Aunt Witch v Aunt Angel

Aunt Witch v Aunt Angel
She scoffed. "Please. As far as I'm concerned, Raul isn't married. Catalina doesn't count."

"Mia—" Raul started, but she cut him off.

"So tell me, are you his girlfriend?"

"Yes, she is," Raul answered firmly.

Mia squealed, clapping her hands like she'd just unwrapped a long-awaited gift. 

"Finally! It's about time you brought a real woman home, hermano!"

Without warning, she pulled me into a tight hug, practically squishing me against her curves. I laughed, returning the hug.

"So when's the wedding?" she asked, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Mia, relax. There's no wedding yet. Not until Catalina signs the divorce papers," Raul said, pulling her back with a sigh.

Mia frowned. "Since when do you care about rules, D'Amano?"

"It's not about rules. It's about respect. I want to end that chapter before I start this one—with Angel."

He turned and winked at me, sending a rush of warmth to my cheeks as butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach.

Mia arched a brow and wiggled it playfully. 

"Someone's in looooove," she sang, making Raul shoot her a glare.

Just then, I felt eyes on me. A soft, intense little stare. I turned and caught Nikki peeking shyly from Raul's shoulder.

The moment our eyes met, she quickly buried her face in his neck like she'd been caught stealing candy.

I smiled and waited.

Sure enough, after a few seconds, she peeked again. And when she saw I was still looking, her cheeks flushed red, and she giggled behind her tiny hands.

I couldn't help it—I laughed too.

Maybe it wasn't just Raul falling in love. Maybe his whole world was starting to warm up to me.

"Uncle, who's she—your girlfriend?" She thought she whispered, but her little voice rang out loud and clear for everyone to hear.

Raul's brows shot up. "Hey, how do you even know what that means?"

"Come on brother, Nikki isn't a baby anymore. She's five," Mia defended with a shrug.

"It doesn't matter, Mia. She's still too young," he said firmly, shooting her a pointed glare before turning his attention back to the cutie in his arms.

"Protective much," Mia muttered under her breath, but he ignored her.

"Tell me, baby... who taught you that word?" Raul asked, his voice calmer now, but the flicker of a storm was still alive in his eyes.

Nikki giggled, playing with a strand of his hair. 

"It's Celestine, Uncle. He always calls me his girlfriend."

Raul's nostrils flared, his jaw clenched, and the blue of his eyes turned a deeper, darker shade. 

"Who's Celestine, Nicole?" he growled.

Her smile dropped, replaced by a guilty frown. 

"U-Uncle..."

"Nicole," he called, more sternly this time.

"Raul, don't go all beast-mode on my baby," Mia warned, glaring at him. He looked like he wanted to say more, but the way Nikki's lower lip quivered forced him to swallow the rest.

"Let's go, everyone," Jazira called, and we all began moving out.

Raul still held Nikki in his arms, but she wore a solemn look now, her earlier excitement dimmed. 

I couldn't blame her—his beastly glare was enough to turn anyone into stone.

She rode with us in the same car, silent the whole time. I hated seeing her so down, especially when she was so beautiful when she smiled.

"Uncle?" Her tiny voice finally broke the silence.

Raul turned away from the window, his expression softening the second his eyes landed on hers—wet and unsure.

"Nikki, what's wrong?"

"A-Are you mad at me, Uncle? I... I'm sorry if I made you angry." Her voice cracked, and she looked ready to cry again.

Raul's entire face changed. He wiped away her tears and smiled.

"Uncle could never be mad at his baby. I'm just mad at Celestine. You're way too young to be anyone's girlfriend, okay? When you go back to school, no letting any boys touch you or call you that, alright? You can be friends—but only with the good boys, understood?"

She sniffled, then nodded. "Yes, Uncle."

He grinned and gave her a high-five. "One more thing—no boyfriend until you're at least twenty-five. Or thirty. I'm sure your daddy would agree."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Raul!" I slapped his knee. "You can't be serious. What's she supposed to do in high school?"

He just smirked like a devil. "You better agree with me, tesoro, because I'm doing the same for our daughters."

Our daughters.

My heart did somersaults and my cheeks flushed at those two words.

"Uncle... can I talk to her?" Nikki asked shyly, glancing at me.

"Of course," Raul said, and she gently wiggled out of his arms.

I pulled her into my lap with a warm smile.

"You're so pretty, Aunty. Can I call you Aunt Angel?"

I melted at how naturally she said my name. 

"You can call me whatever you want, sweetheart."

She beamed. "Uncle... if Aunt Angel is your girlfriend, what about Aunt Blondie?"

The burst of laughter that escaped me couldn't be helped, and even Raul chuckled.

Nikki looked between us, confused by what was so funny.

"Listen, sweetie," I said gently, "when you get older, you'll understand. Your uncle and Aunt Blondie aren't together anymore, but now I'm his girlfriend."

Raul turned his gaze to me, admiration soft in his eyes. I met it with a wink.

Nikki's little brows scrunched in thought before she asked, "So... does that mean you'll take me shopping? Buy me toys? Watch movies like Uncle and Mama do? Because Aunt Blondie never did. I don't think she liked me."

My heart cracked a little at that honesty.

"I can't speak for Aunt Blondie, baby, but I promise you—I'll do whatever you want me to."

Her face lit up with pure joy. "Really?!"

"Really," I nodded.

"I love you, Aunt Angel!" she shouted, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me tight.

The way kids love so quickly and deeply will always surprise me. But maybe, just maybe, it's the purest kind of love there is.