Cailen's eyes landed on a little girl that stood in the entry way, half her body hiding behind the wall with her head poking out. It was the same little girl that answered the door.
He thought Arabella called her Ava. He tried smiling at her, not wanting to be rude but he's not too sure how that had turned out.
Apparently, it was enough for her to stop hiding and step into the living room, another little girl following behind her that looked just like her. They were obviously twins and they were obviously both curious as to who was sitting in their living room.
"Hello." Cailen spoke gently, making one of the twins grab hold of the other's arm.
"Hello." The one who seemed to be the braver of the two spoke- the one that answered the door.
He didn't say anything else because he wasn't sure Arabella would want him interacting with her children, but apparently the kids were too curious.
"Who are you?"
"Cailen." He answered, glancing to the door Arabella had disappeared through nervously in case she were to come back.
"I'm Ava. This is my sister Ivy." She said, stepping forward more and dragging her sister along with her. "Why are you here?" She asked, tilting her head to the side as if examining him.
Cailen wasn't sure what to say. The girl was probably less than ten years old and probably wouldn't understand.
"Uh," He stalled, trying to think of something to tell her when Arabella came into the room, a tray with two tea cups, a bowl and a cup of cream on it. She sighed when she spotted the two girls.
"Girls, what did I tell you?," She asked, setting the tray on the coffee table.
"But, Mom- "
"No buts, go on." Arabella interrupted, shooing them away. "Lexi!" She called out, smiling apologetically at Cailen before another girl was coming into the room.
This one was older, maybe about sixteen with dyed blonde hair and the same cerulean eyes as her mother, as Cailen, but paler.
"What?" The girl asked, eyeing Cailen suspiciously.
Again, he tried to smile but he really didn't know if he was smiling or just stretching his lips.
"Can you watch your sisters for a while, please?" Arabella asked, taking a seat on the other couch.
"Maya and I are going to a movie later." The girl complained, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It won't be for long and I'll pay for your movie." Arabella offered, making the girl sigh and nod her head, then with a final glance towards Cailen, she disappeared down the hall.
Silence fell over the room and Arabella turned to face him.
Cailen refused to look up, afraid he might cry again or do something worse. They were sitting there for what felt like an eternity to him but was probably only about thirty seconds.
"Oh, look at you." Arabella whispered, her eyes roaming over Cailen.
Cailen wondered if he was what she expected. He wondered if she was expecting someone taller or chubbier. He wondered if she even ever thought about how he may have turned out to be.
Instinct told him probably not, but he wasn't sure he could believe that with how she was looking at him right now.
"You look nothing like him." She mumbled and Cailen wasn't sure who she was talking to; him or herself, so he just ignored the comment. Arabella cleared her throat then, leaning forward to grab a cup of tea.
"Do you like sugar or cream in yours?" She asked, pushing the tray towards him.
Cailen shook his head no because he didn't. He actually hated when people put sugar or cream in theirs even though he wasn't the one who had to drink it, but he didn't even pick up the tea. When he glanced up, he saw a small amused smile on her lips.
"Me either." She agreed, then sipped on her tea.
"So, Cailen, um..." She started, not seeming to actually have an idea on what she wanted to talk about.
He had a few ideas. He had several but he remained quiet, now staring at what was supposed to be his tea.
"What brings you- I mean, where did you-," She tried out the beginning of multiple questions, none of them seeming right in the situation. She eventually sighed, setting down her tea and folding her hands in her lap.
"Did you come with anyone?" She asked finally, to which Cailen just shook his head.
He realized he may have been being difficult, not talking and definitely not making it seem like he wanted to be there.
"I'm sorry." She finally said, looking down into her lap, looking ashamed.
Cailen looked up at this, seeing the regret on her face and for some reason, that made him speak.
"You did what you had to." Cailen spoke quietly and to his tea.
"I know, but it doesn't mean I haven't regretted it ever since." She replied, her voice conveying how sorry she was.
Cailen swallowed around a lump in his throat. He was tired of crying.
"How old are your daughters?," Cailen asked because he apparently wasn't ready to talk about that yet.
Arabella seemed to be taken off guard by the question but seemed to understand what he was doing.
"Alexis's fifteen, Chelly is twelve, almost thirteen and the twins, Ava and Ivy are eight." She answered and Cailen couldn't help but look at her stomach which she must have noticed because her hand came up to stroke her stomach.
"More twins, seven months." She added before Cailen could ask.
Even in the situation, he couldn't help but think about how funny it was that she had two sets of twins when a lot of people pray for twins and don't get them.
"How about you? Any siblings?" She asked curiously, probably going along with what he wanted to talk about to keep him calm.
He just wasn't ready to get into everything else just yet.
"Apparently six of them." Cailen mumbled dryly, unable to stop himself.
Arabella didn't seem bothered by the comment, or if she was, she didn't show it.
"Two. William and Stella." Cailen said automatically though he wasn't sure how true that was anymore.
"Good. That's good." Arabella smiled, seeming relieved. "And... what about- your Mom?" She asked awkwardly.
"Eden. Eden and Dean adopted me when I was thirteen." He said.
He found it weird how easily it was to talk to her. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he didn't expect to be able to tell her this stuff so easily.
"Thirteen?" She asked, obviously shocked.
She was probably expecting him to have been adopted at a younger age. Cailen nodded.
"Are they nice?" She asked, seeming somewhat concerned about the answer.
"Yes, the nicest." Cailen replied, remembering he had photo in his bag.
He thought for a moment then decided he might as well lay it all on the table. He may never see her again after all.
Cailen dug into his bag, pulling out the photos and holding them in his hand awkwardly. It took a moment but then she was standing, taking a few steps to sit beside him, leaving a good foot between them.
"That's them, the year they adopted me." He explained, showing her the picture of the three of them sitting around the Christmas tree.
She smiled and made as if to grab them but then dropped her hands awkwardly at her sides. He hesitated for a moment then held them out to her, giving her a small smile. She took them carefully, being careful about holding them at the edges.
"They look nice." She commented, smiling as she looked down at them. "You look happy."
Cailen really didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected to sit down on her couch, sharing details about his family and showing her pictures. She turned to the next one, carefully placing the other at the back.
"That's William and Stella." Cailen spoke quietly, glancing at the picture but mostly focusing on his feet.
Arabella gave a small chuckle, glancing over at him and then flipping to the next one.
"Those are William and mine's friends. That's William and then Matthew and- and Asher." Cailen explained, tripping over Asher's name and pointing to each of them.
Arabella nodded, lowering the pictures and looking at Cailen.
"Do you always carry these around or did you plan on showing me?" She asked.
He brought his bottom lip in between his teeth, chewing on it while he thought of what to tell her. Apparently, he took too long.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked, slight concern in her voice.
"No," Cailen said immediately, shaking his head because he wasn't going to get into that with her. "I just- I just remembered I had them. I had no plan." He said quietly.
A silence fell over them again, the comfortable feeling that had been growing had vanished.