Chapter Thirty-One
Braxten
B lues music drifts from the outdoor speakers as we gather for Sunday dinner out in the backyard on this unusually warm fall day.
My father and Gwen stand at the barbecue grilling up a storm, while my brothers and I nurse our beers and watch Hannah, Ryanne, and Alice play a game of croquet.
Something my niece is always asking to do lately.
For whatever reason, the kid loves it. I personally think it’s boring as fuck, but there is no denying how much I enjoy watching Alice laugh and cheer as she kicks ass. Her smile is something I’ve grown accustomed to seeing more of and I love it. It’s how she’s meant to live.
Happy, healthy, and mine.
It’s why I wasted no time when it came to making her my wife. It happened shortly after arriving home from the hospital. A small ceremony right here on the farm with family and close friends, Craig and Linda being among them.
It was a whirlwind of chaos, but I refused to wait any longer because I knew from the moment I found her that I would keep her forever.
Now I wait for the day that she will carry my baby, something we are not preventing from happening. We are leaving it up to fate since it has yet to let me down.
She also still needs time to heal, both physically and emotionally. I know some wounds will last a lifetime, but I will soothe those particular wounds every second of every day.
That said, she has come a long way in a short amount of time. So well that we have the constant argument over her getting a damn job.
She doesn’t need to work because I will take care of her. I also know full well the only reason she insists on getting one is because she thinks she owes me, which is the most fucking ridiculous thought ever.
In the end, we came to the agreement that she would help my father out more regularly on the farm.
He’s been teaching her how to train horses, something she has fallen in love with.
He even gifted her Leela. Said she has a bond with that horse unlike anything he has ever seen before and it should be hers.
Some days, I swear she spends more time with the animal than me, but I can’t be mad about it. Not when it makes her so happy.
“Another contract just came in,” Justice says, reading off his phone. “This one is a tight deadline.”
“Government?” I ask.
He nods.
Figures, they always give us little time, but they also pay out the ass for it so I don’t complain.
“I can start on it tonight,” Knox says.
“Yeah, he can do it in his PJs before bed since he lives there now,” I joke, but am only half kidding. Ever since Gwen moved in with my father, he works all hours of the night before crashing on the couch.
I’ve told him several times that he can have his bedroom back.
Even Alice has tried persuading him to move back in, but he has insisted he’s fine where he is.
It’s one of the reasons why I moved forward with building on the sector of land my father gave me.
This way he will be able to have the guesthouse to himself.
“Actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you both about.” The change in my brother’s voice alters the easiness of our moment.
“What’s going on?” Justice asks.
“I got a job offer that would put me out in the field again.”
Shock rocks me at the disclosure. “What job offer? What the hell are you talking about?”
“It was a call that came in yesterday. The offer was for the three of us, but I told them you guys were out for sure.” His gaze is on his hands as he fiddles with the beer bottle he has.
“Just us?” Justice says, a lot calmer than I feel. “I thought we all agreed we wouldn’t do missions anymore.”
“I know, but things have changed since then.” There’s no anger or resentment behind his words, just fact.
“What about what we have going here?” I ask, struggling to accept any part of this.
“I wouldn’t be gone all the time. I’ll still do my part when I’m home.”
I gaze back at his lowered head, unbelieving what I’m hearing. We all hate being apart from each other, but especially Knox. “I don’t get it, man. Where is this coming from?”
He shrugs. “Nowhere. I just figure it might be good for me to take it. I need to get used to doing more things on my own and it will give you guys some space with your families.”
“Fuck space,” I shoot back, unable to hold in my feelings on this conversation any longer. “Who the fuck wants space? I sure as hell don’t.”
“Same,” Justice adds.
Knox remains quiet. Though, I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t believe us or he doesn’t want to.
“Look, Knox. If you’re considering this because you really want to get back in the field then let’s talk about it,” Justice says. “But there is no way in hell you are doing this alone. We made a pact. We stick together, always.”
He shakes his head. “It was just a thought. If you don’t want me to do it then I won’t.”
“I don’t want you to do it,” I tell him, having no qualms saying that out loud.
“Fine, I won’t.”
“Good!”
An awkward moment of silence settles before I break it.
Slinging an arm around his neck, I bring him in close. “I tell you what, you don’t say shit like that to us again and I won’t say you wear PJs while you build guns,” I tell him. “There was no reason to get so sensitive about it.”
He gives me a playful shove. “Get the fuck off me.”
Justice and I chuckle, but despite the lighter moment, there is no denying how unsettling that conversation was and even more so that my brother considered the offer.
Certain aspects of our relationship may have changed, but one thing that remains steadfast is our love and loyalty for one another. I will never be okay with the thought of him leaving and I know Justice wouldn’t either. We still need him as much as he needs us.
“All right, y’all,” my father calls out. “Come grab a seat. Dinner is ready.”
The girls drop their mallets and head this way, my niece leading the three of them.
My gaze zeroes in on my woman as she laughs at something Ryanne says to her, and the unrest I was feeling moments ago eases.
The late afternoon sun adds to the beauty that always engulfs her and it does all sorts of shit to the organ inside my chest. She’s always done that to me, but since making her my wife that feeling has only intensified.
A shy smile steals her face when she catches me eye fucking her and it makes me hard on the spot.
“Gotta staring problem, Uncle Brax?” Hannah calls out as they approach, obviously noticing it too.
Both my brothers chuckle.
I shoot Justice a look. “You have a mouthy kid.”
He grunts. “I wonder who she gets it from.”
I can’t deny that insinuation.
Standing, I jump off the patio then lean down and grab her by the leg, hanging her upside down.
She squeals and laughs uncontrollably as I shake her around.
“I do when it comes to my wife. You gotta problem with that, little bit?”
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” she returns, giving me more shit.
I lift her even higher, bringing her upside down face level with mine. “You just bought yourself a spot into some horse shit, little girl.”
She screeches as I walk toward the barn.
“Please don’t,” Ryanne pleads, out of breath from the ever growing baby bump she has to cart around. “I’m not in the mood to wash horse poop off my daughter.”
I gaze down at my niece. “Saved by your mama.” Flipping her right side up, I keep her in my arms.
“And saved by a kiss,” she adds, laying a smacking one right on my cheek.
The kid is good, I’ll give her that.
Placing her back on her feet, she runs to grab a seat at the table. “I’m sitting next to Papa!”
I look over at Alice, extending my hand to her. “Can I sit next to you, Wonderland?”
A blush paints her upturned cheeks. “Are you going to behave yourself?”
I grunt. “Not with you.”
“Typical Creed answer,” Ryanne laughs as she climbs the patio stairs.
Alice places her hand in mine. “I would never sit next to anyone else, Braxten Creed.”
Whenever she says shit like this, I want to haul her ass home and bury myself inside of her for the rest of the night. I decide I am going to do exactly that as soon as we finish this meal.
We head on over to the table and take our seats, Alice easily taking the one that puts her next to Knox while I sit on the other side of her. My brother fills her glass with lemonade, not an uncommon gesture anymore.
It earns him a grateful smile and a bump of her shoulder as she says “thank you.”
The exchange might be normal to most, but it’s hugely significant to me.
My brother has never had any form of relationship with anyone outside my father, Justice, and I, especially women.
That changed when my niece came into the picture, and though Ryanne and him have found their own easiness, it’s not what him and Alice have found.
Whatever happened, it made my brother see her the way I always have, that she’s meant to be here with us.
Though, I wouldn’t say he trusts her implicitly, I’d say they have formed a relationship that he has yet to have with anyone else outside our circle, and it means everything to me.
It’s just another way I have been able to share her with him that doesn’t cross boundaries.
Just as we begin dishing our plates, my father stands, clearing his throat. “Before we start eating, I have an announcement I would like to make.”
Silence falls over the table, my brothers and I exchanging a look, wondering what the hell is going on.
He reaches down for Gwen, bringing her to stand next to him. “I have asked Gwen to be my wife and she has agreed.”
Excitement falls over the table, sending everyone out of their seats. Ryanne and Alice rush to hug Gwen while my brothers and I move for our father.
“Congrats, Dad,” Justice says first, clasping his shoulder.
“Yeah, about damn time,” I add, giving him shit.
“You’re telling me, boy,” he chuckles.
Knox extends his hand last. “I’m happy for you, Dad.”
Despite the gesture, we know this is just another change for my brother. After the conversation that just took place with him, it has me even more worried where this new change might lead him.
“Thank you, son. That means a lot to me. I hope you boys will be beside me that day.”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Justice assures him.
Hannah jumps into my father’s arms, hugging his neck. “I’m happy for you too, Papa Thatcher. You deserve the bestest, most greatest love of all time.”
“Oh, sweet Hannah J.,” my father’s voice thickens with emotion. “I have been blessed with the absolute best.”
“You sure have,” she agrees. “Can I be in the wedding party?”
Collective snickers sound around us.
“You sure can,” Gwen tells her. “We will have a special role just for you.”
“Anything you need, I’m your girl,” she says, jutting her thumb toward her chest.
Dinner commences as we take our seats again, conversation filled with the wedding they have in mind. By the sounds of it, my father plans to go all out, something they both deserve after what they have had to go through to get here.
I take in the ever growing family at my side and realize just how far we have all come. It has me thinking about words of wisdom my father once shared with the three of us when we first came to live with him.
We all have a destiny that we will one day reach, but sometimes in order to make it there, we have to weather the storms life throws at us before we can dance in the rain.
Looking over at the woman next to me, those words have a whole new meaning. After everything I have been through to not only find my father and brothers, but now my wife, I know I’d live through the hells I’ve endured a hundred times over if it meant ending up right here with everyone I love most.
Alice looks over to find me watching her, her happiness for my father and Gwen undeniable. “Hey, you okay?” she asks.
“Yeah, Wonderland. I’m good.”
“Good, me too.” Smiling, she gives me a kiss before returning to her conversation with Gwen and Ryanne as they discuss wedding dress ideas. She doesn’t miss a beat as I watch her refill Knox’s near empty glass while my brother continues to eat his dinner quietly next to us.
Like I’ve always known, she’s not only perfect for me, but for my family too, and as a result, she will always know one very vital thing.
Unconditional love.
It’s what my father gave to my brothers and me since the day he found us hiding in his barn, and it’s all she will know since the day I put my ring on her finger.
It’s what it means to be a Creed.
Thank you for reading Braxten’s story. I hope you enjoyed it.