“You’re not dying yet, Granda,” Jeanie calls back and pushes past her uncle, dragging me along with her into the brightly lit kitchen, which at first glance seems to have about a hundred people in it, but it’s probably only about thirty including us. That is still a shit ton of eyes to have on you.
I follow along behind Jeanie as she approaches an older man sitting at the head of the table. Liam sits on his right and a familiar tall dark-haired woman to his left. At least there is another friendly face at the table, other than Sam and Ally’s.
“Granda,” Jeanie greets, bending to kiss the old man’s grizzled cheek affectionately before standing and tugging me closer to introduce me. “This is Bolt.”
Holding out my hand, it’s taken in a firm grip, making a mockery of what I assumed was a frail old man. “Humph,” he mutters, running an assessing gaze over me. This man might be frail now, but he’s seen some shit throughout his life. He lifts his head, and his gaze meets mine.
“Good to meet you, sir,” I say. He stares at me for a beat longer before nodding and turning towards the rest of the table and declares, giving me his approval, “He’ll do.”
Tension I didn’t even know I was carrying slides from my shoulders as the energy in the room shifts at his words. Well, I say all the energy shifts. And it does. Except for the one man glaring at me from the other end of the table.
Meeting his gaze, I nod in understanding, and his eyes turn shrewd. I understand the message without him having to say anything.
He and I will get to it eventually, but not right now.
“Welcome, Bolt.” Sera smiles. I return her greeting just as the back door opens and more familiar faces come through.
A grin spreads across my face as a small blonde tornado almost takes my legs out from under me with a shrieked, “Bolt, you came to see me.” Laughing, I pick up the tot and toss her up in the air, smiling at her shrieks. She won all our hearts when we went to Ireland and then they visited us when Sam and Ally got married.
Catching her, I settle her on my hip and turn towards the couple in the door watching us, unaware of the surprised glances being traded behind me. “Da, look Bolt came to see me,” she says, pressing her little lips to my cheek.
I tickle her and grin as she squirms, trying to get away before responding, “Of course I came to say hello to my princess.”
And I would have. We all love her at the Queens Wraiths. She is a happy, mischievous soul that had stolen all our hearts.
“Bolt.” Moira smiles up at me as she wraps her arms around my waist in a hug.
“Moira,” I greet her, wrapping my spare arm around her and kissing the top of her head. “It’s lovely to see you. Are you coming out to the Queens Wraiths?” I ask Butcher as I release his wife and shake his hand.
He nods. “Good to see you too, Bolt, and yeah, I spoke to Coal earlier today. We’ll come see you all after Christmas.”
“Let’s eat, everyone,” Colm orders. “We can catch up as soon as we’ve dished up. Bolt can tell us how he knows Andy and his family.”
Turning back to the table, I hand Mikayla over to Butcher to settle. “Where are you sitting, sweetness,” I ask Jeanie, ignoring the growl that can only come from her father and the sniggers from her uncles. Jeanie taps the back of the chair she’s standing behind. Pulling it out, I wait until she’s seated before I sit in the empty chair next to her. I don’t care if it belongs to someone else. Tonight, it is mine. Nobody comments when I sit, so hopefully, I won’t have to fight anyone for it.
Food is passed around the table, and I take note that the ladies and children get first dibs before the men dish up. It’s loud, chaotic, and laughter flows freely. There’s teasing and gentle reprimands when it gets out of hand, but the underlying current is a feeling of love and respect that flows around the table. It reminds me of my family and the home I grew up in. I’m anchored in the moment by the hand that hasn’t left my thigh since we sat down. The hand of the woman I’ve chosen as mine.
Pudding has been served, and coffee and tea have made it to the table while the teenagers clear up. I wonder when we are going to break the news when Jeanie and Ally stand.
Lifting my eyes to hers, I close my eyes as she cups my cheek for a minute before her hand falls back to her side and reaches for mine. Sam and I rise together. I wrap my arm around Jeanie’s waist, taking her weight as she leans against me.
Up until now, Jeanie’s been strong, not seeming to be worried about telling her family, but now that the moment is upon us, I can tell she is nervous. I know from the way she acts around her parents that she is worried about disappointing them, but I don’t think that is possible, not with the way they treat each other. They may be shocked, but they’ll be supportive, much like my family has been, and if they aren’t; well then, I’ll get her out of here. Nobody is going to upset her.
Not even her dad.
The table went silent when the girls had stood. All eyes are on us. Ally clears her throat. “Jeanie and I have some news.”
Adam’s eyes narrow as he looks first at Sam and then at me. A muscle moves in his jaw, and I’m not the only one who notices when Tilly puts her hand on his on the table.
“Ah Jesus,” Jeanie mutters. “I can’t take the tension Ally; I’ll just spit it out.”
Biting my lip to hide my chuckle. That’s my girl, no beating around the bush.
“Feck’s sake, Jeanie, I’m trying to ease them into it.” Ally mutters, glaring at her sister.
“They don’t need easing into it; just spit it out,” Jeanie retorts, glaring back at Ally.
“Girls,” Tilly shouts in what I can only describe as a mom voice. I’ve heard it a few times myself from my own mother.
