Chapter Thirteen #3
“Callen is shaking in his boots somewhere right now, suspecting the universe is about to betray him.”
Elizabeth found that outrageously funny.
“Chris, too,” she added.
Oh, likely.
“I’m so happy, Mom,” he said out of the blue. “I’m in a dressing room in a skirt. That should tell you all you need to know,” he admitted.
“I know, Baby. I’m happy for you. This is the best moment of your life.”
He stopped her.
“No, it’s tied. The other best moment was the day I became a Blackhawk. It was the day I was given a family. I will never forget a single thing that any of you have done for me. You changed my life.”
She reassured him.
“No, Michael, you changed ours. You make us even greater, and you’re a blessing. Thank you for being ours.”
In that moment, he almost told her that he was leaving, but he couldn’t do it.
That he would do face-to-face. It only seemed right to do it that way.
Beside, he didn’t have the heart to do it. When Graham and he decided, they’d go from there.
“Am I forgiven?”
She reassured him again.
Because he needed it.
“I was never angry with you, but I’ll get revenge yet. You know I love a good prank. I’m going to bust your balls on this one. Oh, and speaking of balls.”
He waited.
“When you sit in a kilt, keep those knees locked, Baby, or you’re showing EVERYONE those massive balls.”
He snorted.
Yeah, he needed this.
“Thank you for the advice. Only, I’m about to have a husband. I’m pretty sure he wants to look up this skirt.”
That was amusing, and she had to assume that skirt was a kilt. Honestly, she couldn’t wait to make the men in her life wear them for Gryphen and Ian’s wedding.
Once she broke that to them.
Michael continued.
“He’s perfect for me, and I can’t imagine my life without him.”
In that moment, she knew.
This was goodbye.
“You’re not coming back, are you?” she asked, going with her gut.
Michael didn’t expect her to go there. It caught him off guard.
“Um…”
She stopped him.
“You can be honest, Michael. A mother knows. I’ve been wrangling Marines for a long time. I just had a very similar conversation with Uriel.”
Taking a deep breath, he let it out.
“I don’t think I am. If I leave, am I still family?” he asked. “Even far away?”
That was poppycock.
“Michael Robert Graves. Do you think I’m letting you leave this wackadoo circus of crazies? Once you’re in, you’re committed until you’re actually committed.”
He felt calmer.
“I’m going to let Graham decide. I forced his hand last time, and it blew up. This time, I’m going to do the right thing. I had parents who raised me right,” he said, meaning them.
“I love you, Michael. I’ll always love you. I know Callen, Chris, Ethan, and Gene feel the same. You’re part of us no matter how far you travel. You can always come home, Buttercup. I promise.”
He laughed.
She called him that when she beat his ass in the gym. Funny, he felt just as sore—leaving them…that was going to be a hard pill to swallow.
But he’d man up.
When he sniffled, she shut that down.
“No sadness. We’ll cross that bridge then, when we get to it. When you go to get married, make sure you have Ian call. I want to watch one of my Marines find his joy and his happily ever after. I love a wedding.”
He kissed the phone.
“I love you, Mom. I love you so much, and I’m glad you loved me the second you met me.
I needed you and our journey to become this man again.
I will never forget the nights you would sit with me and let me talk to someone, or let me cry.
You are the most amazing mom and woman in the world, and I’m grateful that you are mine. ”
“Always, Saint Michael. Don’t tell the others, but you’re my favorite.”
He wiped his eyes and laughed.
“I know for certain, you’ve told Gryphen, Uriel, Demeter, Jet, Benning, Gunny, Raphael, Saint, Muriel, and the other Marines the same damn thing.”
She was honest.
“This time, you can bet on it. You needed me the most, and a mother’s heart needs a child who relies on her. I’ll miss you, but it’s not goodbye, buttercup. It’s see you at the holidays with your new man.”
He got it.
“I’ll be home, Mom. I promise.”
She didn’t doubt that.
“It’s been a pleasure having you on my team, Michael. Don’t forget where you came from on this new adventure. If you ever need me…or you just want to talk to your mom, call me. I’m here.”
He wiped his eyes.
“I will, Mom. The pleasure was all mine. Protecting you and the family was my greatest joy.”
Now, he was weepy.
So she had to stop this, or they’d be crying, and today wasn’t about weeping.
It was about celebrating.
“Where are you getting married?”
He shared.
“The courtyard behind the castle. You’ll get to see it, finally. Look at that. A silver lining.”
Well, since he brought it up…
“The courtyard, huh? Now, tell me about the bodies in the lake.”
Oh, hell, no.
That was not his hill to die on. He was leaving that to Chris and Callen.
Immediately, he began shaking the phone—for what reason, he had no idea. Maybe it was to make it sound like he was losing the connection.
“You’re breaking up. I can’t hear you, Mom…,” he said, and then hung up, laughing his ass off.
That was when Finn found him.
“Uh, are you okay?” he asked. “Your kilt is paid for, and you’re good to go.”
He was more than okay.
Michael was ready to begin his life.
FINALLY.
“I was talking to my mom, Elizabeth. I apologized for tearing into her.”
Finn lifted a brow.
“Your mom? As in, you’re a Blackhawk?” he asked, surprised by that. “I thought you were an orphan. You know, nun and all.”
He certainly was.
“Yeah, I am. She adopted me as her own. I’m one of them until death.”
And he actually believed that.
Gabby told him how protective Elizabeth was, and he’d met her when they went back to get Gabby’s things. Elizabeth gave off good vibes.
“Good for you,” Finn stated. “She must love you a lot.”
She did.
This proved that he’d always been part of their world. In fact, he was her favorite son.
“Oh, so you’re rich-rich,” he said busting his ass. “That explains the black card. Aiden nearly fell over when he saw it.”
He picked up his things and folded them before putting them in the bag Finn had in his hands.
“We all have one, and yeah, I’m rich-rich.”
Only, he wasn’t talking about money.
No.
Michael Robert Graves was talking about the most important riches in the world.
FAMILY.