Chapter Five #4
Once we reach the house, Hannah releases my hand and bounds up the steps, charging through the front door. “Our company is here!” she announces.
I look back at Braxten.
“She’s a vibrant child who has a lot to say,” he tells me, that smirk lifting the corners of his mouth.
“I see that. She’s also very polite and not shy at all.”
He grunts. “Definitely not shy.”
“I admire that about her.”
I’d give anything to be that trusting. To not be afraid every time I turn around. It makes me wonder if I was ever like that. Was I always this timid and shy, or was I bold and outgoing?
Laughter floats from the house, yanking me from my thoughts. I gaze at the front door, feeling my nerves kickstarting all over again.
“If you’re not up for this, we can go back to my place,” Braxten says, watching me closely. “I can bring dinner there.”
A part of me wants to accept the offer, but knowing his father went to a lot of work has me refusing.
“No, this is fine. Really.”
He doesn’t seem all that convinced, but doesn’t argue. “All right. Come on then, let’s find out if you like gumbo and cornbread.” His hand finds the small of my back, the warm touch comforting as he guides me inside to the kitchen where his family sits.
“There she is!” Hannah announces, pointing directly at me.
Silence falls amongst the entire room, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife.
“Told y’all she was pretty.”
The sweet compliment has my cheeks warming.
Braxten leans down, whispering in my ear. “The kid is also honest.”
My gaze lifts to his and I become captivated by the sincerity I find there. It baffles me how he can say that after seeing me the way he did only moments ago.
Braxten’s father walks over from the stove to greet me first, that kind and patient smile taking over his face. “Alice, it’s wonderful to see you again,” he says warmly, grasping my shoulders in a gentle touch. “Welcome to my home.”
The friendly greeting quickly puts me at ease. “Thank you for having me, Mr. Creed. I appreciate it very much.”
“Please, call me Thatcher.”
I nod. “Thatcher.”
“Let me introduce you to my Gwen.” He reaches for the woman he was standing with when I walked in, bringing her in close to his side. She has long, silver hair, dark blue eyes, and a smile that portrays the same caring nature as the man next to her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alice.” She softly clasps my hand between both of hers.
“Same to you, Gwen. I hear you make the best cornbread in Mississippi.”
She waves away the compliment, but Thatcher doesn’t let her.
“That she does. You won’t find any better.” He stares down at her with an unmistakable love that manages to fill the entire room.
Braxten points to a man seated at the kitchen table. “Over there is my obnoxious older brother, Justice.”
“Who also happens to be my daddy,” Hannah J. adds with pride, jumping up onto the man’s lap. Even if the little girl hadn’t announced it, I would have guessed. The resemblance between the two is unmistakable.
Justice has the same commanding presence about him as Braxten does, but the way he looks down at his daughter softens that hard exterior.
He sends a nod my way. “Nice to meet you, Alice.”
“You too,” I whisper shyly.
“Next to him is his wife, Ryanne,” Braxten speaks again, moving down the table. “She’s secretly in love with me and trying to find a way to let my brother down easy.”
The pretty woman with auburn hair rolls her eyes and stands from the table, revealing a slightly round stomach. “In your dreams, Creed.”
I chuckle at their playful banter.
She walks up to me, shaking my hand. “Hi, Alice. I’m glad to see the dress fits.”
My hands nervously smooth down the front of it. “It does. Thank you for letting me borrow it.”
“Of course. After dinner, I’ll get you something to wear for bed.”
Any lingering nerves I had subside with her kindness.
“And that ball of sunshine in the back corner there is my brother, Knox.”
My gaze shifts to where Braxten points next, my smile vanishing in an instant as I’m met with an icy glare.
Tattoos cover most of the man’s skin, making him look even more intimidating than his brothers.
However, unlike his brothers, I find no softness beneath that hard exterior, no warmth or compassion.
“Hi,” I choke out, a slight quiver edging my voice.
I’m reciprocated with silence. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he hates me, but I can’t think of a single reason why.
Braxten walks over to where his brother sits and leans down behind him with an arm around his neck. “Hi, Alice. It’s nice to meet you. I’m a grumpy bastard. Don’t take it personally.”
Hannah and Ryanne giggle and it breaks some of the tension filling the room. It makes me feel a little better to know it’s not just me.
“Come, we will eat now,” Thatcher says, placing a warm hand on my shoulder.
I’m seated between Ryanne and Braxten. Dinner starts with Hannah J. saying grace and she even adds me into the prayer, thanking God for blessing her family with my presence. The young girl may be small, but her heart is big enough to move mountains.
Once eating commences, I find out that I do in fact like gumbo and cornbread. So much so that I have two helpings. Something that Braxten seems pleased about.
“So when are we going shooting again, guys?” Hannah J. asks around a mouthful of food as she makes eye contact with all the males at the table.
“You’re not,” Ryanne cuts in, tone stern.
“Come on, Mama. Uncle Knox just built a new gun. I wanna see it in action.”
“We will this week, baby,” Justice promises, undermining his wife. He tries to lessen the blow by sending her a charming wink.
Ryanne isn’t having it. “Why can’t y’all take her to play with the animals instead? She loves animals.”
“I take her to play with the animals,” Thatcher states defensively.
“This is true and I do love animals,” Hannah admits. “But I also love guns.”
Ryanne shakes her head, but there is no denying the smile she tries to hide. “Like father like daughter.”
“Exactly,” Braxten chimes in. “You need to stop fighting the legacy, Ryanne. She’s a Creed. A badass one at that.” He leans across the table, bumping fists with his niece.
The entire exchange has me smiling.
Despite the difference of opinion, it’s very easy to see just how close this family is. How much they all love each other. It makes me feel a little envious.
The rest of the dinner follows in the same manner, with more conversation and laughter, except from Knox. He remains quiet throughout, his cold, hard stare boring into the side of my face. I ignore it as best I can and focus on the others.
After dessert, Thatcher walks Gwen out to her car and it’s only then I realize they aren’t married. Ryanne tells me that they only recently reconnected after many years apart. The revelation takes me by surprise. The love reflecting from the two of them radiates a lifetime.
Hannah reaches for seconds of the chocolate cream pie sitting on the table before Ryanne stops her.
“You, little miss, need a bath,” she laughs, wiping the left over dessert off her daughter’s face before bringing her attention to me. “If you want to come to the house with us, Alice, I can get you something to wear for bed?”
I look over at Braxten, making sure it’s all right with him.
“Go ahead, I’ll meet you at the house shortly.”
“Okay.”
Before we leave, Hannah makes her goodnight rounds, starting with Braxten. She launches into his open arms and kisses his cheek. “Night, Uncle Brax. I love ya.”
“Love you more, half pint.” He blows a smacking kiss right back against her cheek that has her laughing out loud.
She races over to Knox next, but instead of hugging him like she did Braxten, she kisses her hand and gently lays it on the side of his face. “Love you, Uncle Knox.”
For the briefest second, I see that cold hard shell of his slip away. An almost pain and longing enter his eyes before he takes the young girl’s hand from his face and kisses her palm back, an unspoken moment passing between them. “I’ll see you tomorrow, kid.”
The warmth that filled his eyes for his niece evaporates when his gaze shifts to mine, delivering another icy glare. Ducking my head, I bid everyone a quiet goodbye.
“I won’t be long,” Braxten promises.
I nod in his direction then follow Ryanne and Hannah out the door. Once outside, the young girl runs ahead of us while Ryanne hangs back with me, keeping a slow pace for my sake.
Dusk has begun to settle across the beautiful farmland and I’m struck by the peacefulness of it. It’s so quiet that only the distant sound of nature can be heard.
“It sure is beautiful here,” I muse softly.
“It is,” Ryanne agrees. “This place is everything to Thatcher and the boys and it has come to mean a lot to me too. I couldn’t imagine raising my family anywhere else.” Her hand moves to her small baby bump, happiness radiating from her.
“How far along are you?” I ask, hoping I’m not overstepping.
“Only a few months, but some days it feels much longer.” The admission is finished on a laugh.
“Well, you look beautiful and you have a lovely family.”
That smile extends further across her face. “Thank you. It might be rough around the edges, but trust me, you won’t find a more loyal family than this one.”
“I can see that. You all seem very close, especially the boys. They are all so…” Silence fills the moment as I search for the right word. “Intense.”
She chuckles at my poor choice of words. “They are intense, especially Knox.” She directs a look my way, sensing my unease with him.
“Yeah, I noticed that.”
“Don’t take it personally. He’s like that with everyone, including me. He doesn’t trust anyone but his brothers and father.”
“And me!” Hannah J. yells back, clearly listening in on our conversation.
“And Hannah,” Ryanne adds, amusement coating her tone. “Once you get to know him you’ll see he’s not so scary. He’s just protective of his brothers, they all are of each other. They have a special bond, something no one can even begin to understand.”
It seems like she has a pretty good understanding of them and I can’t help but wonder just how close she has been with them, my mind drifting to the unthinkable. I quickly pull myself from the straying thought, knowing it’s not my business.
As we come upon her house, I reach for the railing and begin my careful climb. Ryanne quickly takes my free arm, offering support. “Let me help you.”
“Thank you.”
She assists me with every step and doesn’t release me until we enter the house. “Excuse the mess.” Her feet push aside the scattered tools at the front door, making more room to walk. “It’s still in finishing stages but livable.”
“It’s a beautiful home,” I say, taking in the open two story concept.
“Thank you. Do you mind if I start her bath first?” she asks, pointing to Hannah J.
“Not at all.”
“Thanks. I’ll be quick.”
Taking her daughter by the hand, she rushes her up the stairs.
While she does that, I use the opportunity to walk over to the stone fire place and admire the family photos there.
The one of Hannah J. and her uncles and dad covered in camo as they hold guns has a smile spreading across my face.
The sweet, innocent little girl fits in surprisingly well with the three intimidating men.
It’s not long before Ryanne walks back into the living room, carrying a pile of clothes. “What do you prefer to sleep in?” she asks. “I have a nightgown, shorts and tank top, or pajama pants.”
“A nightgown might be easiest for me to slip on, if that’s all right?”
“Of course. Here you go.”
As I reach for the silk nightgown she hands me, my sweater slips from my shoulder, revealing a black and blue mess.
Ryanne’s gaze clings to the colorful wounds, a soft breath penetrating her lips before I quickly pull the sleeve back in place.
“Thanks,” I whisper, unable to look her in the face.
“You’re welcome.” She clears her throat before speaking again. “Look, Alice. If you need anything, anything at all, you can come to me. Even if it’s just to talk.”
My eyes lift back to hers, seeing so much more than sympathy. There’s almost an understanding.
“You’ll come to learn the men on this farm can be extremely overbearing at times. It’ll be nice having another woman around to visit with.”
I return her smile and realize in this moment that I may have just made a new friend. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your night,” I say, deciding it’s time to make my exit. “Thank you again for the clothes.”
“Would you like me to walk you?” she offers. “Brax might kill me if anything happens to you.”
I can’t deny how my heart skips a beat from hearing that. “That’s all right. I can manage on my own, but thank you anyway.”
At her nod, I head for the front door.
“Miss Alice, wait!”
Stopping, I turn to see Hannah bounding down the stairs in a fluffy, pink robe. Running over, she hands me the large storybook she carries. “For you.”
“What’s this?” I ask in surprise.
“It’s the story of Alice in Wonderland ,” she explains. “It’s about a girl named Alice who’s lost in a place called Wonderland, but makes friends along the way. I thought you might like to read it.”
I stare down at the blonde girl with bright blue eyes on the cover, seeing more of a resemblance than just the name. The thoughtful gesture has my throat burning with emotion. “I’d love to read it. Thank you, Hannah.”
“You’re welcome.” Stepping into me, she gently wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me carefully. “Papa Thatcher says sometimes the bestest friends are found on the rainiest days.”
My arm instinctively curls around her small body as love invades my soul. I look up to see Ryanne watching us with nothing short of pride for her daughter.
Feeling close to a blubbering mess, I whisper a final goodbye then leave out the front door. My attention is riveted on the book in my hand as I walk across the yard to the house next door.
Once on the porch, I take a seat in one of the rocking chairs and open it. Under the dim light, I begin reading and become lost in an enchanting place called…Wonderland.