“I talked to my mom yesterday, told her that I had a new job that required a lot of travel and that’s why I hadn’t been around. I’m not sure she bought it. I think she was more upset at the fact that I wasn’t coming home then anything else.” Carefully, Alex reached over and took Maddie’s hand, sighing in relief when she didn’t snatch it back. “I’ve never brought anyone home to meet my parents before, not even Sam.”
Maddie nodded, unable to speak. She understood what it took for Alex to bring her here, to risk introducing her to his family. There was so much he couldn’t say and she knew from talking with him over the past few months just how much his family meant to him. He was close with his mother, closer still to his brothers and sisters – of which there were many. “We don’t have to go in,” she said. “I know you didn’t…”
“No,” Alex cut her off. “I want you to meet them, I want them to meet you. Will you come with me?”
Maddie nodded and then waited while Alex came around to open her door. As soon as she stepped out of the car, Maddie felt vulnerable and exposed. “What if they don’t like me?” She asked.
“Not a chance,” Alex said tucking her hand into the crook of his arm.
Alex didn’t bother to knock; letting himself in, he led Maddie over the threshold of his parents’ house and into chaos.
Maddie was immediately struck by the feeling of home. The small cottage was filled to the rafters with men and women; all trying to talk over one another while scores of children ran under foot. In one corner a woman sat nursing a babe, both mother and child had bright red hair that refused to be tamed. Across from her sat two other women, both obviously pregnant. As she watched, one pregnant woman reached down and lifted a toddler on to her lap. So different were they in coloring that Maddie guessed that they were related by marriage rather then blood. Love and laughter filled the room to almost bursting.
So entranced was she that it took Maddie a moment to realize that the room had gone silent and all eyes had turned to stare at her and Alex.
“Alex?” Maddie turned towards the voice and saw a small, plump woman getting to her feet.
“Hi mom,” Alex said and gave his mom a fierce hug. In that moment, he realized for the first time how much he’d missed his family. Being a member of the pack was so close but this, this was his family. “How are you?”
Rachel looked up at her youngest son; she’d just started to form a response when the rest of the family came rushing forward. The youngest of seven, Alex was the baby of the family and spoiled by brothers and sisters alike. His recent disappearance had left them all utterly lost as to what was going on.
Alex struggled under the love and attention from his family. He loved them, without question, but being the youngest had left him with not two but eight parents and he’d struggled to get out from under it all. That realization helped to push back some of the homesickness seeing his family had brought up and reminded him of why he was here. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet someone.” Alex reached behind him and brought Maddie forward. “This is Maddie, my wife.”
Maddie’s gaze flew to Alex’s face as the rest of his family went silent in surprise. She had expected him to introduce her as his girlfriend and would have been happy with that. She never expected him to introduce her as his wife!
“Wife? Did he say they were married?”
“I don’t understand…”
“Certainly, you don’t mean… that is…”
Alex ignored his brothers and sisters and focused on his mother. His father had died a few years ago; as the youngest, Alex had been the only one of his siblings without a spouse. It had seemed natural that he would stay with his mother and keep her company. If there was anyone that would take his announcement hard, it would be his mother.
Rachel turned to the young woman waiting quietly next to her son. Small and petite, with blond hair and bright blue eyes, it was easy to see why Alex had been attracted to her. Looking closer, Rachel sensed the strength under the quiet exterior. Looking from Alex to the young woman and back it was obvious that she had two choices, accept her son’s choice in a bride or lose him forever. Extending her hand, Rachel said, “Welcome Maddie, I’m Rachel.”
Alex breathed a sigh of relief and watched as Maddie allowed his mother to pull her further into the room. It didn’t take long for his brothers to surround him, asking for details and offering up their congratulations. Not a single one of them had missed the beauty their younger brother had managed to catch. The fact that she appeared to be as sweet as she was beautiful was a bonus.
Alex and Maddie ended up spending the day with his family. The first few moments had been tense but it didn’t take long for everyone to realize that there was nothing to worry about. Maddie seemed undisturbed by the large family, the questions that came from all directions or the myriad of children that constantly ran in and out of the room.
At one point, Rachel pulled Alex aside and asked, “Are you happy?”
Alex stared down at his mother and felt a fist tighten around his heart. How could he have ever thought that she would be anything less then happy for him? “I am.” Looking over, Alex smiled at seeing Maddie sitting on the floor, one of his nieces curled up asleep in her lap. “I love her very much. I’m sorry we didn’t wait. It’s just…”
Rachel cut him off. “Love; it doesn’t wait for anyone. I just hope that you two will consider allowing us to throw you a reception at some point. There are a lot of people that would like to celebrate your marriage.”
Alex nodded. Realizing that, legally, they weren’t actually married, he offered, “Maddie and I could renew our vows – you know, have a ceremony and everything with the family.”
Rachel nodded, pleased. “I’d like that.”
Here’s hoping Maddie doesn’t mind, he thought and went to gather his mate. It took them another hour to leave. Between his sisters wanting to offer Maddie words of advice and his mother weighing them down with food, it was all he could do to get them into the car and down the road.
They’d been driving in silence for twenty minutes, only this time the quiet was comfortable. “Thank you,” Maddie said.
It was late; the roads were slick with rain and Alex didn’t dare take his eyes off the roads. Still, he reached over and took Maddie’s hand in his own. “I love you, Maddie. No matter what I do, and I’m bound to make mistakes, that will never change.”
“I know,” she whispered.
Nafarius left Sam sleeping. After her appointment, still reeling from the news, they’d set out to do some shopping for the babies. Nafarius had stared at all the stuff they supposedly needed and swore that it was a conspiracy by the manufactures. Sam just laughed and started loading up the cart.
He was actually impressed; despite her inexperience with babies, Sam seemed to have common sense approach to the things they would need. Given their living space and lack of car she quickly dismissed the crib and something called a ‘travel system’. However, she stocked up on diapers, wipes, blankets and clothes. They only time she totally seemed to lose it was when she spotted a pair of shoes. Impossibility small, Nafarius reminded her that most pack children went barefoot. Sam simply ignored him and threw two pairs, one pink, and one blue, in with the rest of the stuff.
While they shopped for baby clothes, Seth and Jake ran down the list of supplies Nafarius had put together. Given the amount of stuff Sam was hauling back, Nafarius told them to have everything shipped. Roland already had orders to have a group of pack members waiting for them to start the job of hauling supplies back to the pack.