To Live Again, For the First Time!

Chapter 7 - The Cracking Walls Around Her Heart

"I'm your big brother, so I'll be sure to protect you!" Nathen proclaimed once again, but this time, he was speaking directly to Emilin.

Seeing his determined look, Emilin was incredibly touched. Even though she knew that a child's words were, well, just that, she also knew that they were the purest. She could absolutely tell that he was 100% serious, which moved her greatly. ??

Though her emotions were described using such words, they were in fact much rawer than words could describe. They were like diamonds that were dug up before they even had such a name or value. They were untainted of any human definition because Emilin had yet to define them. Such diamonds were only special because they were pretty and appreciated by the person who had found them, themselves.

Emilin was the only person who needed to be satisfied, no one else. There was no need for her own feelings to be approved of or defined by other people.

The cracks on the walls surrounding her heart deepened as emotions of gratitude and joy as well as care tried to flood in. The turmoil was physically manifested as tears of joy, yet Emilin was still unable to process what they meant.

The sheer number of feelings coursing through her was already fully capable of confusing her. She didn't know that her eyes were tearing up, but the people surrounding her noticed and their first thoughts were all to check on her, to see if she was either uncomfortable or in pain.

These were the gestures of love that were done subconsciously, the actions that proved that more often than not, one's family will be the ones who will be there to support you, even if you don't see it yourself.

Yet many aren't able to realize until it is too late. In fact, Emilin herself had yet to find out just how much her family cared for her.

The giggles that inadvertently came out of her mouth, were those of the innocent babe that she was, yet the two tears that slid down her cheek made her seem anything, but simple. If there were anyone else there to witness this scene, they might even believe that this child was cursed or simply mad. And yet somehow, the two young boys along with their mother seemed to find this scene both novel and beautiful, like no other.

Ghost hiding in the corner of the room: 'I remember that Boo-Sempai said that one of the symptoms of staying in the human world for too long at once was insanity. So am I going insane or are these people all crazy? Since when have humans been so damn creepy, god they give me the chills.'

God who was unwarrantedly pulled into the conversation: '...'

Nathen was the first to react, reaching out his hand to wipe the tear that was about to fall off of Emilin's chin. It was truly a wonderous moment, everyone seemed to be stunned when they saw that tear rolling off Emilin's face, unable to tear their eyes off of her.

"Don't cry again. Or I might be scolded for doing a poor job and being a bad brother," Nathen said. He said more to himself than to Emilin who supposedly couldn't understand him. It was only then that Emilin noticed her tears.

'WHY AM I CRYING AGAIN?' Emilin truly didn't understand it at all. She knew that when people were, quote on quote 'sad', they would cry, she also heard that sadness was not an enjoyable emotion. Even with her lack of experience, she was able to tell that she was not feeling, the emotion called 'sadness'. So why was she shedding tears?

'Is this supposed to be normal for babies?'

When she thought again, she realized that she really wasn't very knowledgeable about children, but she had found the term 'cry baby' in the files that were locked in her mind as recollections.

'Then I guess this should be normal then?' She thought. Elena on the other hand didn't know what to think...'Even when my little baby is crying she is adorable!' Her mind was truly riding on another wavelength when compared to others.

Theo was worried when he saw tears, but when he heard little Emi's giggles he followed up with giggles of his own. Meanwhile, Elena's poor little soul was preparing to ascend to heaven.

'Ah this is my little piece of heaven on Earth' She thought. It is unknown if Gabriel would be sad or not if he were to hear his precious wife's thoughts.

Gabriel who was still at his office rubbed his nose. 'Why is my nose so itchy? Gosh, I want to go home... just one last report! Will my wifey forget about me if I'm at work too much...? I must be overthinking things because of the stress. Yes, she would never stop loving me.'

Gabriel's worries were unwarranted, but his thought process wasn't wrong either. He was deeply loved by Elena, yet her children would always be placed slightly above him. He was nonetheless, the father of her children, another piece of her heart that she would not be able to forgo.

Back at home, all was peaceful as the children interacted with each other. Nathen was seated on the bed with his back resting on the headboard as he read a short story to both Theo and Emi. Theo was seated next to him with his head resting on Nathen's shoulder and Emilin was placed on his lap. The two children who had been listening to Nathen dictate the story of Cinderella intently had long started to doze off.

When little Theo started to snore, Nathen looked at Emilin, who had also gone to dreamland. He closed the book and placed it on the bedside drawer. It was then that Elena came back with a plate full of cut apples, only to see that the two of the children had already fallen asleep. She sat down next to Theo and raised her hand to move his hair away from his eyes.

"You're going to be an amazing big brother Nathen, you don't have to be worried." She said.

"Of could I am!" He responded. His mother knew him best. Even though he didn't show it Nathen would sometimes worry that his sister wouldn't like a brother like him. Even after his mother's assurance, he still wasn't too sure.

After a few seconds of peace and silence, the phone call came to Elena. She picked it up after seeing it was from Gabriel.

What she didn't know was that the news she received today, would also change her life, as well as the lives of the rest of her family.