Grandmother's words played over and over again in my mind. Crazy in love. Me, absolutely not. I might have killed that fucking stripper who kept trying me that had nothing to do with me being obsessed with Eryx. It was all about the principle. "Verena are you okay, you barely have touched any of your food Cherie". Eryx looks concerned as he places his arm across my shoulder before he places his right hand against my cheek.

I glance over at Grandma Wyn as she rather sneaky look in her eyes as if she knows that I have playing over our conversation we had in the car almost an hour ago. She then winks at me before picking up her fork filled with yellow fluffy, scrambled eggs at one of my favorite diners in town, Thomas Diner.

"I think I might be a little tired from the flight you know I barely slept while on the plane". A frown immediately covers Eryx's face. "Cherie, why didn't you say anything? If I had known, I would have allowed you to come back to the private estate I am staying at on town and have you rest there and call up one of my private chefs who I have on standby I use when I travel domestically".

I blink my eyelashes. Can this man be any more perfect? Like why does he always have to somehow find a resolution to every issue I am having in my life? I want to pinch myself because it feels as though Eryx might be a fabric of my imagination but I realize he beyond anything fictional but indeed the one thing I am to crave more and more.

"Can you two hurry and get married already. Time doesn't wait on anyone".

My eyes widen in shock and my cheeks turn red from embarrassment as I stare across the table at Grandma Wyn.

"Stop, you are just as bad, as my mama".

Grandma Wyn waves me off and snorts, "You too damn dramatic something she picked up from your grandfather. God rest his soul but that man was every bit of dramatic always making every moment comical when it was indeed serious. Never had a dull moment".

Grandma then looks down at her oval-shaped diamond wedding ring she refuses to take off after years of my grandfather being deceased. "I would have loved to meet your late husband, tell me more about Ms. Wyn". Eryx urges Grandma to continue sharing memories of my late grandfather that I loved dearly. I sit back and lean my head against Eryx's shoulder as Grandma Wyn begins to tell the story of how she and my grandfather met more than 50 years ago. Although I have heard my maternal grandparents' love story countless times over the years it never gets old. They both were young and fresh out of high school. Grandma Wyn has the biggest smile of her face as she recounts my grandfather's Dane initial reaction to her at 17.

"Dane swore he fell in love with me the moment he laid eyes on me as I crossed the street of Downtown Village Grove and tried to hurry my way to make it inside Memorial Baptist Church. I was already had missed Sunday School and knew I was going to get reprimanded about it as soon as my mother laid eyes on me. Just as I try to move out the wrinkles of my lavender drop waist swing dress, I collide with something hard and muscular. I yelp and look up to see a gorgeous pair of chocolate doe eyes staring back at me. Your grandfather had me lost for words. He asked me if was all right and did not even utter a word.

He immediately took hold of my hand. We were strangers, but I allowed his calloused large hand to take hold of mine. Our hands joined together and it felt like something magical was happening between us. Ever since that day moving forward we became inseparable. He became my better half and I became his".

I notice a tear has fallen on my grandmother's face. I reach over and wipe her face with a napkin. 'Thank you my dear", she then takes hold of my hand and squeezes it.

"Remember what I told you earlier". I nod as I feel Eryx staring at the exchange between us with curiosity. "Yes, but I just do not think it is true". Grandma Wyn shakes her head. "I know you better than you know yourself. You will not stay this way for long. Life will guide you to the answers your heart will yearn to ask.

You are still young right now, but one day you will cherish this moment we had together, and when that day comes is the day you will have your full circle moment of how sometimes the answers right now won't come until you are emotionally and mentally ready to receive it". Grandma Wyn then kisses my hand.

"I love you Verena as well as your mother, but damnit, you can have a career and love too. Don't ever put one over the other". Grandma then looks over at Eryx. "Got that young man, you break my baby's heart. It won't be her mother you will have to worry about, but me. Understand".

Eryx takes hold of both of my grandmother's hands. "I will make sure to love and honor Verena. You have my permission to come after me if I renege of my promise". Grandma and I look at each other. "I hope you know making a promise to an Ashbourne woman will cost you".

Eryx nods in understanding, but he does not truly understand the deeper meaning behind my grandmother's invasive yet threatening words in the way that I do. I shutter because I know that one day Eryx will find out the truth about me as well as my family and not sure how he will take the news or maybe it would be best to act as innocent as he pegs me out to be.



I've been gone from writing for a little bit. I'm back btw. This chapter gives more insight into the dynamics of the Ashbourne women. All three women, Wyn, Adela, and Verena have a special bond and their relationship is quite beyond anything I think you guys have yet to see. If you haven't figured it out by now the flashback chapters hold easter eggs of events or things that will be explored in the present-day chapters. That is why this story is very long, there is no possible way I condense it down. Think of like a sequence one thing has to happen before the next thing can happen. It's goes by a step-by-step process.