Three Fated Hearts

~Portia~

I've been dreading today for weeks now. I hate that I have to go back home, but I have no choice. My name is Portia Colby, but I go by Tia. I'm a part of the Emerald Lake pack, where my father is the head warrior, and my mother is a pack doctor. I have older twin sisters who are the apple of everyone's eye. They are four years older than me and my father's favorite. He dotes on them and spoils them. To him, they are his everything, and I'm just a mistake.

No, he literally told me that I was a mistake. He said he didn't want any more pups after my sisters because they were already perfect. He and Mom have gotten into many arguments over this. She says that is an ugly attitude to have. She loves all of her kids, though I think she likes me better. I've never asked because I don't want to put my mom on the spot like that.

My sisters have always been indifferent to me. They only acknowledge me when they have to, never going out of their way for me for any reason. I honestly think if I were to die right in front of them, they wouldn't bat an eye.

That describes the rest of the pack as well. It seems as if I'm invisible to most. My Alpha, Alpha Paul Attwater, is usually kind to me, though I bet that is just because he's the Alpha. Then there is the Beta family. I have spent so much time with Beta John and his mate Celina. Their kids, Lynn and Mark, are my only friends. Lynn is my age, 21, and Mark is 22. He treats me as if I were his other sister. I'm grateful for them because I would have been lost long ago without them.

As soon as I graduated high school, I went straight to college. There was no point in staying around. I knew I would miss my besties, but they understood my need to go away. I started college at 18 and have been gone since. I would meet up with Lynn and Mark over the years. We would meet halfway between the school and the pack. Now I'm being called home, and what's worse is that I can't say no. It is an Alpha command; if I ignore it, there will be serious consequences.

My phone rings, and I know it's my mom before I answer. I was supposed to leave the night before, but I didn't, so now I'm a bit late. "I'm making my way to the car now, Mom."

"You were supposed to be home last night. You know that all pack members have to be at this ceremony. We are welcoming the new Alphas." Ah, yes, the new Alphas. While Alpha Paul was always nice to me, Luna Kimberly didn't spare me a second glance, nor did their sons. They are identical twins and the next in line for the pack. They are my sisters' age, 25, and they never really paid any attention to me. There was no reason for them to anyway. We were never in the same grade and didn't have the same circle of friends. Being a pack member, it is vital for me to be in attendance for all major events, and this classifies as a major event.

"Mom, I will be there, I swear. There was really no need for me to make it home last night. The less time I'm around dad and my sisters, the better."

"Speaking of your sisters......." My line beeps, and I notice it's Lynn. Since I'd much rather talk to her, I quickly tell my mom I will see her when I get there.

"Hey girl!"

"How far away are you, Tia?"I chuckle.

"I'm just now getting on the road." Lynn whistles at that.

"You are cutting it very close."

"You know that if I didn't have to come, I wouldn't even bother."

"So, did your mom tell you?"Since I cut my mom off, she probably wasn't able to tell me whatever it is that Lynn is talking about.

"I barely spoke to her. What's up?"

"Well, the word is that your sisters will be named Lunas at the ceremony today." That's interesting. My sisters and the Alpha twins started to see each other in high school. It was the talk of the pack; two sets of twins together. The Alpha twins are identical, whereas my sisters are not. One has a birthmark under her right eye, while the other does not. It's pretty easy to tell them apart in other ways.

Everyone thought they might be mates, which would have been kind of weird. It has always been that identical twins share a mate. My sisters will be blessed with their own mates, but not the Alpha twins. When they turned 18, the age at which we can find our mates, they realized they were not fated mates but stayed together. I always thought that was weird. Why put yourself in so much potential heartache? If they find their mates, the relationship will be like it never existed. "So, did they even try to find their mates?" Lynn laughs.

"Much to your sisters' dismay, yeah, the Alphas did try. They traveled all over, training and trying to find their mates, but nothing came of it. I guess since they want to take over so badly, they have quit looking."

"I'm not sure if I could do that to my fated mate. What if I were to meet him down the road? Do I give up my chosen or my fated?" Had my sisters and I been close, I would have told them my opinion on the matter. As it is, I didn't even know they were still dating, so I guess it doesn't matter what I think. Lynn and I stayed on the phone for most of my drive back to the pack. It is a 4-hour drive from school. I really should have left last night or at least super early this morning, but I really, truly didn't want to have to come back.

~Landon~

My brother and I have waited for this day since we got our wolves at 14. We have always wanted to take over the pack ever since we understood what this was all about. We decided to run the pack together.

Our dad sent us to get trained in different packs, allowing us to learn various skills. While we trained all over, we took online courses and searched for our mate. It was hard for us, in the beginning, to wrap our heads around having to share a mate. I mean, who honestly thinks that they will have to share their love with someone else? After we discussed it for a while, we realized that it wouldn't be too bad since we shared mostly everything else anyway.

When we didn't find her, we decided to take the Colby twins as our mates. We had already dated them in high school, and they were strong. They would make okay Lunas, but I have to admit that my wolf, Goliath, and I would much rather tie ourselves to our fated mate as opposed to a chosen mate. Lincoln convinced me to give the chosen mate thing a chance, and I couldn't really say no. What if I come across my fated mate, or Adela comes across hers? Would our union be thrown away? "Are you ready for this?" I turn and look at my brother and shake my head.

"No, not at all. I just........"

"We have talked about this. I don't want to keep waiting for some fated mate. Adela and Aida are good she-wolves. They are strong and smart. They will be good Lunas for this pack. We need to take over and if we wait for our fated, we won't be able to do it anytime soon." My brother is right, of course. I guess I have to let the fairytale go and do what's best for the pack.

My brother leaves my room, and I get back to getting ready. Our pack colors are black and gold. My brother and I are wearing a black, three-piece suit with a gold tie. Both my brother and I cut our hair short, letting the natural waves shine through. We are clean-shaven with the same light brown eyes. The only real way most can tell us apart is when they see us casually dressed. Our tattoos give us away. I have a sleeve on my left arm, while my brother only has a tattoo on his back. It was always fun to confuse people when we were younger. I must admit that we have done it a time or two as adults, but not too much.

The Colby twins are not identical. I'm with Adela, who is the older of the two by 5 minutes. She has a stronger will and a tougher attitude. Aida is with my brother. She has a birthmark under her right eye, and she is the more sensitive one. They are both amazing warriors, thanks to their dad. He has trained them all of their lives. I guess when it comes to picking a worthy Luna, they aren't a bad choice.

I take one last look in the mirror and head downstairs to meet with the family. My dad is sitting with my mom while talking to my brother. He considered wearing a gold suit to offset my black, but the girls decided they would wear gold dresses. My mom looks at me and smiles wide. "Look at my handsome boys! I can't believe how fast you two have grown."Mom gets up and pulls me into a big hug. "I am so proud of you both." My dad gets up and claps me on the back.

"We are both proud of you." A throat clears from behind us. Stuart Colby is standing in the entryway with his mate, Nikki, and his twins. They look flawless with their gold, A-line, off-one-shoulder dresses. They are floor-length and soft gold. I have to say that they look gorgeous, and I do feel a bit lucky.

"Gentlemen. Alpha....Luna.......it's nice to see everyone." Stuart has always been a smooth talker, and he is a great warrior. I never really liked him, though not really knowing what it is about him that rubs me the wrong way. He dotes on the twins, but I have seen how he treats his youngest daughter. The twins have a younger sister that they don't really deal with. As a matter of fact, not too many people deal with her. I never understood why that was. I've asked around, but no one can really answer the question. Stuart will go to the wall for his twins but rarely entertains his other child, Portia.

I have seen her mother, Nikki, with her a lot, though. Nikki is one of our pack doctors, and I always liked going to her when I was growing up. There were many times that I saw Portia in the office with Nikki. She would help her with the little things around the office and hospital. I was always a bit jealous because I wished that I could have moments like that with my parents and not have everything be about training.

My parents give the twins a hug and shake hands with their parents. I have always noticed how my mom seemed to love the twins, yet my dad... not so much. He is always polite, but he never really interacts with them as Mom does. I have seen him with their sister, Portia, on many occasions. I had always planned to ask him about that but never got around to it.

"You look amazing, baby," Adela says while straightening my tie. I give her a small smile and kiss her cheek.

"Beautiful as always." Adela puts her hand in mine and faces everyone else. I have to admit that I haven't been feeling the same about her lately, especially today. I like her and everything, but my feelings have been weaker than before. I spoke to Lincoln about this, but he said it's probably because we haven't slept with them. He and I decided not to rush that because we wanted to find our fated mate. If we had found our mate, if we had made this physical with the twins, it would be harder for them to let us go.

"Let's go everyone. The pack has gathered." My dad leads us out, through the dining room to the back. We have a stage set up off to the side, and the pack members are gathered in front. We usually have our ceremonies outside to accommodate the size of our pack. I take a peek around the corner and see the seats filled with our pack members. I can't wait to be made the official Alpha of this pack. It will be my greatest honor to take care of this pack and protect the members with my life.

Stuart and Nikki head to the area where the other pack members are to take their seats. My parents hold hands and head to the stage. The plan is to have us introduced first and then the girls. We will then take our oaths together.

My brother and I listen to our father's speech, which is a bit long. That's our dad, though; he is usually wordy. Goliath starts to stir in my head. He is usually laid back unless we are in the midst of a real problem.

-What's up, Goliath?-

-I'm not sure, but it feels like something is going to happen.-

Lincoln mind links me: 'Hey, is Goliath a bit worked up right now?'

'Yeah, he is. What's going on with Brutus?'

'He is as well. He says he feels as if something is going to happen.'

'That's what Goliath said. Maybe they are excited about becoming Alphas of the pack.'

Lincoln slightly nods at me, and we focus back on the scene before us. Dad finally wraps up his speech and looks toward us. "Please allow me to introduce your new Alphas: Landon and Lincoln Attwater." The crowd erupts, and we walk up to the stage, hugging our mom and dad.

A strong scent hits me, and I stop in my tracks. It smells like lilacs and sandalwood. I have never smelled that before, and it's making my mouth water. I look at Lincoln and can tell he smells it too. If we are both smelling the same scent, that can only mean one thing. Our mate has to be here, but who could it be? I don't really see anyone in the crowd that is new to me.

The scent is getting stronger, and I notice some activity at the back of the area; someone is entering late. She quietly comes up the side to find seating along the back row. She starts to make her way, along the row, to an empty seat in the middle. She stops mid-stride and looks up, sniffing as she does. Her head turns to the stage, and my eyes catch her.

-MATE!!-

~Tia~

I finally make it to our territory and drive through the gates. I can see a slew of cars in the distance, and I know that we will be meeting out back, off to the side. It will be outdoors, which is the best location because we are a pretty big pack. Any event where the entire pack has been invited always takes place outside. We usually have a small stage set up, and seating is available.

I quickly park close to my parent's house since it is pretty close to the packhouse. I don't want driving up in my car to be a huge disruption to the ceremony that I'm late for. My mom won't be very pleased, and my dad may actually be upset since I would be messing up his golden children's day.

I quickly take off to the packhouse, cursing myself for being late and also wearing what I'm wearing. Swearing in a new Alpha is a big deal, and you have to look nice at the ceremony. I opted for a knee-length, sleeveless black dress with red pumps. I always like to have an item stand out from everything else. Now, running in these pumps was just not the best idea for a dress. Then again, I didn't plan to be late for the ceremony.

When I get to the side, the Alpha is speaking, so I decide to wait. I don't want to interrupt, and I don't want to draw attention away from him. As I stand out of the way, Andricia, my wolf, is running circles in my head. She has been a bit crazy since we found out we had to go back, but right now, she is being too much.

-What the hell is wrong with you?......... Andricia?.........-

She isn't responding, but she isn't relenting either. I try to focus on the Alpha's words in the hope of distracting myself from my wolf's behavior. Alpha Paul Attwater. I have always liked him. He is a fair and kind man. He never made me feel unwanted or invisible. He has actually called me a few times to check on me since I've been away. I'm sure it is only because he is my Alpha, but it's nice, just the same. Luna Kimberly is another story. She seems to hate me and has made it no secret. I always try to avoid her if possible. She doesn't abuse me or anything, but she isn't Luna-like when it comes to me. I guess my dad has a hand in that. He and the Luna grew up together and were friends. They still have a fairly close relationship. I'm sure he has said things about me to her.

I hear the Alpha introduce his sons, so I use this opportunity to grab a seat. I decide to stay at the back to minimize disruptions. I start to walk through the back row, noticing a vacant seat, and Andricia is losing her shit. I swear we won't be here that long, so there is no need for the panic. I'm walking past people's legs and getting looks while doing so when I stop in my tracks. A scent like no other practically smacked me upside my head. I start to sniff the air. I can smell peppermint, but there are two other scents with it. It's like a strong peppermint with grapefruit and lemon. Such a weird combination, but I have to say that it's doing things for me.

I let my nose guide me, and I look around, but nothing is grabbing my attention. I could feel eyes on me, and I follow the tug. My eyes cast over the spectators and land on the stage. My eyes meet the most chocolatey brown eyes I have ever seen. They are staring back at me, and I hear that fateful word:

-MATES!-

Holy shit! Mates......as in mates? Two mates instead of one? I focus on the stage, and it hits me. My mates are the Alpha twins?! There is no fucking way this is real right now! I did the only thing I could think of doing. I run through the rest of the row, bumping people in the legs as I go. I turn and run back toward the side of the house and back toward my car.

I run through the grass as fast as I can. I have to get out of here. I don't know where I'm going to go; I just know that I have to go. I'm sure one or both of the twins are running after me, but I can't stop. This is a shit situation that I'm not prepared for.

I can see my car in the distance and try to increase my speed. Andricia is pleading with me to stop. She wants her mates, but I just can't face this all right now. She wants to take over, but I know that if I let her, she will run right back to where I'm trying to avoid. I push forward, running with all I have, and then I fall flat on my face. I pop my head up a bit and look back, noticing my heel stuck in the ground and my ankle throbbing. Damn!

~Third Person~

Everything happened so fast. One minute, the twins are on stage, ready to accept their role as Alphas of the Emerald Lake Pack and introduce their Lunas and the next minute, Landon is running one way with Lincoln running the other. Landon and Lincoln, both, recognized their mate in the audience, but only Landon was ready to accept his fate. It isn't that Lincoln was against the idea of fated mates, he just wasn't ready for it. He has always been iffy about having to share a mate with his brother. He understood the fact that identical twins shared a mate because they were halves of the same egg, but he never really felt okay with him. He had always been afraid that he would become insanely jealous any time his mate and his brother spent their private time together. He didn't want to be that way and have it come between them.

When he and his brother started to date the Colby twins, he was okay with that. His wolf wasn't necessarily interested, but he pushed on. He dreaded trying to find his mate, but Landon convinced him that it was the best thing to do. While his wolf was disappointed when they kept coming up empty, Lincoln was actually okay with the outcome. He felt confident that he could create a life with Aida. He could grow to love her.........like truly love her, and marking her would intensify those feelings. He knew that Landon always pined for their mate, but he convinced him that they needed to take a chosen mate to take over the pack.

The scent of lilacs and sandalwood hit Lincoln like a ton of bricks, and deep down, he knew that it was the scent of his mate. When she and Landon caught eyes, and she took off, Landon took off after her. The twins were calling out to him, not understanding what was happening. Aida was clawing at Lincoln, asking for an explanation, but he couldn't handle it. He took off in the opposite direction, determined to gain some clarity while Brutus was begging him to go back and go after their mate.

Landon jumped off the stage without hesitation, hearing the girls call after him. He didn't care; he didn't even stop to turn around. He had to get to her as soon as he could. He had been waiting and praying for this day to come. It is crazy that it came during his Alpha ceremony, but to him, that was just proof that naming the twins Luna would have been a mistake.

He noticed exactly who the she-wolf was when their eyes met, and he was astonished. Their mate is none other than Portia Colby, and he couldn't be happier. Landon has always noticed Portia while growing up, even though she is four years younger than him. He watched her grow from an awkward kid to a beautiful woman. Well, actually, the last time he saw her, she was a teenager, but she was still gorgeous. He never really spoke to her, but then many didn't. For some reason, the pack greatly ignored her, except for the Beta's kids.

Lynn and Mark were always with Portia, and he would notice that. He didn't really grow up with them, minus the occasional gathering with their parents. Mark is meant to be the next Beta, taking over for his father. He has trained hard for the position and is the best for it. They aren't as close to Mark as they would like, but they figured that they had time to get there.

Portia is running pretty fast, but he isn't surprised. She has always been strong and fast, even though not many know that. He used to quietly watch her train, and she was extremely good. She never got to show anyone because all of the focus had always been on her sisters. Her father didn't even help her train, but his second-in-command did. She would even have sessions with Lynn and Mark, and it was always done in secret. She may be fast, but he was gaining on her.

Landon thought that maybe shifting into Goliath would be better, and he could get to her quickly. Just when he was about to shift, Portia fell face down. He noticed her shoe was stuck in the ground, and her foot had come out. She looks back to the shoe and grimaces as she moves her leg. She must be hurt, and that worries him. He slows down, seeing how she can't move right now and walks up to her. Landon towers over her, and she slowly looks up into his eyes.

~Landon~

"Portia.....Portia Colby." She sighs and looks down at her ankle, inspecting the damage.

"Tia."

"What?"

"I said, it's Tia." She sighs again and tries to get up. I quickly move to her side, grabbing her hand. She pulls away at first but then places her hand in mine, and the sparks fly. My body shivers at the contact, and I have to take a deep breath to stay focused. I place my other hand on her elbow and help her off of the ground. She leans into me, trying to keep pressure off of her ankle. I know it will heal pretty soon, but it looks kind of bad right now.

"Why 'Tia'?" She turns her head to me and raises an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"Why do you go by Tia?" She chuckles a bit, but there is no humor in her voice.

"Do you know what the name Portia means?" I shake my head. Truth be told, I never really thought about what people's names mean. "It means, well, in many circles, it means pig or hog. Shakespeare meant it in a different way, but that wasn't the intended meaning when the name was given to me." Now I wonder how the hell she knows all of that. "And how do I know that you wonder? My father told me so. He named me Portia specifically because of its meaning. So I go by Tia." Damn, that's just fucked up. Why would a parent do that to a child, and why tell them that they did that?

'Son, what the hell is going on? Everyone is confused and waiting for you two.' Both of us? I look around, but Lincoln is nowhere to be found. I wonder where he went.

'Dad, it's a bit complicated, but........we found our mate. Please postpone things for us. I will explain everything later.'

'Say no more. Take your time, and we will talk tomorrow.'

"Who was that you were talking to?" I look down at Tia.

"Just my dad. He will have to postpone the ceremony. We.....we should talk." Tia sighs and looks down at her feet. She nods slightly before looking back up at me. She is fucking gorgeous. She has big, light brown eyes with long, natural lashes. Her lips are thick and pouty. She has flawless brown skin, and her hairstyle is cute on her goddess braids in a brown/blonde color. The coloring suits her skin tone very well. She is about 5'7 with a body to die for. She has a nice round ass and a big-sized chest, though not too big. Everything looks well proportioned with her toned body. You can tell that she still works out even though she has been away. My body is starting to respond to hers, though now is not the time for all of that.

We start to walk back toward the packhouse, and I notice Tia limping. I quickly pick her up bridal style, making her gasp. "Hey, I can walk, you know."

"You can, that's true, but you're limping. You need to give your ankle time to heal. I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't try to help you along." I wink at her and notice a bit of a blush appear on her cheeks. She looks away and timidly wraps her arms around my neck. I take a deep breath, trying to savor her scent without being a creep about it.

"Where is your brother? I assume I'm fated to you both, correct?"

"I'm not sure where he is, but I'd imagine he'll be along at some point." We continue to head back to the packhouse.

~Lincoln~

I don't know how long I've been running. I stripped off my coat and tie along the way. I put up my mind block and took off. I wish I could shift, but if I shift, I will end up right where I don't want to be. I end up at the lake we have in the back of our territory. It is a beautiful lake that not a lot of people frequent. It is the perfect place to have a quiet moment.

I kick my shoes off and let my feet breathe. Running in dress shoes wasn't the smartest idea, but it's too late now. I sit close to the lake's edge and place my head on my knees. What am I going to do? If I accept Portia as my mate, that means that my brother and I will have to share her. I'm not sure that I'm strong enough for that. I don't want to get jealous or angry with my brother. Choosing the twins would have been perfect, and I'm sure that eventually, the bond would be strong there.

Truth be told, I have always had a bit of a crush on Portia; I just never told anyone, not even my brother. She is gorgeous and such a fierce fighter. I would say she may be better than her sisters. Where they have been coddled, she has pushed herself to the limits of her skills. She would be an amazing Luna.

As I sit and look out over the lake, I hear a twig snap behind me. I pretend that I don't hear anything and wait a bit. Sure enough, the scent of the person hits me, informing me of exactly who it is. "What are you doing here?"

"You and your brother left so abruptly. Your parents wouldn't tell us what's going on, just that the ceremony is postponed." The intruder sits next to me and places a hand on my arm. In the past, this would please me, this personal contact. Today, it just feels so wrong. It feels as if I'm cheating on my mate. I sigh and turn to Aida. I take in her perfect coif and her manicured nails. Her makeup is always done to perfection, but she uses too much around the eyes. Her perfume is always loud and piled on. Her dark brown eyes bore into me, imploring me to make her feel better. I just can't seem to do that.

"Everything is fine. It's just that something came up, and we have to deal with it."

"Something came up? What could have possibly come up just as you were about to be sworn in as Alpha?" I close my eyes. I know this will keep going until the truth is out. Aida has never been known to let things be. Then, if she gets information that is too much for her, she is devastated.

"It's just........just something. Please, we don't need to do this now." I open my eyes and see the tears start to form in her eyes. She is always emotional though I would imagine half of the time, it's fake.

"Why don't you just tell her what she wants to know? There is no point in hiding it. We are to be the Lunas of this pack, are we not?" Ah, Adela. I should have known that she wasn't far behind. Wherever one is, the other is close by. I put my head back down to rest on my knees. I didn't come out here to be interrogated. I just wanted to be left alone so that I can think.

"Please, baby. Tell us what's going on." Aida softly kisses the top of my earlobe, which pisses Brutus off. He wants to rip her tongue out for touching me with it. I struggle to keep him at bay. They don't deserve the punishment. It isn't like any of us knew that this was going to happen.

This may not be the best way to do this or the best time, but the truth needs to come out. I stand up and look between Aida and Adela, who is standing behind her. I run my hand across my jaw, sighing deeply. "We.......we seem to have found our mate." Adela looks pissed, and Aida looks heartbroken. Fuck, this is too much to take in right now. I have so much to consider.

"You two are rejecting her, right? You love us and told us we would stand next to you. She is going to be rejected. RIGHT?!" Always straight to the point, that Adela. What am I supposed to say? I can't tell them yes because I know for a fact that Landon will not be rejecting her. I can't tell them no because that would create a shitstorm that no one wants to deal with right now.

"Things will........work out. Just give us time to get there." I turn and walk away, unable to take the looks anymore. I can hear Aida sob, and Adela comforts her. I slowly walk away from the pair, heading back into the forest. I still need time to think and figure out what I'm going to do.

~Adela~

What. The. Fuck. This can't be happening. Who the fuck is their mate? It has to be someone who was at the ceremony, but who? It can't be someone in our pack. They have been back from their training for about a year now. When they returned, we started to see each other again, and they told us that they planned to make us their chosen. Dad was ecstatic when we told him the news. He always said that we were meant for greater things. He is proud to be a warrior, but his princesses deserve better. And we do deserve better. We are smart and amazing warriors. Dad trained us personally, and there isn't really anyone who can defeat us.

Aida lays her head on my shoulder and cries softly. She has had this dream for a long time of being mated to Lincoln. She has always had a crush on him and dared to call it love. I always thought the twins were attractive but wondered if I were to be mated to someone in my own pack. There is never that guarantee. I prefer to be the Luna here since I know everyone and vice versa.

Truth be told, we found our mates while the twins were off training. Aida and I were in a neutral territory shopping together. We met two best friends at the mall and immediately knew they were our mates. After speaking to them, we realized they were warriors in their pack but not head warriors or even up for any promotions. They didn't even want more. They were content in their position, seeing no need to get more. That didn't work for me; it wasn't enough. Aida couldn't handle the fact that Lincoln wasn't hers. We rejected the two and left the mall. We only ever told our dad, and he told us that we did the right thing. There is no one else for us other than the Alphas. We have to make this work.

'Dad?'

'Yes, Honey? Are you and Honeybun okay? Do you know what's going on?'

'Lincoln told us. We have a problem.'

'Just tell Daddy what it is, and he will fix it.'

'Lincoln said.......they found their mate.' My father growls through the mindlink, causing me to shudder.

'You two get home. I will handle it.'

"Come, Aida. Let's go home." She lifts her head and looks at me with damp eyes.

"But what about them? What do we do?"

"Nothing. We do nothing. Dad said he will take care of it." That perks Aida up, and I help her to her feet. We walk home, hand in hand.