“So, wife! How do you like the party?” Jacob asks his bride handing her a champagne glass.
“I love it. April did an amazing job,” Ellena says taking in the amazing room and its decorations.
Jacob hums in agreement, gently grabbing his wife around the waist, “It is beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as you, my love.” Jacobs smiles leaning in to kiss his wife.
“Ellena! Thank god, your uncle has had me trapped with his stories for the last hour- Sorry, I didn't mean to,”
Jacob chuckles, pulling away from his wife, “It's okay April, I don't blame you for wanting to get away from great uncle John. His stories never end,” Jacob laughs, drawing out never.
“Jake, Jake. Something is wrong with Mom!” a woman twice Jacob’s height says grasping the groom by the shoulders. “She’s gone full Mom mode.”
“What?” Jacob asks, fear plastered on his face, “Third-grade recital mother mode or senior prom mother mode?” Jacob asks, grabbing at the woman in desperation.
“She’s rearranging things and critiquing how the staff makes the food, walks, how they dress everything.” the woman says pointing over at the kitchen of the elaborate banquet hall.
“I'll talk to her,” Jacob says sternly, like a man on a mission.
“I'll go with you,” Ellena says with a smile, hooking her arm with her husband's.
“Wait, don't leave me here! What if your Great Uncle John finds me?!” April pleads.
“Don't worry, you can hang out with Cleo,” Ellena smiles, waving to the woman who had caused Ellena to leave in the first place.
“Cleo? I don't know her,” April whispers, pulling Ellena aside while Jacob talks to the aforementioned woman.
“She's nice, she's Jacob’s sister. She won't let anyone bother you, especially Great Uncle John,” Ellena assures, pulling April to meet the woman of discussion. “Cleo, meet April. She is my best friend, my sister from another mother,” Ellena chuckles looking at April, “Will you watch out for her? You know make sure nobody bothers her, especially my great uncle John.”
“Sure, no problem,” Cleo smiles, her eyes wandering over to April’s as the newlyweds scurry off to go save a poor defenseless caterer. “Hi,” Cleo slightly nods.
“Hi,” April waves awkwardly, turning to look around the room hoping to find something interesting that is until her view of the ballroom is obscured by a burly man.
“Roger, I'm Jacob’s cousin,” the man says, holding his hand out for a handshake.
“Hi, I'm April and this is-”
“It's nice to meet you April,” the man smiles gently, shaking April’s hand before retracting his, “Cleo.” the man says with distaste.
“Roger,” Cleo nods politely.
“So, tell me about yourself, April,” Roger smiles, resting his hand on the small of April’s back and starting to lead her away from the third party.
“Uh, actually,” a sudden tug on Roger's arm stops them.
“Wow, hold on there cowboy. You didn't even ask the lady if she wanted to leave with you. Where do you think you're going?” Cleo smiles, calmly putting herself between Roger and April.
“I'm going to get her a drink, Come on darling,” Roger waves April toward him.
“April, do you want to go with him?” Cleo turns to the redhead.
“I'm fine here with you,” April gives Roger a sweet smile while huddling as close to Cleo as she can.
“No, no, the drinks are over there doll. We’ll just go and grab a few drinks and come right back,” Roger assures reaching past Cleo for the redhead only to have his wrist grabbed.
“Walk. Away.” Cleo warns, her grip on the man’s wrist tightening.
“Doll.” Roger gives April a stern look. Earning a death glare from Cleo.
“I'd rather stay here,” April says a bit more steely.
“Doll-” Roger yelps, feeling his wrist almost bend beyond possible. “Let go! You're going to break my wrist!” Roger yells trying to free his wrist to no avail.
“That's the point.” Cleo smiles, no longer a friendly smile but much more of a…predatorial smile. “Walk away and I won't break your wrist in front of your entire family.”
“Please, a woman like you couldn't-” Roger let out a sickening yell as Cleo bent his wrist just a tad bit more.
“I can and I will. Walk. Away.” Roger nods, almost pleading. Cleo releases his wrist with an eerie smile the devil himself would be proud of.
“Thank you,” April mumbled, the eerie smile hadn't left Cleo’s face and it was beginning to scare the crap out of April.
“You don't deserve someone like him,” Cleo shrugs, “Plus I promised Elena I would protect you. I don't break promises.” A slight chill ran down April’s spine.
“Sorry, Mom was in the middle of a major battle with the owner of the caterer business. Couldn't interrupt and we definitely couldn't miss it,” Jacob smiles, his hand tangled with his wife’s, “I think she finally met her match.”
Cleo chuckles, “They'll be friends by the end of reception.”
April didn't see Cleo for a year after that. Though the brunette never strayed too far from her mind. The second time they met was at the gender reveal party. April had been wandering around the party for the past hour. The reveal had come and gone, a girl. Now she was left to her own devices. A certain brunette had caught her eye but it didn't seem to be reciprocated. “April?” April spun around at the familiar voice.
“Cleo? Hi, it's been….”
“Since the wedding,” Cleo smiles and nods “How have you been?”
“Good, good…You?” April asks fidgeting with her summer dress.
“Good,” Cleo smiles, “Hey…I never got to ask, what do you do for work?”
“Doctor,” April blurts out, “I mean I'm a doctor,” April blushes.
Cleo chuckles, “I work with Jacob at our family company, I work with the product and he does most of the talking, negotiations, and finances”
“Right! Lancaster Tech. The leading company in the tech business! How could I forget, I use your technology in surgery all the time!” April smiles, she can't count how many times Lancaster technology has saved one of her patients' lives. “You do amazing work, do you have any idea how many lives your technology has saved?”
“Not enough, it's not my favorite part of the business,” Cleo sighs.
“Why?”
“One wrong design, one malfunction and someone dies. That's why I never patented my work. I want the technology to be made but I just can't be the person to do it.” Cleo shrugs, “Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you.”
“No, no your feelings aren't boring, they're important. And I understand, it's a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands.” April smiles, “ If you ever want to talk about it or anything else you can always talk to me,” April says, grabbing a napkin off the table next to them before writing her number down on it, handing it to the other woman with a smile that could outshine the sun.
Cleo smiles taking the napkin, “You can talk to me any time-”
“Cleo!” a small brunette girl yells charging the much taller brunette.
“Hey, kid! How have you been?” Cleo coos, holding the child in a bear hug.
“Good! I'm gonna be a cousin again!” The girl screams in pure joy, “You're gonna be an aunt!”
“Yeah! That poor kid's gonna be so messed up!” Cleo jumps in pure joy with the little girl.
The little girl suddenly stopped jumping, her eyes locked on April, “Are you Cleopatra’s girlfriend?”
“What? Mag-”
“No, I'm afraid I'm not lucky enough.” April smiles.
“Soooo, you're straight?”
“Maggie!”
“What? She's totally your type. The only reason you wouldn't be on her like hot pancakes would be she's either straight, you really like her and don't have the guts to ask her out, or you already tried and she’s either not into you or she’s taken.” Maggie counted off her fingers.
“Maggie,” Cleo mumbled through her teeth.
“What? I'm fifteen, not blind. What'd you expect me to do ignore the obvious chemistry-”
“Maggie, don't you have a stomach to baby talk to?” Cleo grumbles.
“Fine, but once she's gone me and you are having a talk,” Maggie gives her cousin the I'm watching you gesture before walking off.
“I'm sorry, she's…well she's Maggie. And a Lancaster. We're very…blunt,” Cleo grimaces.
“I see that.”
“Cleo!”
“Sorry, I really have to go. But here's my number,” Cleo rushes a text through to the number April had given her, “Call me sometime? Maybe then I can explain my weird family.”
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