Growth Of A Wildflower

𝟞: Best For Nic

A few minutes go by, no one says a word.

Nic anxiously watches the door that Will disappeared through and Gina watches Nic. She doesn't want to ask any questions because she doesn't want to upset her daughter further.

When Will walks back through the door, Nic pushes off the couch and meets him halfway, putting her hands on her hips.

"What did you say to them?" She asks, giving him a stern look.

Will looks down at her, slightly amused by her stance.

"Go sit down with Johnny, Bird. I gotta talk to your mama."

"No! I wanna know what the hell you said to them!"

"Bella," Gina's voice comes from behind Nic,"do as he said. We'll discuss this with ya in a minute."

Nic turns to glare up at Gina.

"I wanna know now. They're my grandparents."

"I understand that," Gina says, gently,"and I promise we'll tell ya everything once Will and I talk. Okay?"

"You'll tell me what Will said to them?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Nic says, giving in. She walks back over to the couch and sits down.

Will and Gina leave the living room and walk together towards the front of the cafe.

As soon as they're out of earshot, Nic follows behind them. John leaves the couch, hoping to stop Nic before she gets herself caught.

Nic passes through the swinging door and enters the cafe's kitchen, with John close behind. She comes to a stop in front of the second door that leads to the front of the cafe.

She gets down on her stomach and presses her ear to the crack underneath the door. This way she's able to clearly hear the conversation.

John gets down next to her.

"Nic, you're gonna—"

He's cut off when Nic places a hand over his mouth, shooting him a glare.

She strains to hear what's being said. She hears the end of Gina's sentence.

"—say something like that?"

"I don't know," Will replies, his voice low,"they are grandparents. Isn't that what grandparents do?"

"My parents would never tell Bella that school isn't important. Why put these ideas into her head? It goes against everything I've taught her for the past three years."

When Will replies, his voice is so quiet, that Nic has to practically stick her ear under the door to hear him.

"Gina, I honestly think they were just trying to side with her so that she'd like them. Maybe we're reading too far into this. I told you what they said when I called—"

"No, Will," Gina snaps,"I'm telling ya right now that something is strange about this whole situation. Something isn't right."

"Gina—"

Nic can tell by Will's tone that he doesn't agree with what Gina is saying.

"Think about it, Will. Why are they here now? It's been years since they last saw Isabella. Marcus even said they were able to adopt her, but they didn't want to," she says this like it disgusts her.

"Maybe they regret it."

"Maybe. But you're telling me that after nearly eight years they all the sudden want a relationship with her? Doesn't sound right to me."