Shelly's
I watched Alexander as he frowned at Damien's comment. Was he bothered about being called quiet?
He turned to look at me, noticing my stare. My cheeks warmed up.
"Sorry," I said with a small smile, trying to lighten the moment. "I didn't mean to stare.
He looked away and sighed. "It's... okay, I'm used to being stared at by now."
Damien ruffled Alexander's hair with a brotherly affection that was typical of him, always quick to diffuse any tension with his easygoing nature. "Don't worry, Alex," he said with a grin. "We only stare because we care."
Alexander gave a small, appreciative smile, though I could see the hint of discomfort still lingering in his eyes. It was clear that being the center of attention, even in a friendly setting, wasn't something he was entirely comfortable with yet. Maybe he really was the shy type?
"Well, I better get going. I have work to do," he muttered as he finished his coffee.
"Bye, Glasses Dino!" Toren said, waving.
Alexander gave him a slight smile. "See you later, Glasses King."
"Hey, next time you're off, you should join us in a game of hide and seek," Damien said, winking.
He sighed and adjusted his glasses. "I'm too old to be playing games."
"Too old? You're eighteen!"
"Which is too old for such games."
Damien crossed his arms over his muscular chest. He shook his head. "Nonsense! There's no such thing as being too old for a bit of fun. Besides, it's a good way to unwind. You might even enjoy it, Alex."
Alexander hesitated, clearly wrestling with the idea. It was as if he wanted to let go and join in, but something held him back.
After a while, Alexander gave him a slight smile. "I'll think about it."
"That's the spirit," Damien said, clapping him on the shoulder. "We'll make a dino out of you yet."
Alexander chuckled softly, the tension in his posture easing just a bit. "We'll see." He waved and headed out of the kitchen.
As he left, I watched him go, hoping he would find a way to let himself enjoy these simple pleasures. In the short time that I've known him, he's come off as an responsible but also uptight guy.
Damien sighed as he watched the door close. "That Alex. He really has to learn to let go."
"I recall you said he didn't have much of a childhood either."
"None of us really did. Living in this family is like growing up in a boarding school. Nah, a boarding school is more fun than this."
"Wait, you went to a boarding school before?"
"For a bit! It was more structured and strict than you'd think, but at least there were other kids to play with. Here, everything is about making money. Even going out to a party is frowned on. Unless if it's business related."
I recalled how Cassian would sneak in and out to go to his parties. He didn't do it that much anymore compared to when Toren and I first arrived, but I always wondered why he looked as he were doing something bad. I always thought it was just because he would come home drunk or maybe high on drugs. But maybe the reasons were more innocent.
"I'm glad Toren and I didn't have to grow up like that," I said softly, glancing at my brother who was now engrossed in drawing dinosaurs on a napkin with a marker he found lying around. "It must have been hard."
Damien shrugged, a resigned smile on his lips. "It wasn't easy, that's for sure. But it made us who we are, for better or for worse. We've all had to find our own ways to cope. For me it was retaking what I lost, while Cassian parties and sleeps around. As for Alex, I don't think he ever found something."
"That's tough," I said, feeling a pang of empathy. "I hope Alex finds something that brings him joy outside of all the responsibilities. He deserves that."
Damien nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, I hope so too. He's always been the one to shoulder the most, even when we were kids. He's been trying to live up to my great-grandma's impossible standard."
I sighed. That hag really only brought hurt to her own family.
As Damien and I continued our conversation, the kitchen door swung open, and in walked Damien's great-grandmother, her presence as commanding as ever. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, and I felt the air grow tense, as it often did in her presence.
She saw one of the chefs making Toren's dinosaur mac-sculpture and frowned. "What is that? Hope you aren't planning to serve us whatever that abomination is!"
"Dino no abo, abo... whatever that word is!" Toren shouted.
She turned to look at us. "Hmph, if it isn't my husband's bastard grandchildren."
I narrowed my eyes at her. My body shook with rage. But I couldn't let my anger get the best of me. After my visit to the art museum, I wanted to follow Damien's plan to win over the family. But I still doubted I would ever be able to win this hag over. Still, punching her would do me no good.
I took a deep breath, reminding myself to be nice, to not let her words get under my skin. It wasn't easy, but I knew that reacting would only give her the satisfaction of knowing she'd gotten to me.
"We were just having breakfast," I said evenly, trying to keep my tone neutral. "Toren was hungry, so he came over and asked for his mac and cheese."
She scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Well, make sure you clean up whatever mess results from your little request. This isn't a playground, and the kitchen staff has enough to do without cleaning up after your little projects."
Toren, sensing the tension, pressed closer to my side, his earlier enthusiasm dampened by her presence. I gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, hoping to ease his discomfort.
Damien stepped in, his voice smooth and diplomatic. "Great-Grandma, I'm sure the chefs will handle it. They're quite capable, after all."
She huffed, clearly not satisfied but unwilling to continue the conversation. "See that they do," she said curtly, turning her attention back to the chefs. "Now, I require a proper breakfast. Poached eggs on sourdough with a side of smoked salmon. And make sure it's done right this time."
The chefs nodded, moving quickly to fulfill her request. As she moved away, the tension in the room began to ease, her presence like a storm cloud that had finally passed.
Damien shot me an apologetic look. "Sorry about that," he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear.
"It's okay," I replied, managing a small smile for his sake. "We're used to it."
Toren tugged on my sleeve, looking up at me with wide eyes. "Do we have to go?" he whispered, clearly unsettled by the encounter.
I shook my head, leaning down to speak to him soothingly. "No, buddy. We're okay. Once your macaroni is done, we'll head over our room. You can eat it there."
His tummy growled. The chefs, having overheard, were already working quickly to finish the dinosaur-shaped mac and cheese, their movements efficient and practiced.
Damien leaned against the counter, his presence a comforting reassurance as we waited. "You know, Shelly," he said quietly, "you're handling all this a lot better than most would."
I shrugged, a small smile on my lips. "I guess you have to pick your battles. Besides, it's not so bad when you know you've got people in your corner."