Slaying Dragons

Chapter Twelve

"I am nervous." Yuria admitted.

"That's understandable." Marcy murmured as she bathed the new mom.

"I mean I am truly- wait... You understand?"

"Of course." Marcy smirked briefly before looking into Yuria's eyes. "I never believed in love and you know our lives taught us I was right."

Ciso, washing her sister's feet, grimaced.

Yuria worried her bottom lip. "I believe in love. I did. Our lives were difficult. But then you introduced me to Karou and things changed. We made a life together and then were introduced to Arnold, our missing piece.

I know I feel very strongly for them, especially after giving birth but I'm not sure it's love."

Marcy stopped washing her and booped her nose. "It's not."

Ciso gasped.

"It's not?" Yuria felt letdown but was hardly surprised.

"It's called "security". We didn't have that growing up." Marcy told her. "We're adults now and we have to make the decision to not let our pasts and things done to us alter our presents, futures or actions. We cannot continue to let them have power over us."

That made a lot of sense to Yuria. "But if I don't love them, should I get married?"

"That's ridiculous. Love is an illusion. You have mutual respect, trust, passion, empathy, shared interests and the ability to laugh and relax with each other. You're actually friends, partners.

That's what you need. A foundation. Love is... inconsequential. You have a home and a family for the first time in your life.

People have gotten married for really dumbass reasons and divorced even quicker for worse.

Trust your foundation." Marcy went back to washing her.

Yuria thought over what her best friend had said and all she knew of relationships. Marcy made a lot of sense. "You tell Malcolm you love him."

"He likes that word and I like him so I give it to him. I may not believe in love but I believe in him."

M&MC

Karou stared at her reflection in the mirror. Although her style was more "bad girl" than "girly girl", it'd always been "girl". But this was the first time she'd ever really felt like she was a girl. And not just a girl but a woman.

Which was strange since a person had crawled out of her body cavern just four days prior.

Paris hugged her gently. "You look beautiful, Cuz."

"Thank you." Karou's look of wonder was slowly replaced with horror.

"What's wrong?"

Karou pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Nothing."

"I've known you since we were two years old, Karou. I know when something is wrong with you. Talk to me."

Karou stared into the mirror and saw her family members mowing around. She got most of her favorite (female) cousins and her sister as bridesmaids while Yuria got all of their (female) friends.

"Please?"

"I'm not saying it where everyone can hear."

"Then I'll send them out."

Karou raised a disbelieving brow.

"I will!" Paris swore before turning on her heel and marching over to her family. "Can you guys wait in the hallway?"