Chapter 38. Diana

I remembered that time. He never once questioned my motives, never asked for a prenup, never tried digging too deep into my family history, none of the things I was deathly afraid of. He'd shown me that I could be a whole person without need of a family or any kind of background to lean on. I'd always feared that I would live out the rest of my life alone because no one would want to be with someone, or could ever trust another with so many secrets.

I remember the way he'd hugged me close once he noticed the sadness in me when the topic of my parents came up, and can still hear the words he'd whispered in my ear like it was yesterday. "It's okay, love, I'll share mine with you." And he had. I don't know what he'd said to his mom and dad, but not once had they ever treated me like anything other than their daughter.

It was in the closeness of his family that I got my first real taste of what a normal family life was supposed to be like. The first time I saw Cadmus disagree with his mom and she just accepted and told him that he was right, I thought for sure it was a trap.

I hadn't said anything, but I had been on pins and needles the whole of that day waiting for the other shoe to drop. I remember feeling fiercely protective and promising myself that if she tried doing anything to punish him, I wouldn't let her. I'd ask to take his punishment instead.

When she'd just gone on to something else and had even laughed with her son, I remember the confusion I felt and how out of my depth. I learned to take my cues from Cadmus, and though I never came completely out of my shell, the time that I spent with them had taught me a whole new way of life. I have no doubt that I would've become much better had things worked out.

I'm sure that now I have ruined whatever good relationship with them I was still wondering if anyone from Cadmus's family will ever forgive me.