"It's alright, dove. And you never answered the question. Is she cute?"
My brows crease. She's… admittedly a physically attractive woman. That doesn't mean I have feelings for her like Mother is suggesting. “She’s good looking, but I don't have feelings for her like that.”
“Hm. What's the most attractive part about her?”
“Mother!” She's testing me!
“What? I'm just asking a question!”
“I'm not into her. I can't be into her anyway.”
“Then this question should be easy! Just name something attractive about her!”
My answer will determine for her whether I’m in love with Clara. I'm well aware of what she's trying to do.
I think for a moment. Her eyes seem to be the most notable thing I've noticed. “Her eyes…”
“Her eyes?”
“Yeah. When light hits them, they're like rings of fire. Sometimes it feels like she’s burning right through me…” I think back to when she first challenged me all those nights ago. How her eyes looked in sunset starlight… howshelooked in starlight… She's beautiful…
And her physical beauty isn't the only thing that's attractive. “You know, she's not someone to mess around with. She’s not afraid to call you out when you're wrong. And herempathy… it's kind of insane how protective and understanding she can be. She's even taught me some things about that.” A warmth settles in my chest and cheeks. That's the part I admire the most. From her empathy with dreamscreechers, to her encouragement about my soulmateless situation, she's truly incredible.
Mother chuckles on the other side. “Okay, dove. You can stop swooning.”
My heart jumps. “What?”
“I didn't ask for a list of reasons why she was attractive, and yet you're swooning so much, I don't think you realized you were rambling!”
“What? No!” I shake my head, but thinking about Clara makes my heart flutter. Do I… like her in that way?
Mother continues, “Maybe the flower will glow for you both. Maybe she's the one.”
My heart twists excitedly at the idea. Almost instinctively, a buzz starts in my hand, and the flower grows from my palm. What if it does? What if she doesn't have a soulmate?
Maybe I can see if she has a soulmate bond. Maybe we could make it work if she feels the same about me.
"You should invite her to your birthday party," she suggests. "I want to meet her."
I snap away from fantasy. Clara probably wouldn't like that idea. “I’m not sure she'd like it. She freaked out last time I mentioned taking her to the castle."
"Why?"
"Pressure I think. I mean, Grandmother is going to be there. It’s not something to take lightly for most people.”
"But I want to know who got my little dove smitten."
Cold dread replaces the warmth of love. I shouldn't fall for Clara. She probably has someone out there for her that will fit much more than me. I'd only be holding her back. "May I remindyou Grandmother said I don't have a soulmate? It probably won't-"
"Blah, blah, blah. Who says you can't get married and then have three little dovelings just because my mother couldn't arrange it? Forget that!"
I roll my eyes at her remarks. "I love you, Mother."
"I love you too, little dove. Ask her, alright?"
"Yeah, I'll see you later."
"See ya!"
