worried there wouldn’t be enough wind but luckily the buildings around them seemed to channel it
giving them an ample breeze to try and fly the newly made kite. It took several attempts running back
and forth with the twinsughing at his antics. Jude nearly ran out of breath before he seeded to the
twins’ delight. They pped excitedly when it finally stayed aloft.
Kneeling he encouraged the twins to stand close and take turns handling the string. Seeing their delight
gave Jude a sense of pride. He now understood why his uncle had been so keen to teach him how to
fly a kite when he was their age.
“Hey Caden, level with me,” Jude said, “who was ying the piano when we first got here?”
Caden hesitated, “That was me.”
“Really? You y that well?”
Caden shrugged.
“Caden has a keyboard at home, but here Grandpa Gus got him a piano,” Aria proudly added.
“I got to say…that ying was amazing!”
“Thanks,” Caden awkwardly smiled though he did like thepliment.
Rose and Macey watched from the patio taking photos. Macey couldn’t help but be amazed at how
readily the twins warmed up to family members they never met before. In the past they were always
reserved and even stand-offish toward people they didn’t know. She wondered if their attitude was due
to an intuitive filial connection or their conscious desire to know their family.
Of the few men Macey tried to date most were turned off by a pair of toddlers. Yet those who tried to be
friendly were met with hostility and disregarded by the twins. In fact, even their god-father Paul, one of
Macey’s closest college friends, was asionally given the cold shoulder. She often wondered why
they were sometimes weing and sometimes ignored the man they saw almost daily and was close
enough to be considered an uncle but she never asked.
“Oh, Macey. I’ve been meaning to ask,” Rose suddenly said. “Did you know dad bought an art gallery?”
“Did he?” Macey asked hoping she sounded surprised. In truth she had known six months ago he was
nning to purchase the gallery but she wasn’t ready to admit the reason why.
“It’s just so strange. Aside from your father’s paintings he’s never been interested in art…so why a
gallery? And I don’t know this artist either: M. Gray. I wonder if he’s a veteran. Dad has a soft spot for
veterans after all.”
Macey remained silent.
“Anyway he sent out invitations over a week ago for the gallery’s grand opening. It’s tomorrow night.
And I just don’t know what to think.”
“Well…it’s art,” Macey finally spoke. “It’s best not to think too much on it.”
Rose chuckled, “I suppose. That is an excellent point. So are you going?”
“Umm…Yeah. It sounds like quite the event,” Macey answered, “even thoughrge parties aren’t really
my thing…but it’s for art…so…”
“Oh good,” Rose breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why?”
“Oh nothing. Forget I said anything.”
Macey looked at her curiously. Something was definitely weighing on Rose’s mind but she obviously
didn’t want to talk about. After a moment of thought Macey let it go. Rose was not one forrge, fancy
parties either though she always seemed to handle them well.
After a while the twins tired of the kite so they headed inside. Gathering around the coffee table Jude
taught them how to y Trouble? before he and his mother said their goodbyes. The twins seemed
genuinely sad to see them go but happy Jude left the kite and the games behind along with the
promise to return and y again. In return they colored him pictures to take back to school. They didn’t
understand why their family was so fascinated by their pictures but it was an easy gift to make them
happy.
“This is great,” Jude said looking at the pictures address to Cousin Jude. “When you guys grow up to
be artists like your mom I’ll have some of your very first pictures to brag to everyone.”
“That’s so silly!” Aria giggled but she was pleased. So far their family was fulfilling their expectations
splendidly.