Chapter 4
Iwalk up to Monica’s secretary’s desk. “Hey Stevie.”
Stevie looks up and smiles. “Titus, I heard your earlier meeting was eventful.”
I chuckle. “It certainly was. Is Monica free?”
“She is.”
“Thanks,” I knock on the door and wait to be called in, entering when I am. “Hi Monica.”
“Titus,” she says, smiling at me. “Come on in and have a seat. I just need to save this.” She hits a button. “Done. Now I understand, congratulations are in order. The policies have finally been sorted.”
I nod. “Bar any last-minute changes, they are. I honestly never thought this day would happen.”
Monica laughs. “Neither did I. I understand you resorted to drastic action.”
“I did. I honestly didn’t know what else to do, and I didn’t want to sit through another shouting match.”
“I don’t blame you. I have to wonder if more ministers will try that now.”
I laugh. “A new trend.”
She laughs and shakes her head at me. “I hope not. Anyway, I wanted to touch base for two reasons. Firstly, when do I get to meet the original line true witches?”
“It might be hard to get them all here. Would you be open to coming to Cadenbury and meeting everyone there? We can supply food,” I suggest, as trying to get us all here might be hard.
“I can do that. Especially as there is only one of me and lots of you. Figure out some dates with everyone and send them through, and we can arrange something.”
“Will do.”
“It will be nice to meet your partner as well.”
“I can make sure Kean is around.”
“Thank you. I also want to meet Kean as I was contacted by the Paranormal Adoption Agency.”
“You were?” I ask, shocked. Why would they be contacting my boss?
“Yes, just some standard checks. They wanted to make sure you actually worked here, for how long, things like that. I gave them the information they wanted and added that you and your partner would make wonderful parents.”
“Oh wow, thank you,” I say, touched, especially as she hasn’t met Kean yet.
“Just so you know, as soon as you have a child, you will be on three months paternity leave. I’ve already approved the request you’ve not submitted yet.”
“Again, thank you, Monica.”
“I know the process can be hard, no matter what agency you go through. It was for me and my husband each time we adopted. The getting so close and having your hopes dashed, it can be hard and upsetting.”
I nod in agreement. “Yeah, we found out yesterday that the child we were potentially adopting, the mother decided to keep the baby. That’s the third time it’s fallen through.”
Monica sits forward, resting her arms on the desk.
“So many of ours fell through, it felt like forever, even though it was only seven months for our first son, it was nearly three years for our second one. So, I honestly know what the process is like. What I’m trying to say is, if it gets too much and you need to take personal days, take them. ”
“Thanks, I will if I need to.”
“Good, that was it, unless you have anything for me?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“Don’t forget to send me some dates.”
I stand up. “I won’t, thanks, Monica.”
“And Titus, I meant what I said. You really will be a good father.”
I nod. “Thanks,” and with that, I leave the room and walk back to my office. Of all the things I thought we would be discussing today our adoption dream wasn’t it. It was reassuring that Monica had been through the process herself, so she knows the struggles and heartache.
I check the time and see it’s nearly half five. That went quickly. I see Daniel packing up to leave. “Night, Daniel.”
“Titus,” he stops and grins. “So, your in-person meeting next Friday is now a Zoom meeting.”
“How did that happen? They were dead set against an online meeting when I suggested it,” I ask, confused.
“They found out what happened in the policy meeting.”
I burst out laughing. “Seriously?”
“Oh yeah,” he replies with a chuckle. “They’re of the mind that you can’t magically mute them via the Internet.”
“Idiots. I can mute them from anywhere. Hopefully, all my in-person meetings will be changed now.”
“Don’t say that. I’d still like to see you in person from time to time.”
I laugh again. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He grins. “Right, I'm off. Drive safe.”
“Will do, night, Daniel.”
“Night.”
I get lost in my work, so it’s close to seven when I leave. Hopefully, the road gods will be with me and I’ll be home just after ten.
I message Kean and my brothers, letting them know I’m leaving and get messages straight back telling me to drive safe.
I also see I have a message from Ernest.
Kean told me about your meeting. You’re awesome.
Yeah, I knew Ernest would like that. To be honest, I’m surprised he hasn’t tried something like that before, but then he does have his squirt bottle.
I'm happily driving down the road, my radio blaring out eighties rock anthems, when I see flashing lights up ahead, and all three services are in attendance.
I offer up a prayer for those involved. A police officer is slowing traffic down and making people turn around.
She makes her way to me, and I lower my window.
“Sorry, sir, the road is completely closed, and all traffic is being turned around. If you use your satnav, put in to avoid this road and it should help you with an alternative route.”
“Thanks, officer,” I say, and as soon as she’s out of the way, I turn the car around. I pull over in a layby and program the satnav as directed, then message Kean and my brothers telling them the road’s closed because of an accident and I’ll be home whenever.
Be safe and use your magic if needed. Kean sends back almost instantly.
Don’t forget you can blow demons up. Temp sends.
Be careful on country roads. Cassie adds.
I’ll stay safe. I promise them. Thankfully, looking at the route, I don’t go down any dark country lanes. I set off again, hoping that was the only road closure.
It was thankfully, but I still don’t get home until nearly eleven. I’m completely exhausted. Why does driving wear you out so much? I could understand if it was bad driving conditions, but nope, apart from being dark, they were fine.
I pick up my bag and drag myself out of the car, walking to the front door that opens before I even reach it. Kean is standing there smiling at me.
I walk into his arms and kiss him. Slowly pulling back. “Hi, handsome.”
“Hey, honey, welcome home.” He leads me into the house. “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”
I shake my head. “No, handsome. I just want you.”
Kean grins at me, pulling me against his chest. “You have me, you’ll always have me.”
I look into his happy, shining blue eyes. “Just as you have me.” I lean in and kiss him, heating things up.
Kean rips his mouth away, grabs my hand and practically pulls me upstairs and into our room, slamming the bedroom door behind me before pushing me up against it and ravishing my mouth as his hands start divesting me of my clothes.
Once I’m naked, I strip Kean and lead him to the bed.
With a grin, I push him down and watch as he gets comfy, before following him down, lying over him.
I kiss and lick every part of him before making love to him.
Now we’re lying facing each other, practically nose to nose. You probably couldn’t even get a sheet of paper between us.
He rubs his nose against mine. “I missed you today.”
“Just as I missed you. My next in-person meeting has been changed to a Zoom meeting. Word spread around the building about how I handled the policies meeting. The ministers think that if they move the meeting online, they’ll be safe from my magic.”
Kean laughs. “The fools.”
I grin. “I know. Monica wonders if others will try that now.”
“My mate a trend setter.”
I touch his cheek. “The Paranormal Adoption Agency contacted Monica to check that I actually worked there and asked other questions. She said she replied and gave me a glowing recommendation. She and her husband went through the adoption process. She shared some of her struggles and said when we have a child, she has already approved my three-month paternity leave and knowing how hard the process is, said if ever I need to take a day off to deal with emotions, I can have it.”
“That’s nice of her. It helps that your boss knows what we’re going through.”
“It does. She wants to meet you, and still wants to meet the other true witches. I said I’d arrange something here,” I end with a big yawn.
“We can sort something out. But sleep, honey, we can talk in the morning,” Kean says, kissing me.
“We can. Love you so much, handsome.”
“Of course you do.”
I snort out a laugh and feel my eyelids getting heavy. “Thank you for loving me,” I whisper as I fall asleep.