Liona headed to the kitchen with the dishes and was preparing to load the dishwasher when her mom came in. She was a bit surprised since she was tired and by all means should be heading to bed.
"What's up, Mama?" Liona asked as her mom enveloped her in a hug.
"I just miss my baby girl, cuddles. You were rather quiet during breakfast, I wanted to hear about what's been going on in your life lately. How you've been and what your plans are for spring break, before your birthday? Any new developments with that boyfriend of yours, Jeffery?" Her mom asked as she withdrew from the hug.
"Mom, I broke up with him almost two weeks ago! He's not my boyfriend anymore!" Liona grumped as she put the dishes in the dishwasher.
"That's exactly why I wanted to know about what's been going on with my baby. I miss a lot of your life when I'm not home, and I hate it. I always thought that I would be able to be home a lot more often once I became established in my career, but all I seem to do is miss everything important in my babies' lives." Her mom sounded sad.
"It's okay, Mom. I just thought Dad would have told you. He was cheating on me with Brenda and I caught him with his tongue down her throat, so I broke up with him then and there. You always told me not to take anyone's B.S. especially not a boy's so I didn't even let him explain, even when he kept trying to talk to me. I don't date cheaters and I certainly won't take them back." She explained.
"Good. I hope your father knows that he won't be welcome in this house again then?"
"Yep. I told Dad that he wasn't allowed to come to my party." Liona said as she started washing the pots and pans her mom had used to make breakfast in.
"Good. What else has been going on? Did you manage to do well on your finals? They were earlier this week, right?"
"Mom, why are you staying up talking to me when you should be getting sleep?" Liona tried to change the subject, but her Mom knew her ways and wasn't buying it.
"Adeliona, do not change the subject."
She cringed when her mom used her much disliked full first name. She didn't even know where the 'Ade' came from in her name or why her mom had chosen such a weird name when Liona would have been more than sufficient of a name.
"I did the best I could. I won't know if I passed anything until next week after all the tests are graded anyway. You and Dad will get the results well before I see them." She answered honestly.
"As long as you tried, that's what matters. You know your dad used to hate to study too when he was your age. He would often ask me to help keep him motivated or for help on the more complicated problems…" Her mom got a wistful look in her eye.
"Really? Dad used to hate studying too? I find that hard to believe since he always seems buried neck deep in paperwork at work. I can't imagine him like that, let alone being my age!" Liona exclaimed as she set the last pot on the drainer to dry.
"Hmm, I believe I still have your dad's college portrait somewhere in the family album. He was 16 when he graduated high school, just like I was when I graduated. He was a very handsome young man, even back then." Her mom smiled again with a faraway look in her eye.
Liona giggled. Her mom was still madly in love with her dad, and she loved that about them both. They still supported each other even after all these years. A partnership with equal standing was important to her too because of the positive role models in her life. It was one of the reasons she wouldn't take anyone's B.S. in a relationship. That brought thoughts of Erik to mind. He didn't take anyone's B.S. neither.
"Mama? How did you know that Dad was your fated mate? How will I know a person is my fate, when I find my own fated mate someday?"
"Hmm? Has my baby already found someone that you think is your mate? Is that why the sudden curiosity? I guess you are at that tender age where you want more romance than just a crush. I should talk to your Aunt Jeanie about getting you some birth control, goddess knows that most boys are brainless about keeping condoms on them… The number of young mothers I see is a testament to that…"
"MOM! Really! I'm so not ready for that yet! I'm not even dating anyone!" Liona got flustered. "I already told dad that my heat's not till next month and here you are, planning on me having sex with some nonexistent alpha! My suppressants are also working just fine, so you don't have to worry. I'm not planning on jumping the first alpha I really like!"
"I was just thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to have you on them. I know you aren't reckless, Liona, but still, you really haven't experienced a full heat before where you haven't suppressed it. A true heat where you don't suppress it, is not something that you can think clearly through, especially if there is an alpha nearby that is affecting you."
Liona sighed. Her dad had been more forthcoming with information about his fated union with her mom. She was resigning herself to not getting the answer from her mom, until she finally seemed to get to the point of her earlier question.
"Well, I guess you could say that the instant your eyes both connect, and you really look at the other is when that connection with your fated mate will occur. Your inner omega and their inner alpha will need the opportunity to see each other and recognize the other as their mate. Eyes are the window to our souls and only when baring our souls for our mates to see, will that connection establish itself. It was like that with your dad. The second that I stopped putting up a wall between us, and I really looked him in the eye, sparks flew. There was a palpable feel of electricity in the air and as we touched, the sparks ignited something in me that I had been scared to let out. But once I stopped fighting that feeling, the rest is history. I dated, mated with, and finally married your dad and right after our honeymoon, I had you." Her mom explained with a fond smile as she remembered her youth.
"Wow. Both you and Dad say there was electricity in the air when you were in proximity to one another, especially when you both touched! That's so neat, Mama!" Liona was really excited to learn this. It was not only romantic to hear of her parents' fateful moment, but a sort of interesting coincidence when she thought about when she and Erik touched for the first time. It sort of made her wonder if she was attracted to him because he was possibly her fated mate.
"Alright. You've gotten my answer. Now, do you have any plans for the day, my darling daughter? Did you want to have a girl's day with your sisters and I?"
Liona felt torn. She wanted to spend time with her mom, but at the same time she was already looking forward to seeing Erik, even if he was going to be working. She also wanted to see if Nikki wanted some of her old clothes too. But she should ask her sisters if they had clothes they wanted to get rid of too since they didn't buy nearly as much clothing as she and only bought things when they outgrew something. They were starting to fill out a bit since they were growing up, so it was reasonable to think they might have things that didn't fit anymore.
"I can see that you already have plans, Liona. It's alright. I know you're a little too old to be wanting to spend time out with your mother. I was the same way when I was your age. Go on and spend your time however you wish, darling." Her mom said with a fond smile that was just a touch of melancholy.
"That's not it at all! I just already had plans for my morning, but my afternoon should be free! I was planning on doing a little shopping for my birthday after I culled some of my wardrobe from last year's fashion. I was gonna ask Rora and Ari if they had things they wanted to get rid of as well. My new friend Erik has a sister the girls' age, and I was thinking maybe she might want some cute clothes." Liona went on to explain a bit about Erik and his large family as well as some of her worries about him to her mom.