by Haven Rose
“Ryan, why didn’t you warn me I was meeting them? I would’ve gotten ready differently.”
He just looks at me, and in complete seriousness asks, “Differently? As in worn your sandals on your head, your dress backwards, your bra as panties and vice versa?”
I smack his arm, not even hurting him at all, and he smirks. The. Brat. Smirks. “Ryan, I want to make a good impression on them. I need them to like me. And Boots hasn’t had a bath for a few weeks. I don’t want them to think I can’t take care of my dog. I love Boots. They need to know that. What if they smell him and question whether I can handle being a mom? I want to have your babies and they may not want me to.”
He stops the car and I realize we’ve arrived, but instead of getting out of the truck, he shuts off the engine then turns toward me. He’s calm, of course, because he’s not being thrown at strangers, people whose family I’m joining, with only five minutes notice.
“Baby,” he says, his eyes all reassuring, yeah, I know it sounds weird, but they are and it’s working, “they will love you for the simple reason that I do. But, as if that wasn’t enough, they will because you’re you, my precious jewel, and how could they not? They’ll probably just adopt you and kick me out. As for Boots, I gave him and Lucy, of which Princess decided to join in, all baths last night after you’d gone to sleep. The three troublemakers smell good. My parents will see how much Boots adores you, and you him, as well as Lucy and Princess, and know our children couldn’t ask for a better mother. You will love them with all that you are, as you do me, and that’s what matters, besides, nothing could stop me from making babies with you.”
Just that easily he’d wiped out all my concerns, while reassuring me of what I didn’t know until now, the worry of whether I’d be a good mother, seeing as how I only had my mom’s influence for such a short time. But he’s right, I know she loved me, more than anything aside from my dad, and that’s what I remember most about her.
I just lean over and kiss him, silently thanking him for being a Ruby whisperer, able to calm me with ease. It’s quickly becoming so much more though and we both pull apart, breathing heavy as we try to resist the urge to run to a hotel for a quickie. It’s close, but we open our respective doors, Ryan rushing to mine to help me out. He gives me another quick kiss, whispers that he loves me, and then we get the dogs out.
Ryan hands me their leashes before reaching in and attaching one to Princess’ collar. I look at him and he explains that she doesn’t know the area, so he wants to make sure she doesn’t go on an adventure. He makes a good point. She is an explorer. I’ve told Ryan he should’ve named her Dora.
Princess’ leash is added to the other two as Ryan retrieves the bags then, after making sure I’m okay with the leashes, wraps his free arm around my waist and walks us toward the door. I look up and see a couple, the woman around my height is literally jumping up and down, her excitement easy to see, and the man, his resemblance to Ryan hard to miss, is smiling at her indulgently. He’s trying to contain it, but you can tell he’s just as excited as she is. I already love them.
**Ryan**
I’m home. I know I’ve created a new one in Colebrook with Ruby, and its where we’ll raise our own family, but my parents are a different kind of home for me. I remove my arm from Ruby’s waist and take her hand, giving it a squeeze in reassurance, but I realize as I look at her it wasn’t necessary. She sees the goodness inside them, it shines out of them as it does her.
I drop the bags and introduce the love of my life, my precious jewel, to my parents. My mom hugs her, saying how happy she is to meet her, and then steps back so my dad can do the same. Then they greet me, as if just realizing I’m there. I look at Ruby and just smile, then mouth “told you so,” and when she smiles, the joy plain to see, I know she remembers me saying they’ll adopt her and forget about me. I know my parents well and they’ve both been giddy in their anticipation to meet her.
When I talked to dad the other day, he said he had to hide the car keys because my mom was determined to get in the car and drive to Colebrook, unable to resist meeting her new daughter any longer. That made me realize a quick trip, maybe an overnight stay, would be just what Ruby needed. She’s strong, my girl would have to be with what she’s gone through already, but I know everything had been getting to her, despite her trying to reassure me she was fine. I may have never had a woman in my life, aside from my mom, before Ruby, but even I knew fine was not fine, but was in fact code for various actual feelings. I interpreted this one to mean “I’m close to losing it, just trying not to show it.” I decided to plan this trip, knowing she needed to get away, and as nothing had happened lately, I figured we’d be safe doing so. Plus, with being in the midst of wedding planning, and her missing her mom, I knew my own would be able to help, even if only to surround Ruby with the love that only a mom can give. I had no doubt my mom would adore her.
Not even two hours later, my mom and Ruby are acting as if they’ve known each other for years. They’ve talked about Ruby’s work, my mom’s garden that she designed herself, and wedding plans. When Mom asks Ruby if she’d like to look at dresses at a few of the local stores, Ruby eagerly accepts, and after kisses bye to their respective significant other, they walk out the door.
My dad and I just sit there, staring at each other, before laughing. Dad says we should be thankful they even remembered to tell us good-bye. He has a point. For the last forty-five minutes we barely even existed in our women’s eyes. And honestly, I’m not in the least bit upset. Instead I’m happy they’re getting along so well, that Ruby has someone to experience planning the wedding with. I know it’s not her mom, and for that my heart hurts for her, but it is a motherly presence, and someone I hope Ruby will come to eventually view as such.
My mind wanders, picturing Ruby in her wedding dress, and I already know three things are going to happen when I see her in it. First, my emotions - love, pride, possessiveness, excitement, and probably so many more - are going to overwhelm me. Second, even though her dress will be white, denoting innocence, I will be imagining all the naughty things I’m going to do to her as soon as possible, while she’s still wearing it. Third, we will not make it out of the church before I make at least one of those fantasies come true. I wonder if I can knock her up while she’s wearing it? Does that make me a dirty man? If so, I don’t give a fuck. That woman owns me.
I focus back in on my dad, discreetly adjusting the hard-on brought about by thoughts of my woman. He’s asking how work is going, so I get my mind out of the gutter, though it has so much fun being there, and tell him about my new job. I also give him all the information I have on Ruby’s case, including that of her mom’s murder. And yes, we can now deem it as such. I even brought the files with us, planning on doing this, knowing my dad may have valuable input, as he’s a former cop and on the outside looking in.
While he’s overlooking everything, I grab us both a beer, and, missing my friend, call Deacon and let him know Ruby and I our at my parents. He answers back quickly, asking if he should come over. I respond just as quickly and tell him he never has to ask, then, because it’s Deacon, I send another one, calling him a dumbass.
Within seconds my phone alerts me to a text, and it’s true, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. He sent me a photo of himself, holding up his middle finger. I laugh, loudly, causing dad to raise an eyebrow at me. I simply say, “Deacon,” and he nods, that one name explaining it all.
Thirty minutes later there’s a knock on the door and I let Deacon in, doing the mandatory bro hug. I tell him what dad is doing and he asks where my better half is, stating she must’ve already gotten sick of me and left.
I flip him off, saying it’s quite the opposite, and that she’s with mom looking at wedding dresses. He gets serious for a moment, congratulating me and saying he can’t wait to meet her. I tell him she’s been looking forward to it as well.
Then we join my dad, the three of us throwing around theories and qu
estions as we look over everything. As we do, I circle back to the one thing that keeps standing out to me. The tourist that stopped at Harry’s for directions, and took Joy’s information, hoping to hire her to do his company’s books. Hal makes a later note, maybe two weeks after that day, to state the man did in fact call and hire her. However, the flash drive he sent was damaged when she received it, so she was unable to open it. Hal then stated Joy had tried to contact the man, leaving numerous messages saying she needed to talk to him about a problem with the files, but he never responded. After trying for a week to speak with the man, a Mr. Jones of Gemini Law, and as no money had been paid yet, she moved on, never thinking of it again. Though she did keep the flash drive in a drawer within her desk in case he ever replied. Within two weeks, Joy had died, seemingly due to a fatal car accident.
I shared my thoughts on it with Deacon and my dad, and I could see they understood why it wouldn’t leave my mind, and agreed it was weird, though not implausible it could be completely innocent. The man could’ve been embarrassed, gotten fired, maybe he was sick or died, etc. There were quite a few possibilities as to why he may never have gotten back to her.
“Ruby’s dad didn’t recognize the man? He’d never seen him before that day?” That came from my dad, and as I was looking over everything once more, just in case I missed something, Deacon chimed in.
“Why Gemini? Are the owners twins?” It’s a good question and triggers something in my brain, but I can’t figure out what. I try not to force it, knowing if I do I’ll lose it, or it could get twisted if I don’t let it come naturally, and answer him.
“There’s nothing in the notes about it but let me look up the firm.” I Google it, as one does, and fill them in on what I found.
“They aren’t twins, but are brothers, and apparently, based upon one article, chose that name because both were born under the astrological sign of Gemini.”
My dad shakes his head and mumbles under his breath, “bunch of mumbo jumbo if you ask me.”
“Be that as it may, dad, some do believe in it, and have evidence to back up their beliefs. I then moved on, knowing my dad, former military and cop, may accept others followed it, but he himself wouldn’t, and that’s okay, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So, to get back on topic, I return to dad’s original question, just now noticing small writing in the corner.
“Her dad says the guy seemed familiar but couldn’t place why.”
Dad said what concerns him more is that Joy’s injuries weren’t consistent with the car accident she was supposedly involved in. The falsified report stated she had lost control of the car, resulting in her hitting a tree head-on, and the trauma to that area could’ve been from the impact. But, the broken ribs and arm, as well as the bruises on her legs, didn’t make sense. Individually, maybe. As a whole? No.
Deacon tells me it may be time to talk to Ruby’s dad, letting him know Ruby is aware of what’d always suspected, and that he was right. I know Deacon has a good point, but I’m not looking forward to telling him the damage done to Ruby’s bedroom and the pictures she was sent, were related to his wife’s case.
My phone rings and I answer, smiling when I hear how excited and happy Ruby sounds. It seems she and my mom found the perfect dress as well as her shoes, lingerie, and accessories. My mom even found her mother-of-the-groom dress. Apparently, it was a productive day, and now they’re starving. My mom had her call to get our orders for dinner. After finding out where they were going and repeating the information to dad and Deacon, dad has me get the menu from the kitchen drawer. We make our choices and I tell Ruby I’ll text them to her.
I know she’ll wonder why the two of us are ordering so much, as she doesn’t know Deacon is here too, but I want to surprise her, and mom, with his visit. I also plan to bring up something I’ve been thinking about for a while and hope Deacon isn’t upset. Which reminds me, I need to ask him to be my best man.
I stand and catch Deacon’s eye, nodding toward the kitchen, letting him know I’d like to speak to him. He gives me a chin lift, the universal male sign for many things, and gets to his feet, telling my dad he’ll be right back before following me.
I’ve learned over the years that it’s easier to just be straightforward with Deacon. He spent too many years of his childhood being told half-truths from both parents, and as such, when he feels someone isn’t being entirely honest with him or is circling around to what they really want to say, he shuts down.
“What’s up? Why’d we need to talk in here? Is it something you can’t say in front of your dad? Oh man, are we about to have the sex talk? Okay, when a man and a woman love each other…”
I laugh, I can’t help it. When he lets his humor shine through, the man he really is underneath all the baggage he’s endured, it’s always with the perfect delivery. The guy is funny, and I wish he’d let others see that.
I rein it in, though a chuckle or two still escapes, and ask him to stand beside me when Ruby and I get married. He’s just standing there, staring at me in shock. I decide to continue, knowing while he’s quiet is the best time to get it all out.
“Deacon, you’re my best friend, like a brother to me, and have been for years. There’s no one else I’d rather ask. It would mean a lot to me if you said yes.”
I swear, though he’ll deny it, Deacon looks a little choked up, and for a mere second in time, I’m able to see all the emotion he holds back and it’s staggering. How does he feel so much and not collapse under the weight of it all?
Deacon nods, and I know he’s unable to do more at this moment, so I cover for both of us and grab three beers from the fridge, as well as plates and utensils for when they get here with the food. I know it shouldn’t be too much longer.
I turn, noticing Deacon is still struggling, and figure I’ll hit him with my other question. Maybe it’s dirty pool on my part to ask while he’s already down, but I do it anyway. It needs to be said.
“Hey, Deacon?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want to throw too much at you, but I’ve been thinking about something for a while, and I wanted to share it with you.”
He just nods, looking at me warily, as if bracing himself for more feelings coming his way. He’s right to do so, because they’re coming.
“You know I consider you my brother, and my parents refer to you as their son, so I was wondering why not make it official? I think Deacon Daniels has a nice ring to it, don’t you?”
Deacon looks at me as if I’m crazy before saying, “I’m in my twenties. It’s not like they can adopt me.”
“I know your age, and that they can’t adopt you, but you could change your name, so it’ll be the same as ours. You and I both know, and I’m sorry if this hurts, that your parents weren’t exactly loving, and therefore don’t deserve any part of the man you’ve become. You made something of yourself, not because of them, but despite them. I am proud to call you my best friend and would be honored to say you’re my brother. Deacon Daniels suits you, and at your heart, it’s who you truly are, a member of this family.”
“I agree. It’s perfect,” my mom states, surprising us as she and Ruby walk into the kitchen, Deacon and I so engrossed in our discussion we didn’t even realize they’d been standing there.
Ruby walks to my side after removing the food from the bags and placing it on the table. I want to introduce her and Deacon, but we both know this is a moment between my mom and Deacon, and my dad as he’s just joined us.
My mom walks to Deacon and stands directly in front of him, then raises on her tiptoes, causing Deacon to lean down so they’re on more of a level field. She then starts telling him of the first day she met him, after hearing so much about him from me. She said she knew, within minutes of meeting him, that Deacon was destined to become a part of the family and needed us as much as we did him.
Deacon didn’t deny it, but again, the emotion was pouring from his eyes, and directly into my mom’s. You could see how badly Deaco
n wanted to accept everything she said, and the love behind it, but he was scared, his parents having almost broken his ability to believe someone would, could, love him.
My dad, showing yet again how intuitive he can be, steps forward and joins them, saying it would mean a lot if Deacon would agree to take their name.
I heard Ruby sniffle beside me, and I wrap my arm around her, knowing both of us are witnessing something beautiful.
Deacon was quiet for a long time, then his shoulders relaxed, as if the weight of the world was no longer on them. He looked at my parents, then said, “If this is what you two, and Ryan, really want, and you’re sincerely okay with this, then I would be honored to become a Daniels. Could I, would it be weird if…”
My parents wait, giving Deacon the time he needs, before he continues, “If at some point I were to call you dad and mom, would that be okay?”
I hear, even from where Ruby and I are, my mom’s breath hitch, and then she puts a hand to her heart as she walks out of the room. My dad bows his head, and I see his body move with his deep breaths, but when I turn to Deacon, the look of panic, as well as resignation, covers his face, and I hear him mumbling under his breath, “Stupid, you went too far and ruined it.”
My dad’s head snaps up, pinning Deacon with a gaze I recognize well from my childhood. It says, with a patience only a parent can have, “try again,” and as Deacon continues beating himself up, it’s apparent my dad isn’t getting through, but in Deacon’s defense he’s never known the love a child should be given from their parents, so there’ll be an adjustment period.
“No, son,” my dad says, causing Deacon’s head to snap up again, “you aren’t stupid, nor did you go too far and ruin anything. You are ours, and have been since the day we met you, and nothing you do or say will change that.”
“But she walked away, like she couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”
“You need to give her a minute to collect herself. You just filled her heart a little more when you mentioned calling her mom and she needs to get her emotions under control. “
