Note: The use of * in this episode indicates that a * in the start and end of lines or a line, it means that said line is actually on the phone and not said out loud. Example: If there is *Damaris: Hello, what's up*, it means Damaris sent a message of "Hello, what's up" on her phone. Also, the use of poor grammar in the group chat is intentional to be realistic! Sorry for being so complicated, it's Writco's fault that they don't have the option of Italics and Bold.

Start of episode 3:

As the Bartley family were on their way to see the new member in their Limousine, Azrael texted in her friends' group. There were her, Azrael but still labeled Damaris; Itzel, her sister; Niko Jones, their older cousin who oozed of confidence and lived in another city for her studies; Winnie, the bookworm; Kylie, the music-obsessed; Ellie, the calm one; and Egon, the only guy after Niko, the optimistic and over-dramatic one.
Azrael sent a text.
*Damaris: Hey, guys, I have a girl cousin now, what should I name her?*
Immediately her friends swarmed, and a snickering Itzel whispered, "Want name suggestions?"
Azrael looked at her phone.
*Egon: i've always liked the name Lily
Kylie: bruh dude that's such a boring and common name give her a unique name like Amity or sumthing
Itzel: Give us suggestions quick!!! we're on our way to our cousin.*
Azrael started typing again.
*Damaris: Guys, be fast, we're almost there!
Niko: How about Jesse or Stacy?
Winnie: GIRL IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MY WHOLE LIFE LEMME GRAB MY PAPERS REAL QUICK
Itzel: winnie what are you talking about loll???
Niko: Winnie, what? Haha.*
After a few seconds, Azrael heard a long string of notifications on her phone. "Who's messaging so much?!"
Itzel looked at the group chat. "It's Winnie." She laughed.
Azrael's jaw almost dropped when she saw Winnie's messages.
*Winnie: okay okay here I gooo
Winnie: Benny means strong.
Winnie: Diana means divine.
Winnie: Avianna means powerful.
Winnie: Bronte means thunder.
Winnie: Andrea means brave.
Niko: I like Andrea
Winnie: Raven means wise.
Winnie: Grace means goodness.
Winnie: Abbey means intelligent.
Winnie: Adia means noble.
Niko: Adia is fine too
Niko: Also, Winnie, how on earth did you get so many names?! They're all really great too
Winnie: need more, Damaris and Itzel??*
Azrael widened her eyes and immediately replied.
*Damaris: bestie, how did you get so many names like wowww? I'm definitely using one of these. tysm!!!!
Winnie: no prob. I'm actually writing a collection of short stories so I need name ideas a lot so i keep a list of them.
Niko: That's nice! I can proofread them if you want. I'm sure your stories will be awesome!!
Kylie: Wow, these names are beautiful.
Ellie: I will be needing a copy of your book
Itzel: that's so coool i can be yoru editor
Winnie: nah girl i know your grammar is absolute bongwater
Niko: Yeah, and Itzel, it's 'your' and not 'yoru'
Itzel: ok autocorrect
Egon: LLOLLL WINNIE AND ITZLE SLAYY ASDFJKLOPNUPOKOL
Winnie: i swear egon if i hear you say "slay" once more-
Niko: I'm sure Egon doesn't even know the meaning of slay
Kylie: lol you're so funny winnie love you
Winnie: Thanks Kylie and bye buds I have tuition :))*
Everyone in the group chat said goodbye and the car came to a halt. Azrael looked past the window and saw uncle Brayden and Aunt Alyssa's mansion.
"Get out, girls, we're here!" Walter, Alyssa's brother and Azrael's maternal uncle, exclaimed. He nudged Estelle, his wife, murmured something to her, and got out.
Estelle called after him as she ran, "Hey, you silly otter!" They both burst in laughter as they entered the mansion.
Azrael chuckled at them, and she and Itzel got out and they all went into the mansion.
Aunt Alyssa, a woman in her late 30's with brown skin, a braid of long black hair and a kindly personality, sat on an armchair with her newborn in her arms. Everyone went after her.
Brayden, a white man also in his late 30's and with a knack of wearing mismatched outfits (today he was wearing jeans and a thin, white turtleneck), rushed up near Alyssa and sat on the nearby couch.
"Whoa, whoa!" he said. "Calm down. It's overwhelming! Alyssa only came from the adoption center yesterday at midnight. It's been a chaotic ride adopting a poor baby. Give her some space. We can gather slowly and watch our girl."
Everyone started admiring the new little member of the family.
The baby had beige skin and sparkling orange eyes, amber color. She often kicked and punched the air playfully, flicking her pastel blue clothes, and her eyes had a unique vibe to them. It looked like something was going on in them, like there was a fiery storm raging inside.
She was really pretty.
"She's so cute!" Itzel said.
"Can I touch her hands?" Azrael asked.
Alyssa said, "Yes, you can, Damaris, but don't hold it too tight. She's a newborn, remember."
Azrael smiled and nodded. She went to touch the baby's hands, but suddenly she felt a huge wave of inevitable power—a "buzz!"—and she felt an electric shock. "Ow!" She instantly yanked her hand away and winced.
She muttered, "She… she…" then decided not to tell anyone. This was strange. Newborn babies definitely didn't give Angels of Death an electric shock every time, did they?
Azrael went to touch her hand again, and this time there was no shock, but the baby's hand felt warm—a little too warm.
Azrael pulled her own hand away and looked around for Itzel. Instead, she found Jamarco staring down at the newborn with gleaming eyes.
He said, "She's very beautiful… What should we name her?"
"Damaris!" Amanda instantly cut in.
Everyone laughed. Amanda had probably forgotten Azrael Agnolla was still Damaris Bartley for the family.
"What's so funny?" Amanda inquired.
Brayden's mother, and Azrael's, Itzel's and the newborn's grandma, Adrianna Clarkson, stepped in. She patted Azrael's head and said, "We already have a dear Damaris in the family, silly!"
Amanda said, "Oh, no, it's Azrael, not Damaris."
"What are you talking about, Ama?" Walter asked.
Azrael wasn't ready to tell her family yet. No, she would tell them later. She cut off Amanda as she remembered the list of names Winnie gave her. "Bronte! I'll name her Bronte!" she shouted, grinning.
"No, it's Damaris," Jamarco said.
Azrael insisted, "Bronte. It's-it's a great name. It means 'thunder'."
"Why would you wanna name your cousin thunder?" Walter asked.
Alyssa said, "Well, it's a good name."
Azrael stammered, knowing she couldn't in any way explain her first contact with her cousin, which had led to a small electric shock, "Y-yeah, and we're not focusing on the meaning, are we?"
"Yes, we are," Amanda argued. "Damaris means gentle. Look at this sweet pie." She pointed at the baby giggling in Alyssa's lap.
"Oh, no, Amanda, I'm on Damaris's side on this one," Brayden agreed.
"Yep, and maybe one day our daughter will be super savage and cool, and we can proudly call her thunder! THUNDER!" Alyssa roared. Itzel giggled.
Amanda couldn't resist, so she started to sing,
"Damaris is her name,
And you cannot decide.
You're not a grown up
So you have no might."
Azrael knew she wasn't going to be beaten in a musical battle. Her notebooks filled with song lyrics weren't going to any waste. She sang,
"Bronte is the name
Which she shall get.
Not another Damaris in the family
Will clean up the mess.
Thunder is light,
And light is bright,
Our new little baby
Will brightly achieve good heights."
Azrael was about to sing more, but her father, Jamarco, came in,
"She is an angel—
Angels are gentle.
Damaris is a name
Which will complete her."
Itzel, who had zero experience in singing, still tried and stood up for her sister,
"D is for Dumb
And D is for Damaris.
B is for Beautiful
And B is for Bronte."
Azrael almost wheezed of the stupid lyrics in such a melodious voice. Then she realized it was her chance to win, and that Itzel had sung only for her. Azrael held her head high and concluded harmoniously,
"So it isn't even a debate
To decide what she should be called by.
Bronte, it is!
So don't say anything anymore, except for a little 'Buh-bye'!"
There was a long, awkward pause. The look on Amanda and Jamarco's face was enough to tell that they could not use their voices now. They were simply awestruck.
"So…" Alyssa held out a hand for Brayden. They hugged. "It's officially decided, Brad! Our daughter's name is Bronte! Thunder!"
Everyone screamed excitedly—even Jamarco and Amanda—and celebrated the entry of the new family member.
Bronte Bartley was a new part of the Bartley family.

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And that's the end of episode 3! Tell me what you think is gonna happen because you're in for a hell of a ride! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
© Arshi
#family #birth #adoption #newborn #angel #death #dead #part #music