AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You coming in?” James asked, standing near the front door.
“Henry?” my mum shrieked when I walked through the gate and up the steps. “Look at you,” she said, cupping my cheek when I got close enough. “A beautiful boy in spite of a few bruises.” She pulled me into a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too, Mum,” I said as she took my hand and led me inside.
“Hey, what about me?” said James, standing on the threshold.
“Good to see you too, dearest.” She waved behind her before leaning close to me. “I saw him just last night. Are you hungry? I’ve got some stew I could heat up for you.”
“That sounds great, Mum.” Before she could walk away, I pulled her into another hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She pulled back and looked into my now black-and-blue eyes. “What’s this?” She looked beyond me to James. “Did your brother really just say he’s missed me, or is my hearing goin’?”
James walked past both of us. “He’s got girl trouble.”
“Girl trouble? Who is this woman? I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”
I shook my head and laughed. “Big mouth,” I shouted over her shoulder at my brother.
“She would’ve gotten it out of you eventually; I just saved us all time.”
“Henry?” I heard my sister holler as she raced through the front door. “Marilee called and said she swore it was you with James, and I didn’t believe her.”
When she ran forward, I caught her in my arms and spun in a circle.
“You look a fright,” she said when I set her on her feet.
“Girl trouble,” my mother told her.
Nance’s eyes met mine. “A girl did this to you? Would I ever like to meet her!”
Coming home, seeing my family, was the best thing I could’ve done. It didn’t make the pain of missing Verity go away, but I found myself smiling as I told them about “Alena.” Soon, when I shared how much she busted my balls, we were all laughing.
My mother reached over and rested her hand on mine. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, and I know well enough you won’t say, but I’ll tell you this. It’s all going to work out, Henry. I feel it in my bones.”
I put my hand on hers. “I hope so, Mum. I love her.”
“I always knew it would take a very special woman to win your heart. That she’s so deserving of it, tells me she won’t be able to stay away long.”
“Unless she doesn’t love me back.”
She scoffed. “Nothing you’ve said made me think she’s an idiot.”
Rather than having Mum heat up stew, we decided to go to the pub for dinner. Nance’s husband brought their three kids, including a new baby, and Jane brought her and James’s two little ones.
“You should see Bobby and Miriam,” said my mum. “They’re growing like the weeds in my garden.” She pulled out her mobile and showed me photos of my oldest brother and his family. “Such good kids,” she murmured before turning to the other four seated around her. “As are all of you, my precious darlings.” She waved in Nance’s direction, who was holding her youngest. “And the baby.”
“The woman was made to be a grandmother,” said my sister, sidling up to me. “Did James tell you? She’s redecorating our old bedrooms. I think she means to have all her ‘grands,’ as she calls them, move in with her.”
“It’s good to see you, Nance.” When I leaned forward to kiss her cheek, she put her head on my shoulder.
“I hope things work out between you and Alena.”
My mum caught my eye, nodded, and smiled. “You just keep loving her, Henry. Eventually, she’ll come around,” she said, repeating my brother’s earlier words.
I prayed they were right.
I spentthree days at home, getting to know all my nieces and nephews, including one who was born since I was last home. Little by little, the shy ones warmed up to me after getting used to my black eyes.
