“The same reason you won’t let Oscar help you. Being stubborn is a family trait,” Amelia tells her aunt. She’s not wrong there. Stacey is stubborn.
“Where do you want to go?” Hunter asks quietly.
“I said they could live with us,” Oscar confesses.
“Oscar.” Stacey gasps.
“I told them it would be up to you to make the final decision, but they are welcome to live with us. We can even look at maybe purchasing a new house.”
Oh, Ragnar. You glorious man. Sienna and I smile at each other.
“Guessing the tradition of home gifting for Dirty Texas is going to be kept alive,” I whisper to Sienna, who is trying not to giggle.
“Oscar,” Stacey says, warning him.
“It’s not his fault, Aunt Stacey. We asked him,” Amelia confesses.
“I think Oscar and I have to talk about this.” Stacey doesn’t sound happy.
“You can’t be serious? You’re seriously thinking about moving everyone to LA?” Hunter asks.
“I said I need to talk to Oscar about it,” Stacey says through clenched teeth.
“I don’t understand,” he questions her.
“You can stay,” Amelia tells him, and the next thing we see is Hunter storming out the door.
“I’ll get him,” Oscar says.
“Stacey, please, just think about it,” Amelia pleads.
“I promise, I’ll think about it,” she says, giving her niece a smile.
Oscar and Stacey join us on the back veranda for drinks. All the kids have gone to bed early. Today has been a lot for them, but Stacey should be so proud of those kids, they are good kids. It was very brave and mature of them to voice their concerns to Stacey like they did.
“That was a bit intense,” I say, sipping my beer.
“I feel so bad for the girls,” Sienna adds.
“I don’t know what to do.” Stacey sighs, taking a swallow of beer.
“You should get married and adopt the kids,” I state. Oscar chokes on his drink. “What? You’re already engaged. You go to court next week to finalize the guardianship of the kids.”
“It’s not that simple, D,” Stacey says.
“Yes, it is. Oscar has enough money to hire good lawyers to speed up everything. The kids are having a crap time at school. It seems Amelia has already had a bad brush with depression. The kids are telling you they want a fresh start. Don’t you think they deserve that? I’ve seen the way people in town look at your family. Everyone is awkward. You can see the pity. The kids pick up on all that shit. They’ve been through so much already.” I don’t mean to push the subject because it’s not my family, but they bloody well feel like they are. “You would have support back home with all of us being there. You wouldn’t be alone.” I look over at Oscar, and he nods, letting me know he’s all in. Stacey notices and looks between Oscar and me, and frowns. “It will take a month or two to get your paperwork for the statesready. In that time, apply for a marriage license, and you can get married after thirty days. It’s done. You’re a family. Then you can make a new life in America.”
Stacey is staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“It might help our case being married,” Oscar adds.
“Ragnar, what the fuck? That’s not romantic.” I glare at him, but it kind of is. He’s just said he will marry her so he can adopt her nieces and nephew so that he can give them a new life in LA. Okay, I’ll shut up because that is fucking romantic. Stupid speaking before thinking.
Next thing, Oscar is on his knee in front of her. “Stacey Ferguson. I love you with all my heart. What we have been through these past couple of weeks has only brought us closer together. It’s made me realize what’s important in my life, and that is you. Will you marry me in thirty days?”
Sienna and I look at each other, we both have wide smiles on our faces.
“Do it. Do it. Do it,” I chant.
