The Vessel - Jenika Snow Page 0,45

walls, ribbon tied around the stems. Rustic-style decor lined the walls, farmhouse milk jugs in the corners and holding more dried flowers.

I could hear women talking softly in another room, and Elise smiled over her shoulder at me as she led us into the kitchen. Once in the room, the woman by the sink stopped washing vegetables and glanced at us. There was another woman, Elise’s mother, who sat in a wheelchair at the table cutting up fruit. Both women eyed me, and although their expressions were clinical, I knew they were checking me out and making sure I was good enough for their girl.

I prayed like hell I passed whatever silent test they were doing.

“Mom, Frannie, this is Lucius.” Elise leaned into me, and I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her in closer. I realized how proprietary that probably seemed, but it was who I was when I was with my woman.

“Ladies, it’s nice to finally meet you.” God, was that my voice, all tight and anxious and shit? I cleared my throat and ran my free hand up and down my denim-clad thigh, wiping the nervous sweat from my palm.

There was more silence, and I hated it. I felt on edge, like I was under a microscope, but I knew they were unsure of me. I respected that, and I was on their terms.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” they said in unison, but I could see they were still hesitant of me.

Elise cleared her throat and said, “Lucius was the one to actually speak with the landlord and… convince him to let you keep the garden.”

There was a collective heaviness in the room, and then Frannie stepped away from the sink, grabbing a towel from the counter to dry her hands, her focus on me as she went to stand by her sister.

“You did that?” Elise’s mother asked, and I straightened my spine, nodding.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Both women looked between each other and then to Elise before all three women started laughing. I was confused on what was going on right now, and my expression only made them laugh harder.

“Elise, he’s adorable.” Elise’s mother gestured me forward, and I looked at Elise before moving away from the love of my life and facing the “firing squad.” “Thank you for doing that for us. You don’t know how much that meant to us.”

I gave them a smile and a tilt of my head. I was never any good with compliments.

“But don’t call us ma’am. It makes us feel old,” Frannie said. “We don’t want to feel any older than we already are.”

Elise’s mother started laughing at that before sobering pretty damn fast. “You love my daughter?” Elise’s mother asked bluntly, and I felt my eyes widen. I hadn’t expected that.

“Um,” I mumbled and looked back at Elise. She covered her mouth with her hand, the suppressed amusement clear on her face. I narrowed my eyes teasingly at her before facing her mom again. “I do. I love her more than anything else.” I looked at her aunt then. “She’s my world.”

The women looked at each other, and I could see there was this silent communication between them. They faced me once more.

“That’s good to hear, because our Elise only deserves the best. She deserves someone who knows how special she really is.”

I nodded instantly. “There’s nothing more special to me than Elise.” I meant that with every fiber of my being, and I hoped they saw that too.

The smiles they gave me told me they knew I was being genuine and sincere.

“Good thing you said that,” Frannie remarked. “Any other reply and we may have had to boot you out the door.”

“Frannie,” Elise’s mother scolded, but they were both smiling.

I could see where Elise got her strength from. These two women were rocks, held their own, and I was so happy the woman I loved had that in her life. I was so glad I now had that in my life too.

28

Elise

Five weeks later

My hands shook, my heart raced, and I was sweating.

Nervous as hell was a good description of how I felt right now.

I looked down at the plastic bag in my hands, the items in there random… except one.

I still couldn’t believe this was a possibility, that I could be pregnant, but the fact remained I was late, my boobs were sensitive, and the major telling sign… Lucius and I didn’t use condoms when we had sex. Maybe it was the stupidest thing I’d ever