by Mj Fields
���You,��� she blushed.
���Hmm my little Ho, Ho, Ho,��� Brody grabbed her and kissed her.
���That���s so not nice!��� Emma snapped.
���But funny right?��� Brody smiled and his eyes twinkled.
���Yeah,��� Emma laughed and hugged him.
���Breakfast, now or a little later?��� Brody kissed her neck.
���Now���yes they���re waiting,��� Emma whimpered slightly and pulled away, ���I think you should start wearing pajama bottoms to bed.���
���You do?��� he laughed.
���Well what if they come in and see?��� Emma pulled pants on.
���See what Em?��� he joked.
She shook her head and walked out the door.
* * *
The sat on the water���s edge, watching the kids play. Henry and Caroline looked tired.
���Collin sent a message,��� Brody said softly, ���He has it all set up for Elizabeth to return home.���
���We have to bury her ���again,��� Caroline cried and Henry held her.
���We���ll get through this,��� Henry kissed his wife���s head.
They sat silently for a few minutes.
���What plans do you two have? When will you come home?��� Henry asked Emma.
Emma looked at Brody, ���Clive���s waiting for reports and when we get everything he���s giving it to my lawyer, you know Emma and I have yet to discuss this,��� he looked at Emma.
���Its okay go ahead,��� Emma rubbed his hand.
���After my lawyer looks things over we���ll probably go to the police and let the chips fall where they may, we���ll be alright,��� Brody smiled.
���We need to talk to Lila, Brody,��� Emma said softly.
���I���ll make sure Clive gets information to her,��� he smiled, ���I don���t want to continue bringing this tragic event up, but Elizabeth will arrive in three days. Her body well be prepared there so a service can happen immediately.���
���Okay,��� Henry looked out at Maddox.
* * *
���We can go home tomorrow?��� Emma smiled.
���If you want to Emma,��� Brody smiled back, ���It won���t be too hard to be there?���
���No Brody, our home���we need to get a room ready for Maddox.���
���What do you think he would like?��� Brody asked confused.
���You should ask him.���
���Now?��� Brody grinned.
���Right now,��� Emma laughed, ���Hey Maddox, can we talk to you for a minute?���
���Mom, we���re building a castle,��� London gasped.
Maddox laughed and walked over to Emma and Brody.
���Maddox we want to get a room prepared for you, what are your favorite things?��� Brody asked.
Maddox looked confused, ���Well, I would like a bed.���
Emma smiled, ���A big one?���
���I���m not fussy, and sheets, a top and bottom,��� Brody smiled as he listened to Maddox, ���A pillow or two.���
���What colors?��� Emma asked.
���Oh that doesn���t matter at all,��� Maddox looked down.
���Maddox, your Dad���s rich, ask for whatever you want,��� London laughed.
���I like blue and gray,��� Maddox laughed.
���Any sports teams, or favorites?��� Brody asked.
���I like books and music, I would like copies of your music,��� Maddox smiled at Brody.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
They pulled in the driveway and Emma noticed immediately that a gate had been built around a lot of the property.
���More secure, I���ll tell you the code a bit later,��� Brody kissed her hand.
Emma smiled at him and nodded towards Maddox who was looking out the window taking in the view, ���Is this whole place?������
���It���s the Hines estate,��� London smiled, ���its home.���
���It���s like something in books,��� Maddox whispered.
They walked in the house and Maddox smiled, ���Your home is beautiful.���
���Our home, son,��� Brody smiled.
���Our home,��� Maddox repeated.
���Hey London, why don���t you help me start lunch while Brody and Maddox take a look around?��� Emma walked into the pantry.
* * *
���Your room is up here on the right, our room is next to yours and the girls��� are down the hall,��� Brody opened the door.
Maddox walked in and looked around, ���The whole room is mine?���
���The whole room.���
���The bed is big,��� Maddox smiled.
���Go see if it���s comfortable.���
Maddox laid down, ���It is perfect and a TV, a big TV, wow.���
���London will have to show you how to use it, we don���t watch a lot of TV,��� Brody smiled, ���This is a Bose system and this is my iPod, all of my music is on it.���
Brody showed him how it worked and they listened to a few songs, Maddox sang along with them and Brody smiled, ���You sing well.���
���Yeah, I think I get that from my father,��� Maddox joked.
���Hey ��� and he���s funny. I wonder where he gets that.��� Brody laughed.
Maddox laughed with him, ���I think I love it here.���
���I hope you always will Maddox,��� Brody smiled, ���Now, I���m unsure of what she ordered but Em says there are clothes in the closet.���
Maddox opened the dresser and looked amazed, ���There���s a lot of socks here.���
Brody laughed as London walked into the room, ���Time to eat.���
* * *
It had been a long, busy afternoon and the children were all finally asleep. Emma and Brody were setting up the Christmas tree when Caroline, Henry, Lila, and Clive all came in bringing the packages they���d all been assigned to get. They didn���t discuss what had happened but instead they enjoyed preparing what they knew would be a great surprise for all three of the children. When they finished they stood back and admired their work.
Clive handed Brody an envelope and smiled, ���The test results.���
Brody looked at Emma and smiled, ���I don���t even need this, he���s ours without a doubt.���
Emma smiled, ���Then don���t open it.���
���Do you have the other results? I would like Caroline and Henry to have it,��� Brody said quietly.
They sat at the table and Henry and Brody opened the envelopes together. Each revealing what they already knew. Emma, Caroline, and Henry all cried and hugged one another.
Brody looked at Clive, ���Did you manage to get anything else about Maddox; a birth certificate, medical records, school records?���
���I have a birth certificate. Maddox was never enrolled in school, and there are no medical records,��� Clive handed him the birth certificate.
Brody smiled as he looked at it, ���Henry take a look at this.���
Henry took the birth certificate and read it, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
���Maddox Henry was born on October fifteenth, his mother was Elizabeth Henry and his father was listed as unknown. He weighed four p
ounds ten ounces and was nineteen inches long,��� Caroline read.
���He must have been premature,��� Emma said softly, ���We need to get him to a doctor, and we should find someone to test him to see what grade level he���ll need to be enrolled in at school.���
���Em, we will,��� Brody said as he watched her face grow cheerless.
���His last name, Dad,��� Emma began to cry, ���I���m so sorry.���
Henry hugged her, ���She remembered us.���
���Brody, I���ve given all of the information to the lawyer, he���s going to the police in the late morning. When you get a moment we need to discuss a few things,��� Clive stood up.
All eyes were on Brody and as he looked around, ���Clive let���s do this now. Lila needs to know everything and so does my wife and her family.���
���We���re your family as well Brody, we choose to stand beside you,��� Henry said firmly.
Brody looked at him, ���Thank you Henry���that means a lot to us.���
Emma hugged Brody and kissed his cheek.
���You���re sure?��� Clive asked.
���Yes, I���m certain,��� Brody let out a breath and looked down at Emma and winked.
Clive pulled out a chair and opened his briefcase. He pulled out two files and set one in front of Brody and he opened the other.
They began with Brody���s missing persons file from the London Police. Brody sat back and listened intently as Clive covered the key points, the date it was reported to the police, the date his shirt was found and the test results confirming it was his blood. They questioned the amount of blood and how he could possibly be alive.
���Excuse me,��� they all turned towards the doorway and Maddox was standing there.
Emma jumped up, ���Are you alright Maddox?���
���I had a dream, and I was wondering if I could get some warm milk, I read that it helps to relax you making it easier to sleep,��� Maddox looked at Emma.
Emma made him a drink and she and Caroline sat with him for a while, ���Can I walk you up and read you a story Maddox?���
���You don���t have to Grandma Caroline,��� he said trying not to smile.
���Oh Maddox I really do, I have fifteen years of reading to you to make up for, did you know I was a librarian?��� Caroline smiled, ���So books are very important to me and so are you, come now let���s head up.���
���I love books as well,��� Maddox smiled, ���It���s alright Emma, is it not?���
���Maddox of course it���s alright,��� Emma hugged him.
Maddox leaned into the dining room, ���Goodnight Dad.���
Brody walked out, ���You sure you���re okay? Do you want me to come up with you?���
���I���m alright, Grandma Caroline���s going to read to me,��� he said smiling shyly.
Brody smiled and hugged him, ���Alright then, see you in the morning.���
Brody hugged Emma and smiled, ���You ready for more or is this too much?���
���Knowledge is power Music Man, I want more,��� she quickly kissed him and walked in and sat.
Clive went over the information on when he was found. Brody had never talked to the Police or interviewed, Clive had done it all. They looked over his medical reports showing toxins in his system and lots of photos of his injuries.
���That should all erase doubts that you were there of your own free will. If the videos are to be included we have experts who have filled out reports saying it was obvious that you were drugged. Next we have information on the accident that killed Robert and Troy, and signed documentation stating evidence was missing and later found with photos and again expert witnesses reports that state the way the scene appeared they were no accidents,��� Clive looked at Emma but said nothing.
���I���m fine Clive go on,��� Emma said trying to hide the horror she must be displaying across her face.
���Alright, and here���s the information about the deaths of Ann and Rupert, in which they will probably need to get a statement about the last time you spoke to them Brody and the break in,��� Clive briefly glanced up at Brody and then back down. ���The London authorities also want to interview you and I, pertaining to what we were doing in London and how it was we came into the country. I���ve started the paperwork but want to have it looked at by Collin���s men. The two men that opened fire on the home Maddox was raised in were Turkish and they���re still investigating that. Elizabeth was shot over thirty times, she also entered the country without being detected. The ISA is in talks with the London authorities on how they were informed, they have the ability to keep that all quiet, again this is why I need our statement to be reviewed by Collin. Henry���s been working on finding out what happened to Elizabeth for all the years she was missing, there are a lot of holes but he���s kept impeccable records for years including contacts, dates, times, and even his findings. None of this is going to be easy to figure out but I���m sure we���ve taken every precaution as far as securing this home, and the home of Caroline and Henry.���
���Alright, so work and wait,��� Brody said in a direct tone.
Emma looked at him, ���Lose the armor, or so help me God Brody.���
Brody snapped his head around looking at her, ���Em, I���m doing the best I can.���
���Make sure you do,��� she scowled, ���Or������
Emma whispered in his ear causing him to laugh, ���That doesn���t scare me Em.���
���We���ll see,��� Emma looked away raising her nose in the air.
���Alright before we lose focus Brody,��� Lila chimed in, ���Pictures and an honest PG version of what happened are going to be important. Maddox needs to be revealed, so I���ll be staying to enjoy the festivities tomorrow and you���ll have to do an interview soon.���
���Fine,��� Brody rolled his eyes at her and Emma laughed.
���Has Emma heard your new songs?��� Lila asked.
���Not yet,��� he smiled at Emma.
���Well let���s get her approval and get them out there, private or not it���ll show how you felt when you came home and your fans are going to need something to hold onto after this bombshell gets dropped,��� Lila let out a deep breath.
���If my career ends, we have enough for a lifetime, I don���t give a shit,��� Brody laughed.
���Emma, you haven���t told him?��� Lila gasped.
Brody looked at Emma and her face turned red, ���He and I have been busy, I plan to tell him������
���What is it?��� He asked concerned.
Clive shook his head and looked down.
���You know something I don���t Clive?��� Brody snapped at him.
���It���s not a big deal, we���ll be fine. Jeepers Brody,��� Emma tried to make light of the situation.
���Spill it Em,��� Brody demanded.
���Your bank accounts have been frozen, it should all be fine, and I have my account and������ Emma tried to continue.
���How and when did all this happen Clive?��� Brody demanded.
���That���s a question you should ask your wife, I���m no longer in charge of finances,��� Clive looked down.
���I���ll call the bank tomorrow, but I assume it���s because you���re a flight risk. But we���ll figure it all out. Brody that���s really the least of our wo
rries,��� Emma looked up at him.
���Did you have enough to cover all that in there?��� Brody asked.
���Yes Brody, and everything is paid, were good. I even paid Lila, Clive, and Ariel two months in advance.���
���Why would you do that Em,��� Brody scowled.
���I don���t know,��� Emma scuffed her foot across the ground nervously.
���Bullshit Emma, why?��� Brody demanded.
���Because Ariel has to be paid, and we need them through all this I wanted to make sure������ Emma stopped and looked up at him and tears pooled in her eyes, ���I wanted to make sure I had them if you left again.���
Brody looked stunned and hurt, ���Alright then.���
Emma stood and walked out of the room.
Brody looked around and everyone was staring at him, ���Are we done here?���
They all nodded yes and got up and went to their rooms.
Brody walked into the kitchen, ���What are you doing Em?���
���Putting together the food for tomorrow, it���ll just have to be baked and we can enjoy the day without cooking,��� Emma brushed past him and put the quiche in the refrigerator.
���What���s this Em,��� Brody said softly as he handed her another pan.
���Monkey bread,��� Emma said in a whisper.
They quietly loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen. Emma stood at the sink looking out the window.
���I���m not going anywhere, not by choice,��� Brody wrapped his arms around her from behind.
���I���m sorry if I hurt you,��� Emma reached back and gently rubbed his face.
���It hurts to know I���ve put you in a position that you feel you have to be on the defensive all the time,��� he held her tighter.
���It���s getting better Brody,��� Emma whispered.
���I���m not leaving you Em, ever.���
���Good because next time I will hunt you down and kick your ass,��� Emma joked.
Brody spun her around and kissed her, ���You���re mine and I���m yours, Always and Forever, Em.���