Chapter 10: Chapter 10 DAWN

Scarlet was up at dawn, Stephan wasn’t beside her as he should have been. She found Solara and Kayla still seated at the back porch watching the sunrise.

“Has anyone seen my husband?” She admired the pretty picture they made, arms around each other in the orange color of the sun.

“I heard him leave a couple of minutes ago. He didn’t say where he was going.” Solara responded.

“Oh!” she didn’t know of any errand that had to be run that morning, but she trusted that whatever it was that pulled him from their bed was important.

“It’s the wedding day, are you ready to be bound to each other for eternity. No pun intended.” Scarlet was excited.

“We are. I have no idea how Nana is doing. She slept through the night; I just hope she keeps it up through the day.”

“Don’t worry about that. She will be fine.”

Scarlet wasn’t going to allow Kayla to carry her somber mood throughout the day. It wasn’t going to do her or her Nana any good. She changed the subject to the event happening in five hours.

“Kayla you wanted a morning wedding, so right now we need to hustle.”

“What time is the florist coming?” She quickly glanced at the platinum watch Solara had gotten her for her second birthday. (The day she became a vampire)

“They should be here in two hours. Your aunties will also be here to set up the buffet tables at the same time. It’s going to get hectic pretty soon.”

Scarlet took a look around the semi-finished yard. There wasn’t much work to be done and whatever was left over the three boys could help out.

“Where is your son anyway? It’s not like him to let the sunrise before he does.”

“I don’t know my guess will be he disappeared with his father. Or he is somewhere in the house.”

“He’s right behind you Mum.” SJ wrapped his arm around Scarlet’s waist.

“I missed you, where have you been?”

“Here and there.”

“SJ?” Kayla knew the mischievous look on his face. She learned how to recognize it when he was a baby as she took care of him when Scarlet was unconscious.

“Ok. But don’t get mad.” He lowered the tone of his voice and mumbled ‘I went out’

“Excuse me?” Scarlet turned to face her son who was inches away from being taller than she was.

“I said I went out.”

“I heard what you said. Why would you do that?”

“I just needed to feel ordinary for a while.”

“SJ do you know how dangerous that is?” Solara asked.

“I know uncle Solara, but I was able to control myself. I wasn’t out there for more than an hour. Besides I don’t hurt Ms. Cooper.” SJ justified his actions.

“That’s because you know if I catch you looking at my mother the wrong way I’ll wring your neck.”

“And that was what I had in my mind the whole time.” SJ grinned at Kayla.

“Good boy. We know we can’t keep you locked up forever. It’s just for a little while.” Scarlet promised.

“I know until I stop growing. I heard you last night.”

“My son has very big ears.” Scarlet playfully pinched his ear.

“Hey what can I say I am awesome like that? Being a superior being and all.” He grinned at her, and if he was a few feet taller, Scarlet would have sworn it was her husband.

They all turned to face him, shock written all over their faces. Solara started for him but Iris came into the kitchen, saving him from a tussle with his uncle.

“Isn’t it a bit too early for you to be up? Especially you Kayla.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

“These days I hardly get any sleep.” Kayla smiled at Scarlet and Solara knowing that they would get her joke.

“Where is Stephan sweetheart?” Iris looked around the room.

“He went out for a while, he’ll soon be back.”

“The florist will be here in a while. I was thinking about calling some of your cousins to come and help out.” She poured herself a mug of coffee.

“Don’t worry about it Momma, we’ll get it done. How’s Nana doing?”

“She is up and excited. I have never seen her so wired ever since she got sick.”

“That’s a good sign right?” Scarlet wondered.

“It doesn’t mean that she is getting better. She is just willing herself to be strong.”

“Why are you all standing around for?” Nana stumbled into the kitchen.

Kayla and Scarlet rushed to her side and took her arms to support her.

“I can do it.” She slapped their hands off. “You should be getting ready for the wedding.”

“We are. You should be saving your strength for all the chaos later.” Kayla held her arm again. She turned towards the staircase.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”

“No Nana, we have enough hands down here.”

“Ok then, I’ll go get ready. But you should also do the same, Kayla.”

Kayla walked her grandmother to her bedroom, nodding at every instruction she gave her. She put her back into bed, before going back to the kitchen.

“She’s stubborn.”

“And what exactly are you?” Iris retorted.

“I guess we are alike in more ways than one.”

The doorbell rang and SJ went to answer it.

“The florists are here at last we can finish setting up.” Iris put her mug of coffee down and walked into the living room.

They could smell a distinct smell midst the scent of the lilies and the roses.

“That’s not just the florist.” Kayla followed Iris into the living room.

The men with the mountains of flowers walked in first, blocking whoever was behind them. One by one they walked in leaving the flowers on the kitchen counter and going back for more.

Kayla stood at the door and waited. When she saw Stephan behind them she was relieved. The past three years had taught her to be on guard all the time.

“Where did you disappear to? Anyway, you are back just in time. We need to arrange these flowers in the backyard.”

“I can’t believe you were going to get married without me.” Vincent’s somber tone rang out.

Kayla looked at the men who stood beside the Jeep. The twins, Eric and Xavier stood smiling at her with duffle bags in their hands.

“Oh my God! You guys didn’t have to come all the way here.” Kayla welcomed them into the house and hugged Vincent who still had a pouted lip.

“We would never miss it.” Xavier gave her a congratulatory hug.

Solara and Scarlet walked into the living room and found the little reunion going on.

“You came from Argentina to see me get married.” Solara joked.

“Well, I had to see it for myself.” Xavier put in.

Iris stood at the corner of the room watching them and wondering who the four other men were.

“Momma.” Kayla beckoned her to the center of the room, “This is my second family. Guys this is my beautiful mother Iris.”

One by one they introduced themselves. Vincent hugging her instead of a handshake like the rest of them.

“Now that you are here, could you please help up set up?” Iris led them to the backyard after they had each picked up a flower arrangement. “Her aunties are going to be here soon and I’d like them to find this place already done.”

“Iris, the guys can do this. We only have an hour to get ready.” Scarlet took the flowers she had in her hand and gave them to SJ.

“Are you sure?” Iris was reluctant to leave such an important job to the men.