11: Changing minds

Jonah was sitting in the family room staring at the fire he had set in the fire place when his father walked in. He had a lot on his mind starting with he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. “I’m not sure if i want to still do this ball?”

Ryan turned to face his son he knew this was far to late to be considering. This was what Emma had always wanted and they couldn’t change it now. “Jonah you know it is to late to cancel.”

“But what if i don’t want to get married to someone’s stuffy daughter?” Jonah asked he knew the goal was to make sure his mother could see him get married but he wasn’t sure how that was to happen if he had the girl he met at the market on his mind.

Ryan went and had a seat next to his son. He knew this was a lot to change but he knew without this ball Emma was losing her chance at finding Layla. “Where is this coming from this is your mother’s wish?”

“I met someone and she intrigued me.” Ryan wished he could say that it was just that he was intrigued but it was more than that. He knew one meeting with a girl shouldn’t land her a permanent spot in his mind.

“Jonah your mother is counting on this.” Ryan reminded he knew Emma had been waiting for the chance to come where she could finally meet her goddaughter. Where she would see her son get married it was all finally here.

Jonah nodded taking a breath in and out he knew his dad was right, his mother wanted to see him get married it was her dying wish. “But what if this isn’t what i want.”

“Your mother is dying and she wants to see you get married we have to keep with the plan.” Ryan said he knew his wife had decided to keep the part about why this was happening from him but they needed it to continue and go according to the plan.

“Fine father.” Jonah agreed.
–
Zamiyah was sitting in her room when there was a knock at the door. She groaned standing up to go open it and seeing her older brother Ethan. “What do you want?”

“Can i come in?” Ethan asked he knew this was going to need to remain a private conversation. She wasn’t going to like it but he knew they needed to talk about it, they needed to consider it.

She sighed stepping aside to let him walk through the door she closed it behind him going to sit on her bed and looking over at him. “What Ethan? What could be so important that you have to come and disturb me?”

Ethan grabbed her desk chair moving it in front of her and taking a seat. He knew her reaction to this was not about to be fun. But their sister deserved this chance and she needed to know the two of them were going to support her on it. “I’m about to say something to you sis and i need you to not yell at me.”

“Ethan i don’t like when you say things like that.” Zamiyah said she loved her brother but she hated when he got serious it led to no good things.

Ethan sighed he didn’t want to say this. “I think we should tell Layla to go to leave to run.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Come on Maya we both know that it is the best option here she’s scared she won’t have control because she constantly fights against her powers.” Ethan said he loved his sister he did and he knew she was always scared of what people would think of her so she lost control. But he knew once she gave it a chance she would be capable of anything. “Until she embraces them she’s in trouble. I love my sister and i don’t want anything to happen to her. I refuse.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Zamiyah asked.

“We should talk to her tell her that if she were to leave we would be ok with it that we wouldn’t be sad.” Ethan said.

“We lie to her.” Zamiyah concluded. She guessed her brother had a point they needed their sister to know they were ok with this or she wasn’t going to leave.

“To protect her.” Ethan emphaszied he knew they had to do this they had to give her a fighting chance and this was it.

“But i don’t want to lose my sister.” Zamiyah confessed she felt her eyes tears well up she did want was best for Layla and she knew telling her that they were ok with her running to save herself was it.

Ethan nodded trying to fight himself from crying this was the last thing he wanted to do. She was the best sister anyone could ask for her. But he knew his sister and if they didn’t say something they were going to stay for them. “I don’t either but we both know she stands out in a crowd it doesn’t matter if she does her best to pretend she isn’t there she will be seen. And if something happens if she gets spooked and what next we attend her funeral.”

“I hate you when you're right.” Zamiyah wiped the stray tears falling from her eyes not wanting to cry now.

“I hate me too.” Ethan admitted he hated he thought of this he hated he knew this was the only way for his sister to be safe.

“Do we have too?” Zamiyah asked.

“We should give her the option to choose.” Ethan said he knew she deserved the chance to decide what she wanted to do. She decided to say if they wanted to leave or if she wanted to stay but the options needed to be hers.

“But i don’t want her to leave.” Zamiyah admitted.

“And you think that i do?” Ethan asked it was the last thing he wanted and that it was the same for him.

“No i think you just want to protect her.” Zamiyah sighed and she knew she needed to do the same.

Ethan wiped the stray tears from his eyes he couldn’t cry not now. He knew when they went to their sister they needed to skeem as if they were sure of this. “We have to protect her after everything she has done for us it’s only fair that we return the favor.”

“By letting her know if leaving is the only option then we are ok with it.” Zamiyah finished she knew this was the way to go if she needs to she can and it won’t change a thing.

“Exactly.”

“Ok lets do it.”