Saving Rain

by Karen-Anne Stewart

  Raina’s anger dissipates at the raw honesty in his words. She looks at him, the anger has nearly vanished, but the hurt remains. “What I said, I meant in general terms, Kas, I would never compare you to my actual father,” she whispers, not able to keep the hurt from spilling into her voice.

  Kas feels the knife twist deeper into him. “I know, sweetheart, I’m just not thinking straight tonight.” He pulls her into his arms, “I didn’t mean it, Rain, I really am sorry.”

  She allows him to hold her, needing to feel his warmth, his comfort. “I’m sorry, too,” she whispers.

  That night they fall asleep in each other’s arms, both needing the healing comfort of the other to get them through.

  The alarm clock beeps its vexatious wake-up call the next morning, and Kas throws his pillow at the hateful contraption, but it does nothing to shut it up. Its beep, beep keeps beeping incessantly until Raina drags herself out of bed and turns it off. Climbing back underneath the sheets, she snuggles her body against Kas’ warm chest, inhaling the scent of him as she kisses the bottom of his chin, his stubble tickling her nose. She wishes she could just let him rest, he is already back asleep from his pillow tantrum a few seconds prior, but she knows he would be irritated with her if she didn’t waken him, and he is late for work. Gently, she shakes him, kissing his bottom lip when he grumbles. “It’s time to get up,” she whispers, moving her kisses to the back of his ear.

  “I thought you wanted me to get out of bed, darlin’, not stay in it,” he states, his voice low and husky from sleep and desire.

  Raina smiles as her kisses fulfill her intent, pulling him from his grumpy, slumbered state. “I never said I want you to get out of bed,” she teases, “I just told you that it’s time to get up.”

  “Oh, I’m already up,” he replies coyly.

  She giggles and smacks him on the head with her pillow. “You know what I meant,” she laughs, “now get out of bed, or you’re going to be late.”

  Raina starts breakfast as Kas finishes getting ready. He just sat down with her to eat when he hears his phone. Seeing that it’s Jake calling, his appetite disappears as thoughts he doesn’t want to entertain fill his head, knowing Jake stayed with Frank last night. “Yeah, Jake?” he asks, getting right to the point, needing to know what has happened.

  “Frank’s awake, and he’s angrier than a hornet without a nest.”

  Relief washes over Kas, his mood immediately lifting at the news and at hearing another of Jake’s southern quips.

  “We’ll be right there.”

  Raina sees the light spark again in Kas’ eyes, and she looks at him expectantly.

  “Frank’s awakened from the coma and is apparently giving them a hard time,” he smiles gratefully as he delivers the news.

  Raina beams and jumps into Kas’ arms, “That’s wonderful, I can be ready in ten minutes.” She quickly kisses him on the cheek before taking the fastest shower of her life.

  Frank’s wide awake and giving some poor nurse a very bad day when they arrive. Kas grins as he hears Frank telling her that under no uncertain terms will he use the catheter, he’s going to use the toilet. Kas views the scene amusedly, knowing the poor woman doesn’t stand a chance against Frank’s pestering insistence.

  “Are you going to take it out, or do I have to do it myself?” he grumbles at the nurse staring at him exasperatedly.

  Kas steps up, trying to smooth the feathers Frank is ruffling on the nurse who is glaring down at him, “He just needs his morning coffee, and he’ll turn back into a human again,” he tells her, his usual irresistible charm not fazing her in the least.

  “Well, he can’t have anything until the doctor gives the all clear,” she tells him flatly, completely devoid of any humor, and Kas wonders just how much grief Frank has bestowed on the woman before they arrived.

  “I have to pee,” Frank demands loudly, and Kas places a hand on his shoulder.

  “If you behave, I’ll sneak you in some coffee,” he jokes, earning a huffy grunt from the nurse as she orders everyone outside, begrudgingly relenting about removing the catheter.

  Jake shakes his head in laughter as they are shuffled impolitely into the hall, “You should’ve seen him before you got here.”

  The rest of the team arrives, further infuriating the nurse about disregarding the rules of how many people can be visiting at one time. She finally gives up and warns them to keep it down, or she will have them removed, assuring them she doesn’t give a flip whether or not they are agents with the FBI, she’s the one in charge there.

  Frank continues to improve over the next week. His jovial demeanor returns, especially after he finds out that he can go home tomorrow. Kas holds Raina’s hand as they leave the hospital, anxious to tell her that he wants her to meet his family. His dad had called him that morning, informing him that he will be arriving home around noon tomorrow.

  Kas was relieved at the news, he has really missed his father after him being gone more than being home the past several months. He’s happy about his father’s success with the security contracting business that he started after retiring from the military last year, but he could’ve used his father’s sound advice lately. He hasn’t told Raina yet, he wants to tell her over dinner, hoping she will be excited about meeting them.

  His aunt has been pestering him to bring her over for a few months now, but he wants his dad to be there when she meets the rest of his family. Even though his dad has been gone for long stints at a time throughout his life, he’s always been there for him, and they have a strong bond. Their relationship was made stronger, due to his father raising him after his mother died in childbirth with him.

  Kas takes Raina to her favorite restaurant on Main. His nerves flutter inside his stomach as he waits to ask her to go to his dad’s. Her meeting his family is more than just a simple introduction, he’s already told his father that she’s ‘the one’ for him and has shared his plans to ask her to marry him soon.

  Once they are done ordering, he leans across the table and grabs her hands. “I spoke with my dad this morning at work, he’s coming home tomorrow afternoon, and most of my family will be there for a cookout. My grandparents, and my aunt Terri and her family live in Tennessee, so they won’t be there, but the rest will, and I want you to meet them, Raina.”

  Raina’s heart does a little flip when she hears that Kas wants to introduce her to the family he talks so much about, “I would love to meet them.”

  Her words relieve his wound up nerves. Leaning across the table, he gives her a quick kiss, not able to keep his smile from showing his happiness at her decision.

  Dinner arrives soon, and Raina quizzes Kas about his family, wanting to learn even more about them and about his life growing up. She peppers him with questions about his childhood as they eat their dinner.

  “I’ve already told you about my dad retiring from the military, special ops. He was always very strict, expecting straight A’s. I knew that I would be in trouble if I brought home anything lower. He never expected any more of me than he knew I could give, though. He always pushed me to reach my maximum potential, making me handle my own struggles and mistakes. He rarely intervened, but he stood by me every step of the way.”

  Kas gives her insight into his life growing up, smiling proudly when he talks about his dad. “Even though he was strict, he was never overbearing. He made sure I knew to walk the line, but I can count on one hand the amount of times he used physical punishment when I was a kid and on one finger the only time he used his belt.” Kas gazes at Raina, not wanting to bring up the huge differences between their childhoods, especially the forms of discipline used, but he knows it’s good for her to hear the way it should be, the way it should’ve been for her.

  His mind reverts back to the images of Raina’s body covered in angry welts on her broken skin that her father’s belt had left. His heart breaks at how her childhood was so drastically different than his. He remembers how angry his father was with him when he wa
s sixteen, and he had gotten into the car with his cousin after they had been drinking at a party. He knows he deserved what his father gave him for doing something so stupid and dangerous, but his father never crossed the line, not even in his most furious state with him when he found out what he had done.

  He changes the subject, not wanting to spoil her cheerful mood. “I stayed with my aunt during the times dad was deployed. She insisted on teaching me how to cook, telling me I would die of malnutrition from my father’s lack of cooking skills.”

  Raina watches Kas’ eyes light up when he talks about his family. The joy she feels over him having such a happy childhood overwhelms her. She smiles and laughs as he continues with his childhood memories. Every time he finishes one story, she continues to drag more out of him the rest of the night, excited about tomorrow.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  When the morning comes, Raina’s excitement has turned into a full-fledged case of nerves with a million butterflies swarming in her stomach. Kas laughs at her nervousness over breakfast. “Relax, they’re going to love you,” he reassures her, taking a large bite out of his blueberry muffin.

  “What if they don’t?”

  Seeing the doubt flickering in her eyes, he is amused at how she has absolutely no idea how endearing she is, how his whole team adores her, how Chase has practically adopted her like she was one of his sisters. “You have nothing to worry about, Rain, they’re just down to earth people who will give you the shirts off their backs if they thought you needed it. I will warn you though, whatever my uncle Ray thinks, he blurts out. I swear his filter is broken, if he ever had one to begin with.” Kas chuckles at the memories of some of the things his uncle has said at the most inopportune times. “Ray’s the one who built this house, he and his two sons. They own their own contracting business, and they refused to charge me more than just slightly above the cost of the material.”

  The butterflies have taken permanent residence in Raina’s stomach as she showers and experiences bouts of anxiety over what to wear. The days are still hot, but the evenings are getting cooler as September rolls in, so she decides on jeans and a nice V-neck short sleeve shirt, grabbing a sweater if the evening gets chilly. She fusses with her hair as Kas calls for her again, his words assuring her that she looks beautiful. Quickly scrutinizing herself in the mirror, she wishes she had the rose-colored glasses Kas seems to see her through as she grabs her purse and meets him at the door.

  The short drive to Arlington is filled with her nervous chatter. Kas bites his lip, so he won’t laugh at her as she talks a mile a minute trying to stave off her nerves. As they pull into his father’s driveway, her chatter ceases, and he grabs her hand, kissing her knuckles softly, turning her chin so she’s looking at him, “They are going to love you, I promise.” He wishes he could dispel the self-doubt in her eyes, but he knows she will find out soon enough that his family is going to think of her as their own before the day is done. He gives her a soft, gentle kiss before heading inside.

  A large man with Kas’ eyes greets them. “It’s good to see you, son,” the older version of Kas says warmly as he pulls Kas into a firm hug. “You must be Raina, Kas has told me all about you,” he says, turning his attention to her.

  Raina goes to shake his hand, but, instead of shaking it, he uses it to pull her in for a hug, too. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

  “Call me Cliff, you can skip the formalities with me, honey.”

  Raina smiles shyly at him, not sure of what to say next. Luckily, she’s spared any further worries of coming up with meaningful conversation as a bottled blond with bright red lipstick and way too much jewelry comes running to her, gushing about finally getting to meet ‘Kas’ girl’. The lady pulls Raina into a suffocating hug, squeezing her tightly as she lovingly rambles on and on, pulling her tighter into the hug, making it hard for her to breathe. Raina immediately likes her.

  “Aunt Lori, you’re suffocating her,” Kas teases as he pulls Raina back to safety and air.

  “Oh, nonsense,” she playfully dismisses him and excitedly takes Raina’s hands in hers. “You’re just too adorable!” she gushes, and Raina starts to blush. “Heather, get your butt in here and meet Kas’ girl,” she yells, causing everyone to cringe from the high-pitched shrill.

  A much younger, natural blond version of Kas’ aunt comes to greet them, her demeanor just as welcoming but considerably more demure.

  “Heather is one of my first cousins,” Kas explains as Raina shakes her hand.

  “Where’s Todd?” he asks, looking for Heather’s brother.

  Lori’s animated smile never fades as she takes Raina’s hand, leading her into the kitchen, telling Kas over her shoulder that Todd’s out back with the rest of the guys, grilling the steaks. Raina shoots Kas a panicked look as Lori drags her away, and Kas laughs, love filling his heart to the brim as he watches her interact with his loveable, sometimes over the top family.

  “If today doesn’t scare her away from you, nothing will,” Kas’ father jokes, slapping him on the back before pulling him into another quick hug. “It’s good to be home, son.”

  Raina offers to help in the kitchen, but Lori won’t hear of it as she ushers her to a barstool, lovingly fussing at her to sit down. She feels awkward watching as Heather, Amber, Page and Stacey chop vegetables for the salad, and Amanda and Kate butter the bread before placing it in the oven. She had tried to pay close attention to the names when Lori introduced her to the other women, trying to keep the large family straight as Lori had rattled off who belongs to whom.

  She glances at the women again, trying to memorize that Amanda and Kate are the wives of Kas’ uncles, Amber and Page are daughters of Kas’ uncle David, and Stacey is Ray’s daughter, the one Kas had told her insisted on decorating his house after her father and brothers finished building it. Raina makes a mental note to tell Stacey how much she loves what she did to it before they leave. She again offers to help but is politely told to ‘hush up’ and dish the details of how her and Kas got together.

  Raina highlights the story of how they met and started dating, discreetly leaving out any of the dark details of why she is now living with Kas. The thought of his family knowing how she is shacked-up with him causes her to squirm in her seat, worried about what they must think of her. The fact that she isn’t having sex with him is not knowledge that they would be privy to, or probably even believe if they were told. She fights the embarrassed blush that she knows is coloring her cheeks as she feels the heat tingle her skin. She is once again saved from further conversation when a dark-haired version of Lori comes bursting into the kitchen with who Raina assumes are more of Kas’ cousins not far behind her.

  “Sorry I’m late.”

  “When are you not late?” Lori softly chastises and grabs the desserts out of her hands, laying them on the counter before pushing her towards Raina. “Honey, this is my sister Elaine and her son and daughter, Dustin and Lisa,” Lori introduces, giving each one a push towards her as she says their names.

  Raina smiles politely, shaking hands before being pulled into more hugs through the introductions. Kas enters the kitchen, checking on Raina and sneaking a roll before Lori catches him and playfully pops him on the hand with a spatula. He is shooed back outside as Elaine orders him not to interrupt their girl talk.

  Raina is gratefully allowed to leave the seat Lori had plopped her in, to fill the glasses with ice. She feels much better about doing something to help rather than sitting there watching them do all of the work.

  Cliff yells that the steaks are done, and Raina helps carry the rest of the food outside to a deck even larger than Kas’. She feels her head spinning as she tries to keep all of the names straight when she is introduced to the rest of the men in the family, Kas’ cousins Todd, Dylan, and Jeff, his uncles Ray and David, then Andrew and Jack, Lori’s and Elaine’s husbands.

  Kas sits back and watches Raina’s nerves disappear as his family laughs and cuts up, including her in all of t
heir conversations. The love he feels for her is almost overwhelming as he watches her laugh and hold her own throughout the evening, even managing to convince Lori to let her help clean up after dinner. He offers to help, too, but it’s Raina who shoos him away this time. She gives him a kiss and whispers, “Thank you,” in his ear before sending him away to the living room to be with the rest of the guys.

  Stopping at the entrance of the living room, Kas looks back at Raina as she talks and laughs. She has no idea how touched she made him feel when she thanked him for bringing her tonight, her eyes glowing from experiencing something she never had growing up. In that moment, watching her laugh and turn his way, with her love for him so evident in her eyes, he knows he will start looking for a ring on Monday. He can no longer wait to ask her to become a permanent part of his crazy family.

  Cliff pulls Kas to the side as Raina is saying her goodbye’s to the rest of the family, “I’ve never seen you happier, son.”

  Kas smiles at his dad and answers honestly, “I’ve never been happier, Dad.”

  “It looks like you’ve got a great girl, son, take care of her.”

  Kas looks at his dad, and, for the hundredth time, wants to share some of the details about Raina’s past. He knows his father would provide some guidance on helping him deal with what’s happened to her, but he keeps his mouth shut, knowing Raina wouldn’t want anyone knowing. The only people in her life now, other than Judge, who know about her past are Kas and Chase, and, other than them, only Dexter and the dean know about Chris. His team doesn’t even know about Chris, Dexter had made up some excuse about them having the flu when they missed work after Chris had beaten her.

  Kas thinks back over the months and how Raina has opened herself up in so many ways. Despite her progress, he knows that she is still very guarded about her past, and he can’t bring himself to share any of it with his father, yet. He just smiles instead and solemnly assures his dad that he will always take care of her.