Ari

The car ride home and all through eating stephan stays mostly silent.

"do you have anything you need washed? I'll take you shopping tomorrow for whatever else you need." I ask clearing the table

"You don't have to do that" He says quietly.

"You go shopping" charlie nods at him. "It's so fun. Daddy say I can have whatever I want, you can too."

"If you don't want to go shopping that's fine, you can use my laptop and just order stuff."

"I'm good with what I have, thank you"

Seb can see me getting defeated and steps in "Stephan, when we brought you into our home you became our responsibility. You need new clothes, shoes, stuff for your room, stuff for your bathroom, and stuff for school. Peyton, aris step mom, texted on the way here your case worker will be here soon. I want you to know we won't be accepting any checks that come in for you being here. That money will be placed into a bank account for you, you'll have a debt card for the account. Let us get you set up with everything you need, if after that you want to use your money to buy yourself other stuff that's fine. If you want to work and earn some money on top of that I can get you some work at the shop. Just know that if you need pr want anything all you have to do is ask."

"Why wouldnt you take the money?" He's eyeing us skeptically.

"Because, we don't need it, we don't want it. Family takes care of eachother without getting anything back in return. I never knew that until I came here and became apart of the club. Stephan, I know how you feel. I was reluctant to take anything from anyone in the club when I first got here, I thought they'd want something in return, that no one does things for people they don't know. I was wrong, Ari, Charlie, and the club are my family, I'd do anything for them they would do the same for me. I hope you'll allow us to do the same for you." He stays silent for a moment before speaking again "if it makes you feel better ari has a credit card that has no limit and a trust fund we won't run out of money." He laughs

"You're rich?" Stephan asks me now.

"No," I roll my eyes "my step mom is rich. She makes sure her family is taken care of. Sebby why don't you show Stephan to his room? There's fresh sheets and towels up there already."

"Okay angel."

"Wait" charlie announces "Stephan, are you a prince too?"

It's been awhile since charlie has mentioned a prince. "No" He shakes his head.

"I think you are. My daddy's a prince and you look like him."

"Okay" Stephan says but it sounds more like a question.

"Long story maybe one day I'll tell you" seb sighs, most likely remebering more unpleasant times.

"Stephan?" Charlie asks

"Yeah?"

"Are you my brother?"

I almost laugh stephan is only a couple years younger than me, but charlie has been begging for a brother for over a week now, I'm not sure if she's getting if from her cartoons or if sebby is putting stuff in our girls head.

"No.. umm" stephan looks between me and seb "im..um..."

Seb cuts in saving stephan from his uncertainty "stephan is your uncle. He's daddy's brother."

"Like uncle eli?"

"Exactly, princess" seb smiles at her.

"So cool." She hold her hand up for stephan to high five.

He let's out a little chuckle before high fiving her tiny hand. "Could you show me where the bathroom is? I was hoping to take a shower before the caseworker showed up."

"Ofcouse, do you have fresh cloths with you? If not I'm sure I can find something for tonight."

"Yeah I have some in my bag"

"Okay, well every room has its own bathroom, so I'll show you up there." I hear as they start walking towards the stairs.

I'm on the couch looking into college classes when my phone rings Shane's name pops up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bella. I have a woman at the gates says she's here for stephan that he's with seb? I tried to call seb but he didn't answer."

"Yes you can send her in, would you mind showing her the way to the house? If not I can come meet her."

"No ill show the way in."

"Thanks, shane."

When I stand to take care of my laptop I notice stephan lingering by the stairs. "Hey" I offer him a smile. "Your case worker is here. One of the prospects is leading her to the house. Do you need anything?"

"I was wondering if I could get some water?"

"Ofcourse. You don't need to ask. You are more than welcome to anything here. Day or night, if you decide at two am you want a snack go get a snack." I purse my lips thoughtfully "most of our snacks are toddler friendly, but if you let me know what you like to eat I'll pick up some things when I go grocery shopping."

"Thats okay, I'm fine with whatever." He says grabbing a water out of the fridge"

"We don't want you to be fine with whatever, I understand what it's like not to gave access to food and drinks or basic human compassion, stephan. Here you don't need to worry about that. Here you can have whatever you want."

"Thank you ari, I appreciate that."

"No problem," I tell him. The doorbell rings and I set my laptop on the counter before walking over to the door and opening it up. "Hi, you must me Mrs. Langston, I'm aribella."

"Yes" the woman nods curtly. Well this should be interesting "are you going to let me in?"

"Ofcourse, I'm sorry." I tell her stepping aside and allowing her access before closing the door behind her.

"Where is stephan?"

"In the kitchen I believe" I nod in the direction a follow her. The same time I relase the breath I didn't know I'm holding as I see seb walking down the stairs with charlie in his arms. I wrinkle my nose discreetly at him letting him know my first impression of this woman in our home. He gives me a slight nod understanding before joing her in the kitchen.

"Hi, Mrs. Langston. I'm Sebastien Waverly. Thank you for coming out on such short notice."

"My boss really didn't give me a choice." She looks at her watching before looking at seb with charlie in his arms. "You have a small child in the home?"

"Yes, she's almost three."

"According to the information I have you recently turned twenty" she pauses and looks down at her paper "and miss master is eighteen?"

"Thats right" seb nods.

"Do you think it's wise for teen parents to be taking of a teenager? If my math is correct, miss masters would have been around fifteen when she got pregnant?"

"I don't see how that's relevant." Seb narrows his eyes.

"I'm just making an observation." She says while writing note. "I need check the cabinets and fridge. " She says walking through kitchen opening and closing things.

I notice seb standing in the doorway when he looks over at me he rolls his eyes. I get the feeling he doesn't like this lady either.

"Okay" Mrs. Langston nods after making sure we had food and running water.

"Would you like to see his room?" Seb asks.

"I need to see all the rooms."

"Okay" seb tells her and head for the stairs stephan and I both trail behind. "Shopping will be done tomorrow for more clothes, shoes, and whatever else he might need." Seb says opening the first door leading to stephans room. "This is stephans room, there's an ensuit through that door" He nods at the bathroom door.

"Is this the master?" Mrs. Langston asks looking around and checking the bathroom.

"No, all the rooms have an ensuit. There is a guest bathroom on the main floor of the house as well."

"Hmmm" she says as we exit the room. Next is our bedroom. She takes a quick look around but doesn't say much. Whe. We get to Charlie's room the look of shock on her face is almost comical.

"Wow" she she nods

"I'm a princess" charlie announces. Speaking up for the first time since this woman has been here.

"Yes you are" seb tells her placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Let's go have a chat downstairs." Mrs. Langston says.

Once downstairs i take my seat next to seb, with charlie falling asleep on his arms. "This is extremely rare. We don't usually place kids with people who doesn't have foster care licenses."

"Ma'am I can assure you he's a hell of allot safer here than he is in any of those licensed fosters homes. I mean look at his face. I'm telling you from experience the foster care system is not a safe place."

She just shrugs as if she couldn't give a fuck less, she is part of the problem. Growing up the way I did I'm honestly surprised I didn't end up in the system too.

"Okay, it is well past my shift, everything seems fine here. He has all necessities." She nods and stands up.

I follow walking her to the door. "Thank you for coming out." I tell her as she head to her car. Once she's pulling back towards the club house I close the door. "She was a bitch" I tell seb when I get into the living room.

"They usually are angel." Seb sighs "You okay?" He asks stephan.

"Yeah. I'm good."

"So, I'm assuming you didn't go to school today since you showed up at the shop. Tomorrow's Friday so let's go ahead and get you what you need tomorrow, give you the weekend to settle in then you're back in school Monday." Seb says holding our sleeping daughter in his arms.

"Really?"

"Yes really."

"Did you graduate?" Stephan asks seb.

"No I didn't. I got my ged."

"What about you?" Stephan directs his attention to me.

"No" I shake my head.

"Right I forgot you had a kid"

"Thats not why." I tell him honestly.

"Why then?" He asks sounding genuinely curious.

I look over at seb not wanting to say too much. He gives me a small nod telling me if I want to tell him go ahead. I clear my throat before speaking "I was kidnapped from school when I was fifteen. I was held captive for three years." To make a very long traumatic story very short.

"But? We're you pregnant when you were taken?" He looks confused.

"No I wasn't"

"So charlie isn't your daighter?" He asks seb.

"She may not share my DNA but she is my daughter. She will never know. You are in on a huge secret now. As far as charlie will ever know I am her dad. There is no reason for her to know the truth." Seb says adamantly to his brother.

"Okay," he nods his head. "I'm sorry that happend to you, ari."

"It's fine." I lie. It's not fine, it'll never be fine. Yes, therapy is helping but thinking about that place makes my stomach roll. I'm proud of how far I have come, but I still have so much farther to go.