“I told you I would catch you later.” Pip whispered to me as I hugged her close. I pulled back and looked her up and down shocked by what I found.
“What, you didn’t think I could finally meet the folks dressed as a damn droid did you?” I laughed and saw her white and red rockabilly style dress that matched her head scarf and I knew for Pip this was classed as tame. She walked past me and I laughed when I saw her tights had a sexy pin stripe up the back with the words ‘follow me’ going up the side.
“I have to thank you. I have never seen my wife so happy before…and she deserves to be happy, like no other I know. She loves you very much.” Adam said standing next to me as I watched the gorgeous girl embrace my family as if they were her own and I relished the sight.
“Thank you for sharing her love.” He looked down at me, pushed his glasses up his nose and said,
“My pleasure.” And then he went after his wife as she called him over ready to introduce him. I smiled at the sight of everyone chatting like old friends having no worries about my family accepting anyone I obviously held a lot of love for, no matter what they looked like. That was the wonderful thing about my family, they never judged you on how you looked but only on your actions and it looked like Draven’s actions had been forgiven. I was glad and more than a little relieved. The last thing I had wanted was the ‘Talk’ from all of my family members.
I looked back to the door as I knew there were other people we were missing, which I found out later Draven thought it best not to overwhelm the humans. I still couldn’t help but look back at the door again and wished to see one more body step through those doors…one I knew had already said his goodbye.
And it dawned on me what he’d been talking about when he said ‘Let’s just say that I would rather miss what I suspect is to come and let’s leave it at that.’ He had known and he didn’t want to stick around to see it. I looked down at the plush carpet and shed a single tear for my friend and wiped it away quickly as Draven approached me from behind. He came over to me and whispered,
“Did you like your surprise?” My reply came in my actions as I turned quickly and threw my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Pip started wolf whistling and then everyone started cheering and clapping, getting up from their seats to celebrate our engagement.
It was wonderful.
The rest of the evening was filled with nothing but laughs and love. My family told embarrassing stories about me, like the time I got confused and thought my hamster laid eggs, when actually it had just tried to eat a beanie baby. Draven thought this was ‘endearing’ but no matter how cute he might have found it, he still laughed his ass off.
Whenever the three Dravens were asked about anything they all answered questions with perfect ease. Vincent was asked what he did and calmly said,
“I am in charge of mergers and acquisitions for the family businesses.” To which my mum turned to me and said,
“Ooh fancy. And so handsome too, just like his brother…you must have your hands full with these two?” She asked Sophia and she just smiled and replied,
“I’m lucky to have mastered the art of keeping them in check.” This brought back the sight of Sophia punching Draven across the face after what happened at the cabin all that time ago and I smiled.
“She likes to think so, eh Brother?” Draven said and Vincent laughed.
“I must say you all look very different from each other.” My mother commented and my father said,
“Yes but look at the girls Joyce, they are very different.”
“Dad.”
“Dad.” We both said at the same time as if proving him wrong and everyone laughed.
“Vincent takes after our mother.” Draven said and I coughed nearly choking on my roll.
“Did it go down the wrong way?” Draven said patting my back and I just wheezed out a,
“Yes.” And then I looked over to Vincent who gave me a wink and turned back to continue talking to my father.
“Well this young fellow here is my idea of a dreamboat!”
“Nan!”
“Mum!”
“Edna!” All three of us shouted, including my father and I noticed Pip, Sophia and RJ just all start giggling. Zagan looked petrified and my granddad just nudged him and said,
“Don’t worry son, her bark is worse than her bite…plus she has false teeth, so you’re good.” Everyone burst out laughing including Zagan with only my Nan left saying,
“What did that old coot say about me Joyce?”
“Nothing mum.” Again this got the whole table laughing and was pretty much how it stayed the rest of the meal. I don’t think I even really paid much attention to what food we were having but that I think was definitely the sign of a good time and this was one of the best times of my life so far. Having all those who I cared about finally coming together, something I never thought would have been possible, was like a dream come true. But to know the reason of why we were all together was for our engagement was more than a dream come true, it felt like miracles were something that could actually happen.
Of course it got really fun when Ella woke up. She bounced from Frank’s lap and promptly decided everyone was there for her so she needed to entertain her adoring fans. I watched her make her way around the table and approach the none humans with glee. They on the other hand were in nothing short of awe and I could imagine why. Being a Supernatural who had little to do with the rest of the mortals they shared a planet with, meant their interaction with children was closer to nil.
I had witnessed this when seeing Draven with Ella for the first time, so this was going to be interesting. First up in her line of sight was Vincent and with no encouragement she toddled right over to him holding on to his leg for support.
“Ello.” She said looking up at him and batting her beautiful big eyes at him. His reaction to her was the same Draven’s had been when he first encountered my niece.
“Hello little girl.” Vincent said looking down at her and having no idea she wanted to be picked up. So because he wasn’t taking the hint she raised her hands up and said,
“Up, up.” He lifted his head and looked to Draven for help making him laugh.
“I think that is code for she wants to be picked up, Vince.”
“Uh…is it…?” It sounded like he was about to ask ‘Is it safe’ which would have been very funny but Libby saved him and said,
“Yeah you go right ahead and pick her up, she loves it.”
Vincent gave her a little smile and then looked down at Ella as if trying to weigh up the best way of achieving the task. When no one was looking I made a motion with my hands to pick her up under her armpits and this time he smiled fully. Then he did what I suggested and picked up the squirming Ella. He sat her on his lap where she instantly went for his face.
“Chummba cheeks!” She said pushing his cheeks together and everyone laughed.
“Why thank you.” He said down at her making his voice sound all funny and she started giggling.
“Bubble Guppies!” She shouted and he frowned saying,
“I’m not sure that’s a compliment.” Sophia was looking on adoringly and then said,
“Thank you Ella for my brother’s new nickname.” To which Frank burst out laughing,
“Well Ella’s nickname is Houdini given she can break out of anything. I swear the amount of times I have fixed that playpen is more times than I have had hot dinners…”
“And I can believe it with Libby’s cooking!” My father said making everyone laugh but the people who had experienced her cooking, oh and Libby herself of course.
“Oi!”
“Sorry darling, you know we love you but you could burn a cup of tea.” At this I burst out laughing, thankfully after I had swallowed the wine I had been sipping.
“Mummy carwot” she asked tugging on Vincent’s t-shirt.
“Uh…?” Vincent looked almost desperate to give her what she wanted but was clearly at a loss to what it
was.
“Here, give her these.” Libby said passing over a Tupperware pot. Vincent opened them and she dived right in pulling out carrot sticks as if they were the best thing ever.
“Wanna Carwot?” She asked holding it out under Vincent’s nose and she wasn’t happy until he took a bite. She continued to feed him along with herself and every time I looked over to Vincent he looked like he had fallen in love.
“She has a thing about sharing food.” Libby informed him and Frank laughed, nudging my father and said,
“Yeah, just be thankful it’s not ice cream she’s eating…we learnt the hard way, didn’t we Libs?” I giggled as I remembered Frank using a whole packet of baby wipes to clean the mess up that day.
“Ok, quit hogging the baby, we girls want a turn!” Pip shouted jumping out of her seat as it was clear she couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. Ever since Ella had woken up Pip had looked almost desperate to get to Ella and I heard Adam say quietly,
“Give everyone else a turn.” But Pip looked ready to explode with excitement.
“If I’d known there was a baby I would have brought gifts!” She said coming over to Vincent who was still holding Ella. Everyone but my family held their breaths not knowing what Pip would do or how Ella would react but in the end we had nothing to worry about…well maybe how we would ever separate the two. Ella took one look at our Pip and went crazy trying to get to her open arms.
“Come to Auntie Pippy you cutie wutie you.” She said taking her in her arms and swinging her round so she giggled uncontrollably.
“Wow, you can tell she loves kids, do you guys have any?” Libby asked Adam and he looked longingly at his wife.
“We can’t have children.” He said softly as Pip was busy pretending they were aeroplanes.
“Oh…oh dear I am sorry.” Libby said and it was a real touching moment for everyone around the table. Adam held a smile for his wife and I felt like crying. She had so much love to give it was hard watching the scene in front of us and knowing she would never have that. More than anything in that moment I wanted to give that to my friend and I would have done anything to get it for her.
“Well you’re welcome to babysit ours whenever you want, she’s clearly found her soul mate.” Frank said thoughtfully and right at that moment being one of those guys who knew exactly what to say and Adam’s face said it all.
“That is very kind of you.”
“Ah it’s nothing really, just means we get back our date nights, eh Libs?” He said winking at my sister who was smiling at her husband like she was proud of him. Of course I knew they still had these date nights because I would make sure they went on them but Frank being the great guy he was wanted to make things better for people. He wanted to make people feel like they were the ones doing them the favour rather than the other way around, so it wouldn’t feel like charity. It was a beautiful trait of the human nature and one I was also proud to see coming from my family.
“It is certainly a beautiful thing to watch.” Draven whispered to me just after Sophia got up and went over to the floor to play with Ella and Pip. You could just hear Sophia telling Ella what a pretty dress she was wearing and Ella was shouting about the strawberries that were all over it.
“It is.” I said feeling myself getting choked up at the sight.
“What are we playing?” Sophia asked as Pip had emptied the contents of her purse to find there were more toys in there than grown up stuff.
“How about we play Pirates?” Pip shouted then took her head scarf off and tied it round Ella’s little head like a bandana.
“Well in that case I want to play!” Zagan shouted surprising us all by getting up and going over to them all on the floor. I wasn’t sure if this wasn’t just a ploy to get away from my Nan’s wandering hands or not but either way he looked happy on the floor.
“Wow honey, at this rate date night will be twice a week!” Frank said to a smiling Libby who was watching her child boss around the grown-ups. If only she knew the power of those grown-ups and who they really were she would have been even more impressed with her daughter’s obvious skills at leadership.
Later in the evening, after I found out Draven had arranged for everyone to stay at the hotel, I was saying goodnight to my slightly tipsy mother.
“He’s such a lovely man, such a gentleman.” She said hugging me for the fourth time.
“I know mum.”
“We couldn’t be happier for you both and after he explained about why you two split up, which we completely understand, it’s just so great you got back together and you can see he adores you…can’t you see that he adores her, Eric?” My mum repeated to my father who was calling one of the elevators. I was still stuck on what exactly Draven had told them when my dad walked over to collect my mother from hanging on me for support.
“Yes you can. Now let’s go see this fancy room, Joyce.”
“Oh yes let’s. Oh the girls will love to see this place, have you got my phone, I must be sure to take pictures for Facebook.” I smiled shaking my head and then kissed my father on the cheek.
“He’s good for you and your mother is right, we couldn’t be happier.”
“Thanks dad.” I said giving him an extra squeeze, one he pretended took out his back.
“Oh give over Eric, you’re not that old yet!” My mother said and then gave him a wink as if to say he was going to get lucky tonight if he played his cards right. I was slightly mortified and moaned about it,
“Uh, hello daughter here remember…line you don’t cross waving right here.” They laughed and my mum launched herself at my dad and I was thankful when the lift doors opened to take them away before things got to the point I would need therapy. Because as nice as it was to know your parents were still blissfully married, no child, no matter how old, needed to witness the evidence to it of more than first base…ever.
Libby and Frank had already gone up to their room and taken Ella with them much to Pip’s dismay. She had actually fallen asleep in Draven’s arms after she spotted him and ran to him shouting,
“Uncle Dom Dom.” How she knew to start calling him uncle yet was anyone’s guess. It was a lovely sight to see and one I was sorry I would never get to see him holding our own child. I pushed those thoughts from my mind not wanting to go there on such a happy occasion.
Over all it had been the most perfect day and one that followed an even more perfect night. Everyone cooed over my ring and my mother inquired about the sentiment over the wings and Draven just said as a matter of fact,
“She makes my heart soar, so I thought it fitting to give her wings.” All the women in my family all voiced their thoughts on this sweet statement by shouting ‘Aww’ all at the same time. My dad just winked at Draven and Frank said,
“Oh you’re smooth and trust me, you will go far with marriage with those skills.” Then tipped his beer bottle at him in a male salute.
Draven and I were the last ones left and after he said goodnight to his siblings it was our turn to wait for the lift. We stood silent next to each other and I had the biggest smirk on my face. Then I said without looking at him,
“She did it again didn’t she?”
“Yes, yes she did.” He said and I burst out laughing throwing myself at him as he stepped in the lift. We were of course referring to my grandmother who had just made Draven another one of her victims.
“Well Zagan survived.” I said kissing him in between speaking.
“I think for the first time in his Demonic life he will be going to sleep tonight with the total understanding and concept of what nightmares are.”
“Ha ha!” I said smacking him on the arm in my Nan’s defence.
“Well it just means it’s a good sign I will end up a horny old lady.” I added.
“Oh I have no doubt about the horny part however the old lady bit will never happen.” I raised an eyebrow in question and just as the door opened to our penthouse floor he said something that filled me with dread,
<
br /> “Not after our marriage ritual.”
“Uh, our what now?” I asked and one look at his sheepish face and I knew it was bad but after what he said next I knew it was even worse…
“I think we need to talk.”
Chapter 76
Smoke and Mirrors
Being back in my room in Libby’s house was strange, as if I hadn’t been here for ages, when in actual fact it had been just over a week. If I’d have woken up here I could have been fooled enough into thinking it had all been a dream.
I’d had a lot of explaining to do when we got back, especially to Libby, from whom I received the whole ‘I knew it!’ and ‘I told you so’ speech. And of course she was right, after Draven was the one to drop me off that day she told me this would happen. Of course I didn’t exactly tell her about the whole psycho Alex thing but I did saying that after being stood up for the last time I told him where to go. I would have liked to have said more, that I found out he had a rotting willy from sleeping with too many crack whores but that would have been derogatory to crack whores.
I’d explained, even though it was obvious to all how I wasn’t over Draven but Draven’s idea of filling in the blanks was to tell people as close to the truth as he could. He explained to my family that he had received a threat due to some sour business dealings and he became terrified that this threat could get to me. So he broke things off with me, not explaining why so that I couldn’t argue with his decision. Then he came back into town after the threat had been eliminated in the hopes of winning me back.
My father and Frank had agreed with his decision wholeheartedly, being men themselves and protective ones at that they admitted to him doing the right thing. My sister and mother had almost swooned over the fact he wanted to play knight in shining armour and the sacrifice made for the woman he loved. It sounded like something from a soap opera or some period drama. I was in half a mind to remind them of my running snot, no showers, over eating, greasy hair and red eye days but decided it best they continued to think about the man I was going to marry as a hero.
The Pentagram Child: Part 2 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 32