Chapter thirty-five : Everly

Time seemed to come to a stand still as I got nearer to the table where everyone was gathered, all the time Lucifer's firm hand on my back kept me from falling.

I stole a glance at him and was surprised to see a smirk play on his lips, following his line of sight I saw a beautiful blonde woman walking in our direction. She ought to be Lily's mother.

She hugged Lucifer and whispered something in his ear which made him shake his head. Then turning to me she hugged me too, "I'm Celia, Lucifer's sister." She beamed, just like Lily. Of course she was hers. They looked similar in every way. Even the yellow summer dress she was wearing matched with Lily's.

"It's nice to meet you," I smiled at her.

She stepped back and made a full show of checking me out. Without realising I pressed myself against Lucifer, trying to hide myself. She stopped and looked me dead in the eye, then surprised me by taking me in a tight hug, "Oh my you're so tiny and so cute and so beautiful. No wonder my brother is head over heels for you. I already like you"

I tried to push away but she hugged me even tighter. I felt Lucifer's hand tugging at my arm and he pulled me out of her death grip, "You keep your hands off her." He pointed at her.

"No I won't," she narrowed her eyes and tried to pull me away from him, but I didn't even budge. "You–"

"Enough both of you. Carry on with your antics later." Lucifer's father called out.

Celia looked backed at him and pointed a finger at him, "You just wait Lucifer," then her eyes turned to me and her face softened, "Everly, tell me if he troubles you. Now come." She tugged at me again and this time Lucifer released me reluctantly muttering something under his breath. I tried to fight a smile. His sister really knew how to get under his skin.

Celia was the complete opposite of Lucifer in a good way. Where Lucifer was always intense she was easy going. Talking to her loosened me up. Well even though it was more like she did the talking and I listened, but it felt good. And did I forget to mention how beautiful she was, with here blonde hair and blue eyes she clearly stood out of the crowd. This family seriously had some great genes running through.

"The garden is beautiful," I finally said.

"Oh my God! I finally get to hear you speak. I was seriously thinking you were not going talk." She said gleefully. I was surprised to hear her say that, I didn't realize she would've noticed it.

"Celia," a man's voice made her turn her head and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. I followed her gaze and found a man walking out of the lounge with Liam in his hands. He was the husband. What was his name again...

"Dylan," she shouted.

Yes Dylan.

He walked in our direction but stopped where Lucifer stood with Blake and Lily. He shook hands with him, they talked for a moment and then turned to me, I immediately straightened up. Dylan waved at me with a smile and I waved back not knowing what to do. Celia started pulling at me and we started walking in their direction. Wait, I didn't want to go. What will I even do there? I didn't even know what I was supposed to talk about?

Lucifer almost snatched me from Celia when we got there. "How you're doing?" He murmured and kissed the top of my head.

"Good," I smiled.

Dylan and Celia looked at us with the same surprised faces.

"Okay, so this is for real. I didn't believe it when Celia told me you were bringing a girl." Dylan smirked. "Anyway I'm Dylan, Celia's husband." He smiled at me.

Before I could greet him, Liam squealed and started wiggling wildly, his hands flying everywhere. With a grunt Dylan placed him on his feet and he finally calmed down.

"He can be a handful," Celia smiled and looked down at her son with loving eyes.

Liam started walking on his wobbly legs and squealed when he plopped down. He got up and started walking again. He really seemed to enjoy it. I was astonished when I saw him walking in my direction. His blue eyes were fixed on me, and it instantly reminded me of Jacob taking his baby steps.

Back in the day Jacob refused to walk until the age of two even after being constantly pushed. It wasn't until the day when he saw me playing with a baseball and tried to run after it but failed. So practically all it took was a ball to encourage him take his first steps. And then it wasn't long since he started running and creating a havoc around orphanage.

I got down on my haunches and spread my arms, "You can do it Liam," I smiled. That seemed to get to him because he started walking faster.

He was just a few steps away when he stumbled forward but I caught him. "You did it." I cheered and he giggled. He tried to straighten himself but lost his balance again and I grabbed him by his waist. He looked at me and his big blue eyes widened, turning his head in his father's direction he babbled something. "You like her, don't you?" Dylan grinned at his son.

He might've agreed because when he turned to me he hugged me and squealed again. God he was such a sweetheart. "How old is he?" I asked.

"Just turned eight months." Celia said proudly.

"Just eight months and already walking." I said poking his nose and he grinned, showing his two milk teeth.

"Of course he's a big boy like his daddy." Celia exclaimed and Dylan shook his head.

When we finally settled down for the lunch it was already two, the sun was up but it wasn't too hot, so we all gathered at the table set up in the lawn.

The few hours I got to spend with Lucifer's family I got to know them even better. They were just like the family I always wanted but after the incident totally gave up on. I knew I wouldn't be here for long, so getting attached to them was something I wanted to avoid, but looking at how everyone treated me it seemed difficult. I still hadn't met his stepsister though but I was sure she would be just as awesome as everyone.

Lucifer's hand on my thigh broke me out from my train of thoughts. On normal occasions I would've beaten the living crap out of the person who'd touch me intimately but with Lucifer it was different. Something I couldn't understand myself. Every time he touched me I felt at ease. Maybe it was because I knew everything he did was just because he was helping me. He might've said that he liked me but I was certain that it wouldn't last. Nothing lasts forever, especially feelings, they could turn around in seconds, love could turn into hatred in a matter of seconds. There was no way his feelings for me would last long, so I didn't allow myself to get any weird ideas. If not for this act there would've been no chance for us to meet like normal people, because Lucifer Adler was not normal. He was the one at the top of the hierarchy while I was at the bottom, someone easily looked upon and a part of the crowd.

"You don't like the food?" Lucifer whispered. My head snapped up and I shook my head knowing I couldn't embarrass him in front of his family. For lunch we were having some kind of salad. It was all green leaves and some vegetables, something I hated. Believe it or not even when I was struggling to get food on my table I still managed to be a picky eater. I could not handle greens. Salads and stuff were just not meant for me. One could say I was the kind of person who picked out the leaves and tomatoes from her sandwich.

"No it's good." I smiled even though all I wanted to do was push away the plate, like a brat perhaps.

Lucifer smiled and shook his head, "Everly I know you don't like salads. You don't have to eat it." He pushed away the plate and put a new one in front of me with less greens.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Eat." He nodded at the plate and I happily poked a piece of chicken and popped it in my mouth.

After the lunch Celia dragged me inside the house where I helped her put the children to sleep. When they finally gave in we quietly slipped out.

"You're good at handling kids." Celia said.

"Thank you." I shrugged.

"Everly actually I should be the one thanking you."

I looked up at her not able to understand what she meant but her expression was something I couldn't comprehend.

She sighed and looked ahead, "You see after our mother left Lucifer closed himself. I was too young to even remember her but he did, and it broke him seeing her walk away. Dad remarried for our sake, he believed we were too young and needed a motherly figure. Fortunately our stepmother treated us like one of hers, she was really good to us. Lucifer respected her a lot but I knew he always felt out of space and there was nothing I could do. Growing up I don't know how but he developed this shitty personality to protect himself. He refused getting into serious relationships, screwed around, got himself in trouble, and somehow still managed to remain at the top of everything. He made it out of the university at the top of his class, and then worked his ass up in the company. Wherever he is today, it's truly because of his hardwork. Sadly even that didn't stop him from screwing around. My father and I gave up any hope of him settling down, but then you came along." She glanced at me and smiled, "You know what, it'd been a long time since we all saw him actually smiling, thus those bewildered faces." She laughed, "He seems different Everly, more like he is finally being himself again, and I am thankful for that. You helped him, you are the reason he is back to us." Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

I was rendered speechless. Their mother left them. That was the reason he didn't want to talk about her. But why was she telling me all this? It was something personal, it was a part of him and now I knew it. Did that make me someone important? But I couldn't be that. It was all an act, knowing something like that only made it harder for me.

"Oh no here I made it all emotional." Celia waved her hands and took me in a bear hug. "Now let's go to our men, I'm damn sure Lucifer's already on the edge." She winked at me.

This was wrong. I was cheating her, in fact all of them. I did not deserve her gratefulness. I was just playing my part in an act. But this... it was all messed up now. I was way deeper into it than I ever intended to.