My smile fades the moment I see the red and blue flashing lights at the office.
Oh no.
I take off at a run and then sprint when I see two officers manhandling Grak.
“Stop!” I shriek, running up on the scene.
May and Thomas are also there, for some reason.
“That’s my friend! He didn’t do anything!”
When I finally reach the scene, May and Thomas are giving statements to a third officer. “Yes, this man stormed into the office and disrupted a business meeting, making threats.”
“He claims to be married to my sister, but he’s clearly a lunatic,” Thomas says.
I put myself between Grak and the officers, who are struggling to cuff his huge wrists. “This man didn’t make any threats. And he’s not a lunatic.”
“Ma’am, if you want to make a statement, you can come down to the station,” says one of the officers.
“O’Donnell, you know me. You’ve known my dad and mom for decades. I can give you a statement right here and now. It’ll be easy enough for you to write down later. This man is my husband, and he didn’t threaten anyone.”
Thomas and May are livid. The officers are simply confused.
I put a hand on Grak’s arm and ignore my siblings’ protests. “Are you okay?”
My big guy smiles down at me. “I am okay now that I can see you, Ginger.”
I smile and swallow the lump in my throat. “What mess did you get yourself into this time?”
“Not one I can solve with a pole axe,” he says, slightly grinning.
A snort escapes me, and I cover my mouth. “I love you, Grak.”
His deep-set eyes brighten at my words. “I was hoping to hear that. I love you, too, Ginger.”
A half a minute later, the snowmobile roars up to where we are. When Dad cuts the engine, Ashley and Reese are beside themselves.
To my surprise, they attach themselves to Grak’s legs.
“Don’t take him to jail!” Reese shouts.
“The alien took us on a sleigh ride, and we went above the trees!” Ashley cries.
I look back at Grak, who looks like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Grak, you didn’t.”
He shrugs. “I might have used a tiny bit of magic.”
“Oh, Grak.”
“But wait, that’s not why you called the police,” I say. “Can someone please explain what’s really going on here?”
May is on a tear. “You brought a freaking monster into our lives and not only made us the laughingstock of the entire town,” she says, holding up her phone, showing some posts on social media. “But you let this freak I’ve never met be alone with my children?”
“Hey,” Dad says. “That’s not fair. He’s an employee. He’s allowed to give unsupervised sleigh rides. You and Thomas need to calm down.”
Dad’s the only person who can calm this group down.
