Charley packed up Luka, some extra blankets and all of his favorite toys. She knew that she was only going to be at the baby shower for a little bit, but she hated to leave the house without anything that her son might need. She was pregnant again, so she hated the thought of apparating. She had traveled back to Louisiana the week before to see her parents with her son, so the trip to to Ada’s would be much easier. James was going to see if he could get off base for the baby shower, and if he couldn’t then his mother would just show up. She knew that things had been strained between them, but it was from Callum rearing his fucked up head back into her life.

The young blonde picked up her son, looking into his bright blue eyes. He was perfection. He was the happiest and sweetest little boy any mother could have asked for, but she hated the side of him that was Callum. As much as she told herself that he wasn’t there, as much as she tried to convince herself that Luka was James’s son, she knew the truth. She knew that there could be a day when Luka would turn against her and seek out his father. That he could want to know more about his father and hated Charley and James for not telling him.

“I love you, Luka. Always and forever, baby boy.” She kissed his forehead, smiling when a red kiss print imprinted itself on his head. With a few quick wipes of her thumb, it was gone. Luka started to babble in his toddler streams of words, putting a smile back on Charley’s face. No matter what, Luka was hers. Callum didn’t matter because he would never be a father to her baby. He could have his life with Clover, or whoever else was stupid enough to give into him, she refused to have anything to do with the monster.

Ada’s old plantation mansion was only a short trip away from Charely’s bayou home. She knew that her friend had been raised with more money than anyone needed, but Ada was a wodnerful person and that was what mattered. She never looked down on Charley for being raised by a family in the middle of swamp land. For having a mother who did fortune tellings for tourists or a father who made red beans and rice in a restaurant. They were just always Ada and Charley. Best friends and thick as thieves.

“Ready to see Auntie Ada?” She asked, walking up the gravel pathway, her swelling belly leading the way. Luka on her hip and her small purse filled with all of his toys and things he would need. All of his things were charmed to be much smaller so she wouldn’t have to worry about carrying too much. Carefully Charley pushed open the door and stuck her head in,
“AdaBanana?” She asked smiling.
“Can I come in?”