PART 2-32 - CONTRASTING VIEWS
-SIANNA'S POV-
“Parenthood doesn’t get easier, does it?” Vance inquired, reflectively resting his chin in his palm.
“Oh,” I released, taking the jug of iced tea from the fridge. “I guess not. This is the angriest I’ve felt with any of our children.”
“You would have been more upset if you had been there when Marlena teleported them.” Vance went on to say, “Would you believe that the mermaid wanted a promise from Valen to be mated with him as a sign of our intended peace treaty?”
Appalled, I shook my head and got two highball glasses from the cupboard.
“Valen was the obedient one.” Memories of all the tricks and mischiefs that the twins had done in the past, resurfaced. “But I guess once puberty hits, it’s like they go coo-coo and give their parents hell.” Vance articulated with one hand. “I was never like that, you know.”
“Something’s gotten into him lately.” I placed the glass under the ice dispenser from the fridge to collect solid cubes.
“Maybe he needs a girlfriend,” mumbled Vance while in his own thoughts.
“Those nightmares must be affecting him more than just the paralysis when he sleeps.” I pointed out, frowning. I moved back to the counter and poured the iced tea into the glasses.
“Did you know that he’s turned down all the girls that have asked him out?” Vance strayed from what I highlighted, putting down his hand to rest on the tabletop.
“I’m disturbed by how much this mermaid might be influencing his behavior.” I walked to the table and placed both glasses down, then sat across from my gorgeous husband.
“Isn’t it odd that he hasn’t shown an interest in the opposite sex?” Vance asked, pulling his glass closer to him. Most Alphas were wild in their youth. It often took their fated or chosen mate to settle them down.
“Baby, Valen had been begging Marlena to reinstate his teleportation powers.” I gazed at my mate’s face and took a sip from my glass. “He must have found a way to undo the magical seal. And when I asked him about it, he lied. When did he start lying to us?”
Vance drank several gulps of the iced tea and stared aimlessly into the backyard.
“Then I confronted him about it and he totally zoned out,” I complained, unhappily.
“Perhaps I should invite a few alpha females to attend our high school and it might spark his interest.” Vance picked up a small square napkin from the center of the table and placed his glass on it.
“Vance!” I slapped the table. My pitch raised a bit as I tried to get his attention.
“Hmm,” he answered, his brilliant emeralds finally found my icy-blue.
“Have you been listening to me?” I asked with the glass in my hand.
“Yes, I’m listening.” He declared, hesitantly nodding his head.
“So you know about the situation with Valen and Marlena?” I tested because I knew otherwise and drank the iced tea.
“What about it? Does he have a kink for older women?” Vance softly probed with amusement beneath his tone, showing in his orbs.
Putting down the half-empty glass, I pursed my lips in annoyance and darted daggers at him. “You are not listening to me. Why would you say you were listening to me when you weren’t?”
“Well, I was thinking about Valen.” He admitted and drained his glass.
“Yeah, but I was talking about him.” I hit back, folding my arms.
“I thought that you were talking about Marlena.” He responded, quizzically.
My expression hardened with every word pronounced. “I was telling you what he’s been doing behind our backs and if you were paying attention to me you would have known how Marlena fit into the picture.”
“But you weren’t listening to me either.” He accused, challenging me with his eyes.
“Of course, I was. I always listen to you.” I defended, primly, and glanced through the window to see a piping Zuzu perching in the apple tree in the backyard.
“Okay, well, what did I say?” Vance shot back at me, with skepticism.
“Vance, you know what you said. Why must I repeat it?” Turning to him, I brought the glass to my lips and felt the guilt pinch my gut.
“You were obviously not listening to me either.” Vance narrowed his eyes at me. “I was thinking that our son should start dating. If he had an interest in girls, then maybe he wouldn’t give us so much trouble.”
“Baby, Valen wants to teleport to places outside of our territory, without our permission, and you are telling me that girls are more important than finding out what Valen is really up to.” I paused to catch my breath. “To think that he could go to another realm and encounter warlocks and gremlins by himself in a lightning storm, where he’s outnumbered by wraiths and comes home battered and scared.”
“What?” His face contorted with confusion. “When did all that happen?”
I drew my head back to give him another whipping glance. “I was hypothesizing to make a point.”
“Firecat.” He reached his hand across the table, gently placing a palm on top of mine, and said with a crooked grin, “Your case is fabricated. Mine is factual.”
Rolling my eyes, I scoffed. “So you think that setting up your sixteen-year-old son on girls makes a valid point?” I flashed him off with a hand. “Please.” I shook my head. He did not understand my concerns at all. “He can be just as troublesome whether he has a girlfriend or not.”
Playfully, he touched the tip of my nose with his fingers, then his hand moved down to caress my cheek. Knowing that the sparks would deflate my anger towards him, I brushed his hand aside. He grimaced.
Rising from the table with my glass in my hand, I went to the refrigerator for a refill and exited the kitchen. I strode into the living room and sat again on the long couch. Vance rose lazily, stretched, and followed my trail to sit at the far end, leaving a wide space between us. He understood that I was somewhat mad at him also for taking the boys onto the battleground.
“Baby there’s no reason to be upset with me.” Vance slid closer to me, wanting to hold me.
Surely, I wanted his arms around me too, but he would get me aroused. Whereas, I needed time to vent and to come up with the best disciplinary action. Perhaps Keisha and I will serve the boys the same punishment, but keep them apart while they endure it.
“You can’t know that when you weren’t paying attention to your wife’s concerns. Or else you would see that I have all right to be upset with you.” He silently chuckled and I continued. “And you can be upset with me too if you want because I can defend my case. Can you?”
“Honey, I’ll be upset with you at the right moment.” He voiced, crossing his legs and leaning back. He stretched his right arm on the top of the backrest of the couch and his fingers played in my black wavy hair. “It could be that I’m expressing it differently because I’m upset right now.”
Just then Valen came downstairs, “Mom, Dad.”
“What is it?” I slightly turned my head to the left side to get a minimal view of him.
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