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It’s you and only you.I sing to myself, the inflection taking on a whole new meaning with her in my grasp.
“It’s gorgeous.” She breathes, allowing me to wrap an arm around her shoulders and tucking herself into my side, her palm going to my stomach.
I love the way she fits.
“So are you, babe.” I grin and walk half the pathway to the house without taking my eyes off of her.
“Oh, stop.” She scrunches her nose and taps my stomach, but she can’t hide the tinge of pink that rises on her cheeks.
“Never.” I mimic her words back to her, loving the grin that they place on her face, and hit the first step up to the porch.
Commotion sounds inside, the front door flying open and Mac spilling out like a damn tornado.
“What’s up, fucknugget!” He greets us wildly as he blows past us and leaps down the stairs with one step.
“Macaroni!” The voice that calls to him is anything but friendly. In fact, it’s more of a reprimand. “Get your ass…!”
“What the fuck?” Aria whispers as we step up onto the porch. She’s twisted out of my grasp, our hands still intertwined, but she watches Mac’s back as he disappears down the pathway.
“Macaroni!” It’s higher pitched this time and I know he’s in trouble for whatever bullshit he managed to fuck up in the little bit of time he’s been here without me.
He’s always had a knack for pissing her off.
We all do.
I smirk as footsteps echo down the long hall on the other side of the foyer, the heavy footfall sounding more like an elephant as it bleeds out through the open screen door.
“Get back in here and talk!”
“Who is that?” Aria is tucked back under my arm, more for safety than comfort as the footsteps get closer to us.
“It’s Ma,” I answer down to her with a gentle grin.
“Wha—” She cuts herself off, freezes in her spot on the porch, when my words sink in. “No way.” Wide eyed and flared nostrils, she makes to take a step back but pauses midair when the screen door pushes open again.
Except this time, it’s not slammed.
This time, no one flies out.
“Rexy, baby.” Illuminated before me is my five foot tall mother with her silver curls pulled back in a slick pony and her hip popped with all the attitude I’m about to catch for Mac’s wrongdoing. Her words, however, are ones that greet me like I’ve come home.
Comforting.
“Ma.” I return with an easy grin, leaning in to kiss each of her cheeks.
“Who is this, baby?” Ma asks when I straighten and she can get a good look at my girl, standing stock still beside me with no color left in her face.
“Ma,” I grin, tucking Aria into me again and squeezing her with as much reassurance as I can transfer from my skin to hers. “This is my girl, Aria.”
“Aria.” Ma breathes the name, her hand going to her chest, her eyes darting to me for confirmation. I nod proudly when Aria shakes herself from my grasp and steps forward with an outstretched hand.
“Yes, Ma’am.” They shake, gentle and quick, Aria stepping back into my embrace. “I must apologize for my initial response.” She looks up at me, gives me the stink eye, but returns a gentle look to my mother’s curious gaze. “Your son didn’t tell me I was meeting his mother today.”
“I said we were working.” I retort, gaining myself a discreet pinch to the ribs. “Ow!”
“And neither of our work has anything to do with meeting family!” She tosses the words at me with a scrunched nose.
“Ooh, I like her.” Ma beams, waving a nonchalant hand to the lawn Mac disappears across. “Come, come. Dinner is soon. I hope you came hungry.” She ushers us into the house with a reassuring hand on Aria’s shoulder.
