Chapter 8 Eight

Later that evening, Leo’s letter came and despite her anger, Alicia was happy to hear from him. When she opened the letter, the first paragraph was his apology to her for not contacting her so soon about her mother’s death and the second paragraph was his condolences for her mother and how he would take care of her and make sure she never missed her family so much. His words were so touching that she forgot about her annoyance with him and just decided to forgive him this one time. The last paragraph was about his mother and sister moving in and he actually wrote that if she was not comfortable with it, she could tell him and he would tell them not to bother. Alicia sighed and glanced at the door, hearing the noise coming from the sitting room from the two people and she figured that Leo must not have known they would be moving in so soon and come to think of it, he didn’t tell them in his letter to start going immediately, he only suggested it to them and told them he would write her a letter about it, so definitely, his mother and sister were the ones who couldn’t even wait for the go-ahead from him. Figuring that out, every anger she had left her, Leo didn’t do it without consulting her, it was actually her mother-in-law and sister-in-law who were impatient. Sighing, she picked up a pen and paper and settled on the desk to write him a reply, she told him that his family had already moved in and how shocked she was when she saw them but in all, she was happy that he had wanted to hear her opinion first and would let it go but that she hoped that the next time he wants to make a decision that would concern her, he should speak to her first about it before anybody else. She wrote about how she missed him and wished he was around to hold her and also sent her prayers to him to be safe and see the end of the war. Satisfied with her response and making sure she wasn’t rude, she folded the letter and put it in an envelope before standing up and leaving the study to send the letter to him. On getting to the sitting room, she saw Mary and Joy at the dining with a feast big enough to serve ten people. She was stunned, why did they make so much food when it was just the two of them? Mary saw her first and smiled. “Oh, Alicia, you are awake, dinner is ready, you can join us.” “I wasn’t sleeping, I was working in the study,” Alicia replied. Mary stared at Joy, “I thought you said she was sleeping?” Joy shrugged, her mouth glistening with the oil from the fried chicken she was munching on. “I thought she was sleeping, I didn’t hear any noise coming from the study when I listened on the door.” “It’s a study, a working place, it’s not supposed to be noisy and by the way, what did you mean by you listened on it? Why would you listen on me?” Alicia was vexed. Mary saw that and turned to Joy, “Go on, quickly, apologize to your sister-in-law.” Joy pouted and mumbled an apology and Mary smiled at Alicia, “She won’t do it again.” Do you call that an apology? Alicia wanted to ask but she stopped herself, this was her mother-in-law, no matter what, she deserved her respect and it would be wrong if they start having a fight from the first day of living together. She sighed and shook her head, “it’s fine. Please don’t waste the food.” “You are not eating?” Mary asked. “I’m not hungry,” she replied and walked to the front door. As she stepped outside, she closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh, loving as the air attacked her lungs. Opening them, she saw a guard and signaled him over, handing him the letter to be sent to Leo first thing in the morning. *** A week later, it was the birthday of Margaret, Luna of Red Blood pack and Alicia’s friend and she was hosting a party. According to her, she wanted it to be a break they Lunas can have while waiting for their husbands to return home to them. Alicia was naturally invited as the Luna of the leading pack and out of courtesy to Leo, she invited Mary and Joy to go with her. Living with them in this past week wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either, just what she wouldn’t give to go back to living alone, but she can’t do that, not after telling Leo it was fine for them to stay. As she walked back to her house to prepare for the party, she saw an omega rushing out with a red fingerprint on her cheek. Alicia frowned and called to her, the omega fell on her knees on seeing her, tears running down her cheeks. “What happened?” “It’s Ms Joy, I couldn’t find the dress she wanted so she was mad at me.” “Is that enough reason to strike you?” “I’m sorry, Luna, it’s my fault, it won’t happen again.” Alicia licked her lips, at lost on what to say. She nodded at the omega to leave while she climbed up the steps to the front door. Opening it, she saw Mary and Joy giggling in the living room and they were both already dressed for the party. Just as she wanted to ask why Joy had to slap the omega, she saw the dress she was wearing and she didn’t know if she imagined it or not but still asked, “is that my dress?” Mary and Joy turned then on hearing her voice. “Oh, Alica, you are back. We decided to prepare and wait for you so that we wouldn’t delay you.” “I asked, is that my dress that joy is putting on?” Alicia repeated. Mary and Joy shared a look before Joy shrugged. “I couldn’t find something to wear so I decided to borrow one of yours, I had the intention of telling you of course, but I was waiting for you to come back first.” Alicia nodded, “so let me get this straight, you just decided to go into my room, open my wardrobe and take whatever dress you see? Do you have any idea that the dress you are putting on is what I had prepared tonight?” Mary gasped and stared at Joy but Joy didn’t show any reaction. “I suspected it because it was covered,” she answered. “You suspected it? And yet you still wore it?” Alicia couldn’t believe what she just heard. “Yes, that was why I sent Gloria to get me something similar but she couldn’t find it so I just took yours. Listen, there is a lot of dresses in your wardrobe, why don’t you find something else to wear?” “What?” Alicia asked. Joy rolled her eyes, “listen, it’s not that much of a big deal. Right mom?” she glanced at her mom. Alicia glanced at Mary too and the woman couldn’t say anything for some seconds. At the end, she chuckled and went and grabbed Alicia’s arm, “dear, let’s not make a big deal out of this, okay? It’s just to go for a party, you are already the Luna and it doesn’t matter what you wear, how about you let Joy wear this dress tonight?”