After having a bit more of a conversation about being mates, his son said he was tired.Taking him up to bed, he tucked him into the covers and told him again how proud he was of him.While he was very worried, he knew that his son hadn’t had anything to do with finding his mate.It was just something that happened, and he was going to be happy for him.
Telling Emma about what they talked about, he found that he had about a million more questions than he had answers for.When she asked what they were to do, Colby said there was nothing they could do but to keep an eye on things.She asked if he thought that Mr.Gibbons was going to be a problem.
“He’ll only be a problem once.”She shivered when he said that, and he pulled her into his arms.“I’ll talk to Denver about it.He might have more information on childhood mates than anyone would.At times like these, I wish my grannie and grandda were around.They’d know just what to do and what to do about Gibbons.He’d better not hurt our son, or he’ll be in a world of hurt himself.”
“I agree on both accounts.Telling your brother will get you information on Gibbons, too.He might even have some ideas on what to do about how this will affect them both as they get older.Have you ever heard of something like this happening?”He told her that he’d heard about it but never knewanyone that it had happened to.“We’ll just hope that Denver or even Ronin will have some advice.I’m really proud of him for telling you.I thought that something was bothering him, but I didn’t know how serious it was.I’m glad you told me.”
“He wanted me to tell you.I think he wants me to talk to Denver, too.To maybe tell him what he’s to do.”She asked if there was much he could do.“No.Not now, at any rate.He’ll just know that she’s his mate for all time, and they’ll be happy.Hopefully.”
“That’s what I’m going to be thinking from now on.At least we know that he’s found his other half and he’s going to be happy.”Turning off the light on his side of the bed, he snuggled with Emma.“I’m not going to say anything to him unless he brings it up.That way I don’t embarrass him.”
He didn’t think she would, but it might be a good idea to wait for him to speak first.As he was closing his eyes to sleep, he thought of all the things that would go right for the two of them.They’d grow up together, and that would be a good thing for all of them.
~*~
Kayce heard about his nephew and wondered how he was doing.Something like this happening could be traumatic to someone as young as he was, but he wasn’t too worried.The kid had a good head on his shoulders and had talked to Denver.It was the way that he’d go if it were to happen to one of his kids.”
Dinner was to be served in forty-five minutes, and he was starving.He’d been looking forward to this meal all day, and now it was about time to eat.All he could think about was that he was glad that they’d been able to get together.He loved his family.
“You look good, little brother.The tan looks good on you.”He told Margo that he missed her.After getting a hug and a kiss from her, they sat down at one of the many tables.“And I missed all of you as well.I can’t believe that it’s been three months since we’ve all been together.It seems like it’s been longer.”
“I know what you mean.”He heard one of the kids screaming and looked around for the one who had been hurt.It must not have been too much, as he wasn’t bombarded with kids telling him he needed his case.“I go through more band aids when we all get together than I use at my practice.I actually buy them by the gross.”
“That’s a lot of knees to bandage up.”They both laughed, and he asked her how she was doing.“I didn’t realize how much I needed this dinner until I showed up here.I’ve really missed everyone so much.”
“I know that I’ve missed you, too.But we all understand why you had to move so far away.It’s been so nice that you have your own school, but it’s not the same with you not being around all the time.How is Grayson doing?I missed him the last time he was in for a meeting.”She said that he was doing great, having fun being in charge of the foundations.“I knew that if anyone could do that job, it would be him.He’s always been good with numbers and such.I guess he’s been wanting to expand, too.I hope he finds someone to do that for us.It’ll be nice to spread what we have to someone else.”
“That’s what he said.And the Fosters are happy with it as well.They said that the foundation money would go towards the next charity and so on after that.I guess they’ll help out, but won’t be as much of a part of it as they were with us.I think they’re going to be passing it on to us to make it work.”He asked her if she thought that they could.“Yes.We’ve made a success of it, and it’s helped so many people.I would love to see it go on.Wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.”He thought about asking her if she’d be a part of it and realized that she was.She would give up time with Grayson when he was around here working.And when he worked from home.“I never thought about how much time we’ve given to the foundation.Not just working the phone when we first started out, but even getting our family to work the shifts that are needed to keep it running.I might not be there as much as I should, but when I work, I devote my entire time to it.”
“That’s the way it should be.And the next family will hopefully be able to do it like we have.Moving our entire family out here at once was a huge undertaking.It worked out, but I do wonder how much harder it will be on the next group or family.”He said that he didn’t know, but was hopeful like she was.“I’m hoping it’s a large family that does it rather than a group of people.As a family we pulledtogether to get things going.As a group of people, you never know what it’s going to be like.Maybe I’m thinking too hard on this.”
“No, I think you’re right.We only had each other, and that was enough for us at the time.”He thought about how much time they still devoted to the charity and was happy that he was able to say no when it became too much for him.“I still have nightmares about the first day we opened, and Denver was hurt.All that blood.Even being a doctor, I sort of froze up because I knew who it was.”
“I think about that every once in a while and have the same thoughts.I was there that day, and the man was going to blow up the entire building with all of us in it.”She grabbed his hand and held it.“I love you, Kayce.I don’t want anything to happen to any of you.”
“I don’t either.”They talked about the next charity foundation, and he was glad that he wasn’t going to be that big a part of it.Mostly, it would be Grayson and Denver as they were the only two full-time people who worked it from the family.He’d be asked to train some people, and he was all right with that.But he didn’t want to get involved like he had when they first opened their doors.“I was thinking that this is going to be a lot of work for Grayson.Will you guys be able to be apart for that long?I know that after a few hours without Molly, I’m really missing her.”
“We’ve gotten used to being able to go for a couple of days without each other.I’m not saying it’ll be easy; it won’t be.But we have a strong marriage and are great at pulling the weight of the other person when they’re not around.It also helps that we only have one child.You and Molly must have your hands full with six and one on the way.She looks ready to pop.”
“She said she feels that way sometimes.”He looked across the yard at his mate and love of his life.She was currently holding one of their other children and talking to Grayson.“She only has about six weeks to go, then we’ll have our child.I’ve never been so happy to be a dad when they all gather around me.It’s like my own slice of heaven.”
“I know what you mean.I might only have the one, but it’s great when she’s around.I feel complete.”He told her that was exactly how he felt.“Good.If you get any more complete, you’re going to have to get a bigger house.”
“We were actually talking about adding onto our home.It wouldn’t be that hard.And I think before we’re finished, we’re going to need the extra room.I don’t know how many kids she wants, but I’m happy to help her along with that.The more the merrier, she tells me all the time.”She laughed so hard that people turned and looked at her.“Only you would think that’s funny.Most people would admonish me for saying something about sex.Not you.”
“I know how babies are made.”She leaned back in her seat and looked around.“Do you ever regret coming out here?I don’t mean about you not meeting Molly, but I’m talking about the move.It was so much.And I don’t think that without the help of the Fosters we could have made it in one piece.”
“Sometimes I think about what we left behind.The friends that we had.The house that we all grew up in.I wonder at times if it’s still standing and if a big family is enjoying the foundation that the house gave us.But then I think about meeting Molly and being so close to all my family, and I think it was well worth it.I doubt very much I would have had my own practice if we’d have stayed there.”She nodded as if she understood.“I do like the weather out here better.It’s wonderfully cool year-round.”
“I met Grayson at the other house, so it holds a bit more for us than it would for you.I loved the old house, too, and miss being able to call it home.The house that we had when we first moved here was all right, but the home we have now is so much more.We got to pick it out for ourselves, and I’ve learned that makes a huge difference in how you feel about a place.Don’t get me wrong, I loved the other place, but where we are now means so much to us that it’s doubtful if we ever move again.”He told her that was the way they felt about their home.“You did so much to the house to make it your own.It must have cost you a fortune to have all the rooms done the way that they are.”
“We had a little help from Molly’s grannie.”He told her about finding the money in the walls and the letter from her grannie.How she’d won the lottery so many times that she’d been able to put away all the cash from it so that Molly would have something to work with when it came to upgradingthe house.“Well, aren’t you lucky.You never told me this before.”
“You’re the first person that I’ve told in all these years of finding it.Don’t say anything, please?I don’t want anyone coming back on us to take it from us.”She asked if Molly’s brothers were still alive.“They all three are.Her dad, William, ended up getting four life sentences for his part in three murders.Not to mention his involvement in the Social Security scams he had going on.Both of her brothers got life each without any chance of parole.But you never know with the court systems if someone will actually stay in prison or not, just because they have life sentences.”
“No, you don’t.”He thanked her for being there for him.“We always were close, the two of us.I hoped that it had to do with the fact that I was so much older than you are, but I don’t know anymore.I’m enjoying just hanging out with you.”
