SETH (Book Four)

FOURTEEN

The BBQ party is still alive and well; the men are surrounding the grill, talking about men's stuff, and the ladies are in their own space doing the same thing, especially since the two of them are close to giving birth. The children are in the sandbox with the elderly guardians watching over them.

My eyes roamed around, trying to look for that person. Since the time I arrived, he was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for someone?"

My heart almost jumps at the sound of Effie by my side.

"No," taking a sip of my drink and lying. "Just being precautious." The two men were standing next to Rex at the grill, and my eyes landed on the two men at the grill.

They look familiar. Judging by how they act, I smell trouble coming from them once they look at me.

"Seth went out to buy more ice."

"Okay," sounding nonchalant, like I'm looking for him. But my eyes were on those men.

"Anyways, you don't need to be on the job, Terry."

"It's a habit," I tell her and look over at Persephone, who has little Zara on her lap, as they make a sandcastle together. A bright smile on the young girl makes my heart melt.

Persephone has opened up a bit but got used to the company of the children.

"Mmm..."

I glance at her, arching a brow at her response. "What?"

"You and Seth had not made any progress."

"Why are you bringing him up again?" I say with confusion.

"Ever since he came home to visit you, he's been acting weird."

That got me curious.

"Like how?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. But he keeps mumbling to himself like a crazy person."

I had no clue why Seth would act that way after our little 'talk' about him liking girls and not someone disguised as a man. It hurt when he said that. I had no choice but to dress like this. It's just...

"Anyways, you two need the talk."

"Effie, I'm not five," I snort and drink the cup of water. When I saw the beer in the cooler, I grabbed it, and with my pocket knife, I quickly popped the top.

"I don't quite understand why you can't express your feelings to him."

I tell that to myself a lot.

"I had lost my emotion to love a long time ago," I jug a mouthful of cold beer.

"I'm sure you feel it, though," she states, and I can tell how worried she is for me. "I worried about you, Terry. I missed you a lot when you were adopted. I was happy you had found a family, but you've become the first time I met you all these years. Grandpa told me how he saw you, but I don't know the whole story.

I appreciate her concerns, but right now, she should think about her family first than someone who is just an outsider.

"I know it's not my business, but I consider you like family."

My body twitches.

Family?

This is the first time I have heard that word. The definition of family is with the ones you love. But for me, family is nothing but a lie.

My life has been like that since my mother abandoned me. I was adopted but used to be a babymaker for some psycho bitch, and since I killed my baby girl.