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The man leaned in and wrapped them both in a hug, and Vince might have had to clear his throat and swipe his eyes a time or two. When he glanced at the others, it was clear he wasn’t the only one.
Finally, her parents let her go and her father nodded to Penny. “She filled us in on a good private airstrip and we landed an hour ago.”
Raina hugged Penny. “Thank you,” she whispered. “My heart is so full I almost can’t breathe.”
“You breathe with your lungs, goofball,” Julianna said. “Seems like that would have been a pretty important part of your paramedic training.”
Raina laughed at Julianna’s uncharacteristic joking. She was usually the more serious one of the group. Clay was a good influence on her.
Raina then introduced Vince to her parents, who hugged and congratulated them. “Sorry about making you wait to see Raina,” he said to her mother.
The woman beamed. “Well, after all this time, that would be the only thing worth waiting for. Welcome to the family, son.” She hugged him again, and for the next several minutes, Raina, Vince, and her parents caught up. Then Holt went to the fort and slipped in. When he came back out, he held the television. “Everyone ready for a football game slash reunion slash engagement party?”
“Yes,” Grace said, glancing at her phone, “but we have one more little surprise and it just got here.”
Raina pressed a hand to her heart. “I’m not sure I can take much more.”
“You can, trust me.” Grace went to the door and opened it. Another gasp slipped from Raina when she saw Michael. He grinned at her. “Mom and Dad want to go out to eat and don’t need me tagging along. Is it okay if I watch the game with you?”
“More than okay,” Raina whispered. Tears hovered on her lashes and she laughed, waved to his parents who waved back from the car, then ushered him inside. “I’m going to warn you, though, today has been a big day and I’m just a big crybaby right now.”
Michael shrugged. “Eh, it’s okay. Mom does that too. As long as you don’t ask me to throw away the snot rags, we’re good.”
Another laugh slipped from her. “No snot rags, I promise. That’s what I have Vince for.”
Vince feigned a cringe. “Hey now...”
More laughter all around and Michael went to Raina and hugged her. She gave him a tight squeeze, then sucked in a deep breath. “I have someone I need to introduce you to.”
“My other grandparents? Dad said they’d be here.”
She nodded and he smiled shyly at the wide-eyed couple standing next to Raina. “Hi. I’m very happy to meet you.”
Raina’s mom stepped forward. “And we’re overjoyed to meet you.” Vince watched the touching reunion, recording it on his phone. Raina would want to have all of this for later viewing.
Finally, after wiping away more tears, she clapped her hands. “All right, everyone, let’s break down the fort, then grab a seat, the floor, or a bean bag and get the party started.”
It didn’t take long to clean up the fort. Holt had already put the television back on the wall so everyone could see it.
A sudden surge of emotion caught Vince off guard, and he drew in a shuddering breath. These were his friends, his family, his community. With a silent prayer of gratitude, he settled himself on the sofa while Raina snuggled up next to him. Michael chose the bean bag on the floor in front of her. Her mother sat on the other side of Raina, holding her hand and swiping tears every so often. Her husband wrapped an arm around her while chatting with Holt as the pregame show played.
It was a large group. Some sat on the floor, some at the kitchen table where they could view the screen, but they were all together and that’s all that anyone cared about.
Then the game started, and someone passed out the socks, explaining the concept behind them.
Michael laughed and hefted his rolled pair. “This is the best idea ever.”
Raina giggled as the others chorused their agreements.
Shortly after the game started and the opposing team was already five yards from the end zone, he looked down to find Raina watching him, love in her eyes.
“You warm enough?”
“Right now, I don’t even remember what it felt like to be cold.”
Vince brushed a light kiss over her lips, and she grinned, then rested her head against his shoulder, one hand on the head of Michael, sitting on the bean bag in front of her.
And, because all was right in Raina’s world, all was right in his.
