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“You still won’t tell me know why you’re running scared. Well it seems your family’s about to intercede, so you have maybe thirty seconds to decide what you’re going to do,” he warns, and I see he’s right as I turn to look at the house.
Mom, Dad, Gran and Gramps are all on the porch and I take a deep breath before pushing open the passenger door while he got out and came around as I opened the backseat for Maggie.
“Amelia!” Mom shouts rushing down the walk towards us and then I’m in a massive hug that lasts far too long.
“Welcome home honey,” Dad adds, butting his way in with a quick hug as he turns to look at Rafe and Maggie. “Seems you brought some guests.”
“Mom, Dad…this is Rafe and his daughter Maggie,” I tell them using both sign language and my voice trying to keep it cool. “Maggie, this is my mom and dad,” I add as she smiles up at us.
‘Amelia’s Daddy’s girlfriend,’ Maggie tells them making me laugh and Rafe chuckle. ‘We love Amelia. Don’t we, Daddy?’
“We do,” he agrees, and I see the wary expression on my dad’s face slip a bit. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Thorpe, Mrs. Thorpe. Amelia’s told me a lot about you and your town.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too,” Mom states sliding her gaze to me. “How long have you been seeing each other?”
“Five and a half months,” I admit seeing her eyes widen in shock at the news. “I just didn’t want the constant questions while we got to know each other Mom.”
“I see. So are we to take that this visit is a lead-in to something?” Dad questions, surveying Rafe still.
“Can we at least go inside before you grill us?” I return not ready to get into this discussion.
“I’m hoping to convince Amelia to stay forever,” Rafe tells them, and my mom is completely gone while my dad grows a bit leerier. Good for Dad, maybe he can keep the sanity going around here for a few days.
Unfortunately that doesn’t happen I quickly discover when Rafe allows my dad to take him aside the next morning while we’re cleaning up from breakfast. They went out the backdoor towards my dad’s shed where he has his workshop area. I hate that I can’t simply follow them out there. They’ll know I’m there and wanting to overhear and that would only cause more questions.
Gran and Gramps ushered Maggie into the living room leaving me with my mom and I wait for the questions that she didn’t have a chance to ask last night to begin.
She doesn’t disappoint getting right into it. “So, why didn’t you tell us about Rafe and Maggie?”
“Mom…”
“I just want to know what’s going on with you honey. You live in New York now and it’s as though you shut out everything about your life here. It was bad enough when you were in St. Louis but now…I don’t know anything that goes on with your life.”
“I didn’t tell you all about Rafe and Maggie because I didn’t know what to say. If I’d told you I was seeing someone you’d want to come meet them and I wasn’t ready for that yet. I didn’t know what to expect from the relationship…”
“And you do now?” she questions when I trail off, giving me that look that demands to know everything.
“Rafe’s made it clear as to what he wants. I just don’t know if I can do it,” I admit.
“Do what? Oh honey, is this about sex?” my mother asks, and I laugh slightly shaking my head.
“No Mom, I can honestly say this has nothing to do with sex. He wants me to marry him.”
“He’s asked you?” she says as her eyes grow wide.
“He sort of asked a few months ago but I told him I needed more time. We had an argument a couple weeks ago and he said he still wants that, but I don’t know.”
“You don’t know about what?” Mom asks, her brows lifting in confusion, and I know she doesn’t get it.
“I don’t know if I can marry him.”
“Amelia, why? He and Maggie adore you. Your father and I saw that last night and if I’m not mistaken you adore them too. I’ve never seen you so happy as when you were just sitting on the couch curled up with them.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t know, Mom. Every time I’m truly happy something happens to mess it up. I don’t want to say yes to Rafe and then find everything taken away.”
Mom’s hand comes up to rest on my cheek as she shakes her head at me. “You can’t let fear keep you from doing something you want honey. I know it’s hard to take a chance when it’s your heart on the line but tell me this, could you honestly see yourself being happy without them in your life? Knowing they’re out there finding someone else to love them in your place?”
“No, I love them more than anything. I do, I just…”
