Chapter 8 #3
“Good.” She looked around the living room. “I feel like this room has been tainted in some way. Like him being here, sitting on our furniture, had made it seem less like we own it now. I want to redo the entire room. I’m not sure that this is all to my tastes anyway.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” She smiled at him and asked him if he was humoring her.
“Not at all. I feel the same way. Like him bringing his gun into our home has invaded us in some way. Like he’s taken some of the safety we feel in this room away from us.
We’ll do what we did to the bedroom. Just get rid of whatever is in there and start new.
I’m sure that your sister wouldn’t have wanted you to leave everything the way that she left it.
At least we can change out this room because we spend a lot of time in this room. ”
“You’re right.” They decided to look at things on the internet before going to the store. If they had an idea of what they wanted, then shopping for it would be so much better. “If nothing else, we’ll be able to make this our home one room at a time. I love that we’re doing this.”
“I am too.” He held her hand while they talked about what was going to happen with the judge coming to town.
They were also going to see April to make sure she didn’t need anything.
As they were getting things settled in their minds and hearts, they also made a decision on the adoption of Lizzy.
“I want you to do it. Adopt her. She and I both will take your last name and be better off for it. It’ll be a lot of work to get everything changed over, but I think in the long run we’ll save us a lot of time. ”
After everyone left but his parents, they sat in the living room with them and discussed what had happened.
Dad was of the opinion that they should get a gate put in and someone to man it.
He’d never thought of that before, but it had merit.
Just as they were talking about getting a fenced-in backyard, the grandfather clock in the hallway told them that it was two o’clock. Another late night for them.
“See that you get that yard fenced in. I don’t want to have to worry about my little granddaughter getting kidnapped while in the yard playing.
You know as well as I do that there are some crazy people out there and when they figure out you have money, they’re going to want some of it.
” He told his dad that they’d start on it as soon as tomorrow.
“See that you do. And if you need any help finding someone, I’m sure that Mac will have a good name for you to use.
She seems to know everyone in that community. She’ll steer you right.”
“I’ll talk to her in the morning about it.
” He made a mental note to talk to her about having the gate put in too.
Their driveway was a long one that curved around the front of the house so people would be able to get in without much in the way of trouble.
“We’re both going to take this threat today very seriously and get us some much-needed protection in.
The rest of the family should do it as well. ”
“I know that Mac and Axel have security. And with Gil working on his house, it won’t be a problem for him to have security added in while he’s doing the rest of the house.
” Dad shook his head. “I can’t believe that we’ve never thought of this before.
It seems like the world has become a darker place than when you boys were little.
Your mother and I will upgrade too. If we get to watch the children from now on, we’ll have to make sure that they can be as safe with us as they are at home.
I just never thought it would come to this. ”
“No, neither did I.” They talked about other modes of security as they walked to the door.
Dad would go home and look up other measures to use to keep them safe, and he’d be emailing the information to all of them too.
Audon hugged his dad extra long before he left.
He asked what that was for. “Because I don’t tell you enough how much I love you.
And I do. With all my heart. You and Mom are the best.”
“I love you too, son.” Dad hugged him again, and they laughed. “It’s not funny really, but you’ve said to me before that you don’t say that enough to me when you’re around, and I’ve only just realized that I don’t say that I love you to you boys all that often either. I’m going to work on that.”
“You never know what’s around the corner.
” Dad nodded and left. Mom seemed to be confused, but she left as well.
Dad would tell her, and that would be fine.
She’d understand and make it a point to tell them that she loved them as well.
Not that Mom needed any help in that area, but she’d encourage Dad to say it, and that would be well worth it.
He and Trinity locked up the house. They both checked the doors twice to make sure that they were safe in the house.
As they were going up the stairs, they didn’t talk much, but what they did say was profound.
Trinity told him that she had never loved until she’d met him, and he thought the same.
They both would spend the rest of their lives together, and that would be wonderful.
He couldn’t wait to grow old with Trinity and have lots of kids.
She said that she wanted as many as they could have, and he thought that was just fine.
“I love you.” He kissed her on the nose and told her that he loved her.
“I can’t believe that we’ve been married a whole week now and we’re just telling each other how much we love one another.
I mean, I’ve said I love you before, but this time, I really mean it.
You’re the owner of my heart and soul; Audon and I don’t know what I’d do if you were to leave me. ”
“The same here.” He took her hand into his and kissed it. “I love you more than the next breath I take. And you make me want to be a better man.”
“Same here. I want to be the best, someone you can be proud of and love. I can’t imagine my life without you by my side.
” He picked her up in his arms and went into her bedroom.
“In a couple more days we’ll have the master suite and have a much bigger bed.
Then after that, we’ll plan out the rest of the house, then someday maybe make some babies. Lizzy needs a sister or brother.