Chapter 8 #2
It had taken him nearly a month to heal.
Since their parents had no idea that they could shift, he’d had to heal like a human.
A bit faster, but not enough for him to be able to be left alone with her again.
And he tried his best not to be caught like that again.
From then on, it was two or more around the two of them so that they’d not be caught again.
However, it didn’t keep her from trying to kill the six of them.
Every time mother was around them, she would take a knife to them or even the frying pan that had saved his life.
Violence was never anything that he was away from throughout his entire childhood.
It wasn’t until his father was killed and his mother sent to prison that he was able to shift when he was hurt and live a life of normalcy.
When his children had started to arrive, he and Brandy decided to raise them with the awareness that they weren’t going to get anything that they wanted.
They did spoil them on birthdays and the holidays, but not throughout the year.
They were good kids, a little young to realize how wealthy they were, but they were his, and he was going to make sure that they knew that they were loved all the time.
And he told them that he loved them as many times a day as he saw them. Brandy did the same thing.
“Tomorrow night you’re to have dinner with your brothers.
The women and I have decided that we’re going to meet a little earlier than you do simply because we like to get our gossip in before we eat.
” He laughed, and she smiled at him. “I love you, Lica. So very much. I can’t believe that after all these years with you, I find that I love you more every day. ”
“And I love you more daily. Hourly.” He kissed the back of her hand while he held her.
“There’s an auction tomorrow. Would you like to hit it?
I don’t know if any of the others are going to be going, but the house is to be sold at noon, so I was thinking we would go and see if we can get it.
The rentals that we have now are making us a bit of money, and I like the extra income. ”
“Not that we need it, but sure, I’d love to go.
Are we taking the kids?” He said that they were spending the day with Edmond for sure and playing with his kids.
“That’s good. Edmond would have fifty kids by now if it were possible.
I’ve never seen a man so obsessed with children before.
It’s like he wants to be the greatest father and the best uncle around. I think he might have that in the box.”
“He never wanted children when we were younger and talked about how we’d raise any if we had any.
I don’t believe any of us ever thought that we’d have anyone in our lives that would stay with us, much less have children with them.
I never dreamed I’d have a mate and she’d be any different than my parents were to us.
” She said that she was glad she’d been able to change his mind.
“I am as well. It’s wonderful having you in my life. ”
“Same with me to you.” They watched a bit more television with the kids until it was bedtime.
Getting them ready for bed was always a chore, but a fun one.
Each of them would want a story to be read to them, and they’d do that.
Never could they turn down having time to spend with them.
As soon as they were tucked in and sleeping, the two of them went back to the living room to watch some more television.
There usually wasn’t anything on, but it was background noise for the conversations that they’d have with each other.
They would talk about their day and what they’d done before getting together.
Even going as far as talking about the time they spent together.
He’d never know what they talked about when they went to bed, but he knew that they were good for each other.
He never wanted to go to bed without talking to Brandy so that they’d know that they loved one another.
And he did too. Loved his mate so much at times he didn’t think it was real.
~*~
Edmond was looking forward to having the children over today.
There would be a lot of crafts going on and a great deal of time spent outside.
He never turned down the opportunity to spend time with them all together.
He loved the kids more than he thought he did his brothers at times.
They were miniature them when they’d been little, and he loved hanging out with them.
“Uncle Edmond, how come you only have one child? Momma said you’d have ten if you could.
” He thought about what he could say about the reason that they’d only stopped at one, but told Lica’s oldest that it was because he wanted to be the favorite uncle, and that would have taken away from that. “Oh. Good. I love you.”
Mac had had trouble when she conceived their only child.
Throughout the pregnancy, it was touch-and-go for her whether or not she’d carry to term.
Not to mention the toll it had on her own body.
The doctor told her she’d be better off not having more children, and it nearly killed them both to know that they’d not be filling their house.
But they made up for it as best they could.
They were making birdhouses with the older kids when he was asked for a snack.
He was good at having things on hand for them all and was happy to stop what he was doing to get them some.
They were growing kids, and he wanted to make sure that they had everything they needed when at his home.
Getting apple slices and milk for them all, he sat with them and ate some of the snack himself.
It was hard work being the best uncle in the world.
It was just him today with the kids until noon.
He’d had them over since nine, about the time that Mac had left for her job.
She still worked for Brandy and was enjoying it.
He knew that when she got home, there would be a whole new set of things to do by then, and he was looking forward to it.
They were headed out to the pool after lunch, and he was happy when Mac joined him in her bathing suit.
“I’ve had just a nasty day, and I’m glad to be home.” He asked her to tell him about it. “I will later. Right now, I want to enjoy this and have fun with the kids. Where is Margo?”
Their daughter could be found in the middle of whatever was going on.
She loved having the kids over as much as they did, and it showed.
While she was older than some of the kids, she never treated them with anything but respect.
She was even really good at sharing her toys with the girls that came over, and since he’d taught her to share with the boys too, they would scoff at the idea of playing dolls with her. That was fine. He loved that she tried.
“I’ve taken the next week off.” He asked if it had anything to do with her day.
“Yes, mostly. I just realized that I don’t like working on Saturday anymore.
Sundays are off limits as that’s family time, but Saturdays are for us too.
I told Brandy, and she said that was fine with her, too.
Did you know that she’s only working one day a week now? ”
“I had heard that she was spending more time at the pack house. I wondered about that. But it’s been a long time in coming.
She’s been saying that she was going to do this for some time now.
” Mac nodded and watched the kids. “You look beautiful in your swimsuit. I don’t tell you often enough how lovely you are. ”
“You tell me that every day, and I appreciate it. After the day that I’ve had, I need a boost.” She looked at him.
“The restaurant is going to have to close down and start again. If she wants to start again. The staff needs to be gotten rid of, and the store is just too far gone to save. Just walking around the place on my own, I could see where rats had been around. When I told Brandy, she called the store right then and closed it down. She’s going to have to have the inspector come out and condemn the place so that she can get a crew out there as soon as possible. ”
“I thought shifters worked there.” She said that’s what was so disturbing about the place. There should have been nothing like that around with cats working there. Yet there were plenty of them around. “That’s terrible. The place must have been a real nightmare if that’s going on.”
“You’ve no idea.” She smiled at him. “How do you do that? Make me feel better with just a couple of comments or compliments to me? I was ready to go to bed and cry. I hate putting people out of work, but I knew that I had to come down here with you and the kids, and I’d feel better. And you’ve done it right away.”
“Because I love you.” He kissed her on the mouth, much to the shame of the kids around them.
Laughing, he kissed her again and told them they’d be kissing someday soon.
Of course, that made them all act like they were sick, and he loved that about them.
“I’ve ordered pizzas to come here at six.
Most of the parents are picking the kids up at seven.
Lica and Brandy went to an auction today, so they’ll pick them up a bit later. ”
“That’s fine. I spoke to Brandy about it, and she said they’d hurry it along.
I told her that they could spend the night if they wanted, and we’d be fine with that.
She said she might take us up on that.” He was excited to have the boys staying over.
Margo would be in heaven teasing them all.
“I thought maybe we’d try out the hot tub tonight when they’re all in bed.
I know that I’d enjoy a relaxing night of it. ”