She's a Lady

James’ POV
I felt my head thump when she said that. She looked down at her flashcard and sat up a little to face me.

“You guys act like siblings though” I said.

She looked at me.

“You don’t have to be blood related to someone to think of them as family”

I nodded, she was right. My team was my family.

“I’ve never met them. She uh passed away and he just doesn’t want to know about me. I know my mom was Columbian though, him I never really bothered because he pushed me away and al”

My eyes widened and she gave me a smile. She was good at hiding her emotions because the smile didn’t look forced at all.

“So they adopted you?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Yea when I was 4 years old. I grew up in a convent”

Her biological father dropped her off infront of a church. A pastor and some nuns found her and he raised her. He was Italian and he was the one who named her. He taught her how to read, talk, and he was her father figure for the first four years of her life until child services charged him of child pornography and all these horrible things. They were all lies but it got Bella send to an Adoption home. She was adopted 8 days later.

“They adopted Eric when Mom was 35 years old. Dad was 40 years old. Eric is 2 years older than me. Anyways, Eric wanted a little sister. All the girls went up to him to talk to them and I didn’t. I wanted to go back home so I kind of just did my own thing and also I was extremely shy as a child and that’s what attracted my mom to walk over to me. She said she fell in love with my eyes and the fact that I offered her some fake tea. By the time I turned 5, I was a Martinez”

I smiled at her and she nodded.

“What attracted your parents to adopt Eric? “ I asked.

“I was crying and when they picked me up I stopped crying”

I turned to see Eric standing by the doorway. I nodded and let out a deep breath.

“You guys get along so well. I honestly thought you guys were like actual siblings” I said.

She laughed and smiled.

“Yea we’re family. Mom fell in love with Adam’s face because he’s baby faced”

Eric laughed and looked at Adam. He waved at us and walked into the kitchen.

“So um want to bake?”

I raised an eyebrow and she got up. I stood up and followed her into her kitchen.

“We can eat some apple pie. Sidney isn’t allergic right? Neither is Beau?”

I shrugged and took out my phone. It buzzed in response and I looked at her.

“None of them are” I said.

She nodded and began taking out ingredients.

“So how old is your little brother?” I asked.

“Why do people talk like I’m not here?”

They both laughed as she looked at me and then at the apples she was cutting.

“He’s 17, turns 18 soon”

I nodded.

“The kid is super smart. He’s had it rough, but he’s a total gentleman. My parents usually send him over during the summer. He was in Boston with me and North Dakota since he says I spoil him”

I smiled.

“You guys are close” I noted.

She nodded and looked at me.

“Sometimes, Family is all you need”

I nodded and looked at her. That’s true, sometimes family is all you need.

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