Eames had been so apprehensive about her arrival at Goren's family home.
She had accepted Goren's invitation to come and spend her vacation with his family in Maine.
For once she could go out of state...
And get to experience another place.
Eames didn't hesitate.
In addition...
Eames didn't see the harm.
She was finally going to get to know that part of her family.
And some of its secrets.
Because it had to be said that her partner was very mysterious when it came to his family.
But to her great surprise...
When they arrived...
Gorene and Eames had been very well received by Goren's family.
In this small world that welcomed them was Goren's great-aunt named Cathy, a small woman, with graying hair, small in stature, at her side was her brother, Tobby, medium in stature, with white hair, and behind Cathy's legs, was a little girl.
This little girl immediately attracted Eames' attention.
Strangely enough...
The little girl in question looked like Goren.
She had long ebony curls, big brown eyes, and a fairly round body, but unlike her partner, the little girl was of average height for her age.
Eames tried to calculate the child's age.
Maybe five years old...
Maybe six.
- Molly is very shy...
Molly, with her thumb in her mouth, did not take her eyes off Eames.
She clung desperately to the legs of Great Aunt Cathy who put her hand in her ebony curls, caressed them with extreme softness.
- Especially with the new faces.
Eames immediately took a liking to the little girl.
She was so cute.
Emaes had an urge to soothe the little girl's fears.
She felt the need to reassure her.
So Eames decided to approach the child, who hid behind the legs of the great aunt.
When he reached the little girl's side, Eames crouched down to her level.
- Hi Molly... I'm Alex…

At Eames' words, said with extreme gentleness, the little girl shyly poked her head out from behind Cathy's legs, and came face to face with big hazel eyes that shone with tenderness, and a sweet smile on Eames' lips.
Molly took a long look at Alex, and walked over to her, thumb still on her mouth, and put her little finger on her arm.
- Are you Uncle Bobby's lover?
At the words of the little girl said with innocence, Eames blushed violently, not daring to look at Goren, all embarrassed.
His lover...
It was true that everyone made this mistake.
If adults made that mistake...
How could a little girl of that age not have made a mistake.
- I'm his work partner.
Uncle Bobby's work partner...
Was it true.
She had thought...
Especially...
that Alex was really pretty.
And that she seemed very nice.
Gently, Eames took her hand to Molly's ebony curls and ruffled them, making the little girl blush with pleasure, and smile.
- Molly... The little girl looked up at her great-aunt. Can you show Eames his room... Cathy looked up at her nephew. While I take care of your uncle.
The little girl smiled broadly and nodded, happy to take care of Eames.
Molly put her little hand in Eames' hand, intertwined her little fingers with his, and kept her thumb in her mouth, refusing to let go.
- You come on Eames...
Molly gently pulled Eames after her, leading her toward the house.
- Molly... Eames stopped, stopping the little girl in the process. Since we're going to be living together for a while... The little girl turned around, waiting for the next part. You can call me Alex.
Molly thought for a moment, and then decided to say her name.
- Alex...
With her thumb in her mouth, it was hard to understand what the little girl was saying.
But Eames was touched by this child.
It was as if something inside her had just opened up at Molly's touch.

Cathy waited until Eames and Molly had entered the house and disappeared from her sight before turning to her nephew.
- Cathy approached Goren. She's your famous partner...
At her words, said with suspicion, Goren blushed violently, put his hand on the back of his neck, looked away, everything was embarrassing.
Good God...
Why was it the same thing every time.
Why did he always feel like a child who had done something stupid in front of his great-aunt.
He hadn't done anything wrong.
Goren had just asked Eames to come and spend his vacation with him...
And to meet his family.
Where was the harm...
So why so much suspicion in his great aunt's big hazel eyes.
- Was she just a partner...
Goren took Cathy's hint.
Cathy didn't believe her story of partnership at all.
And how could he argue with her...
When it was the first time he had brought someone from work.
And especially...
A woman.
And that this woman was also pretty.
It could be confusing.
- Of course...
Was this lie true...
Her nephew was lying with such aplomb.
She had seen the look in his eyes when Alex had befriended Molly.
That look couldn't lie.
To her nephew...
Eames was more than just her partner.
Cathy would bet her life on it.
Maybe she should watch him...
In addition...
When she saw Eames...
Cathy understood that such a beautiful partner could not leave a boy like her nephew indifferent.

She was much too pretty.

And above all...

She seemed to have her own little character.

It showed on her.

Maybe she had found another person besides herself...
Namely to manage her nephew.
Because it was necessary to recognize...
That it was necessary to have an iron fist in a velvet glove to know how to manage him.
So maybe this little blonde woman...
- I hope you don't have any twisted ideas... Like your father...
At this allusion, Goren blushed, offended, and hurt.
Name of God...
Goren hated it when his great-aunt compared him to his father.
He couldn't stand such a comparison.
He would never be like his father.
Goren had a deep respect for Eames.
And he would never behave the way his father had behaved with her.
He had a deep tenderness for Eames.
A desire to protect her.
So to compare him to his father...
That notorious debauchee who used to take her with him when he was just a little boy, and cheated on his mother without any embarrassment, just leaving him in the next room, and he heard everything.
And after his father did his dirty work, they would go home, as if nothing had happened, but making him promise not to tell his mother.
And Goren had always kept quiet.
But only for his mother.
He didn't want to hurt her feelings.
So he kept it to himself.
In addition...
Goren hated it when people thought he was like this man.
He would never be like him.
It had taught him the mistakes he would never make.
And how disgusting it was for him to behave like that.
- I'm not...
Cathy raised her hand, silencing him.
- I know you're not your father... and lucky for you. She put her hand on his shoulder with concern. But I hope you only have good intentions towards Eames.
Good intentions...
Good God...
If Cathy knew what he really had in mind...
Maybe she wouldn't be so warm to him.
So it was better that he hid his real intentions towards Eames.
Because he didn't want to deal with the ogre Cathy.

When Cathy was throwing tantrums...

She reminded him strangely of a little blonde girl.

And he never acted proud.

Making himself very small every time.

- Let's go in and join the girls.

Goren nodded, followed Cathy and Tobby.