Love Reunion: Entwined Hearts Christmas Novella Page 6

  With a growl, Dane lifts me into his arms and marches us both to the downstairs bathroom.

  “Seems someone made a call.” I try to hold my shit together as I stand with my brothers watching my wife and kids through the patio door.

  “Seems so,” Dane answers, and I know it was him.

  “How did you do it?” I ask, not daring to turn my eyes to his knowing I will lose my composure and end up like a blubbering pussy.

  “Don’t know what you mean, brother,” he replies. I can see Rich and Con grinning outright.

  I shake my head and smile at my feet.

  Nine days ago, we got a call from the social worker Wendy. She asked if we still wanted to adopt. I was apprehensive when I took that call and almost said no without even speaking to Soph. When she explained that it was my boys who she wanted to place with us again, I immediately said yes. I didn’t even discuss it with Soph. Some might say I should have, but I already knew her answer. They were our boys, our sons, and no way would Soph not want them living under our roof again. When I relayed the conversation to Soph, she burst into heaving sobs. I comforted her, soothing her tearful relief as we both realised our family was going to be complete again.

  Six days ago, Wendy dropped off our sons. I nearly cried with happiness when I realised they remembered us. Running into our arms, they wrapped their little boy limbs around our adult frames. The following day the realisation dawned on both Soph and me, knowing they could be taken away again. The fear threatened to constrict us both for about a day. Then we relaxed and decided to enjoy the time we had with our boys, hoping that we might be lucky enough to have Christmas with them, seeing as it was only ten days away.

  Yesterday Wendy called us. I’m not lying when I say my heart was beating a mile a minute. Soph answered and put her on speakerphone. Somehow knowing we were both listening at the same time gave us a hidden strength because we were facing whatever was coming together. Neither of us expected to be crying for fucking joy following that phone call, but that was the result.

  Wendy had explained that after the treatment of the boys and being carted from one place to another, a local judge had gotten involved and put a stop to them being taken back into the care of a blood family member. Wendy said it was unlikely to happen anyway, as the only person they now knew for definite as blood family was their mother, and she was facing jail time. Their mother signed away her parental rights, this meant we had the option to go for the full adoption again. She told us, off the record, that this time it would be rushed through. All the documents from before could be used. I wasn’t sure how much of it was process driven. I knew everything we were doing was legal, I just wondered how many hurdles we had skipped along the way, and I knew this was my brother’s hand. He had people in various places, people who could stick their big boots in either for the good or bad of a situation. It seemed, for us at least, they were sticking their boots in for our benefit.

  I don’t know how long it will take for the adoption to be complete, but what I do know is that everyone and their dog is trying to get it on the fast track. And the truth is, I’ll never be able to repay my brother for bringing my kids back to me.

  I watch as Rich and Con amble inside, back into the warm. As much as the weather is cutting out here, I want to stand next to my brother and tell him what I feel.

  “I love you,” I say, and Dane’s head snaps to me. “We didn’t have an amazing childhood, although we both had the light shone upon us in the form of our women.” Dane nods and looks back through the glass door searching for Libby. I notice the minute he sees her as his eyes light up, just like they always do when it comes to her.

  “We did,” he says looking back toward me.

  “Whatever the fuck I did in a previous life to earn this one, I thank my lucky stars every damn day. If that makes me a pussy, then that’s what I’ll gladly be,” I explain.

  “The only pussies are the ones who don’t realise what they have, the ones who are too stupid to hold onto all the good,” he replies, and I nod silently.

  “We had a shit mother, but I can honestly say, I’m one lucky son of a bitch,” I say, and Dane’s eyes flare for a second before he bursts into laughter, something that happens almost never. I watch him for a second as his arms reach out and haul me into him, his laughter has now simmered to chuckles, and we cling to each other for a second.

  “I love you too, brother. Merry Christmas,” he chokes out, and neither of us realises that right at that second our whole family watches us through the glass, all holding onto each other and weeping happily at the outward show of love on display.

  Christmas day was always traditionally like this. Everyone gathered at my house. The last year has thrown us all. It was good to spend time with our individual families, doing things we’d promised to do for years, but it also put things into perspective. We love each other, we’re family, but we’re the strongest kind of family, one that actually wants to spend time together, and not just holidays. So our lives revolve around each other somewhat. That’s how we roll. We have each other’s back, completely.

  Now, the presents have been opened. The younger kids are flaked in their bedrooms sleeping, the older ones crammed into the games room at the back of the house playing pool or PlayStation.

  As I look around the room, I realise it always started and it will end with us—Con, me, Soph, Saul, Dane, Libby, Eric, and Rich. We’re the family we created, stronger than blood bonds, and all of us are thankful for that every day.

  I slip off Con’s lap, and he tips his head back and frowns silently questioning what I’m doing. I just smile and walk to the stereo.

  “Grab your other halves, and let’s have a dance,” I say looking for the CD I want.

  There are some groans from the men, followed by the women and Eric tutting in reply to their complaints, but as I turn around ready to press play, I see everyone is standing. Most of the men are either arching their eyebrows, crossing their arms, or rolling their eyes while the women, and Eric, all wear smiles. As soon as the song plays the first couple of bars, the men smile too, joining in, grabbing their person, and dancing to the music. Con comes over sliding his fingers through mine, and he pulls me close. I listen to the beat of his heart alongside Keane’s – Somewhere Only We Know, which has been our family’s song for years—for all of us. This song means something. I don’t close my eyes, I’m too emotional as I watch everyone swaying together, loving one another. My family, my love, my life.

  I know, with every thread of my existence, that it doesn’t matter what our future brings, because what our past has taught us is to savour every moment. Love each other and live every day like it could be our last—be there for one another and hold onto every bit of pleasure, every smile, every laugh, every kiss, every touch, every moment, special or not. They are what we live for, for ourselves and for one another.

  We will live like that until the day we die… and probably beyond.

  Cry With You – Hunter Hayes

  Arms Wide Open – Creed

  Somewhere Only We Know – Keane

  It’s Not Over – Daughtry

  Wonderwall – Oasis

  Little Do You Know – Alex & Sierra

  Love On Top – Beyonce

  She Makes My Day – Robert Palmer

  We Are Family – Sister Sledge

  Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds

  I Can’t Make You Love Me – George Michael

  Thank you to my family. Love you always.

  To Klaire, Beth, Laura, Sarah, Kerry, Morgan, Cornelia, Yvonne, Emma, and Stacey. Thank you for reading this and getting back to me with thoughts, advice, and praise. Love you guys, and I couldn’t do it without you.

  To my misfits – big love.

  To my author friends, thanks for always offering me advice and inspiration.

  To Fran, thanks for designing another gorgeous cover.

  To Kay, thanks for being an awesome editor and keeping me on the straight and
narrow.

  To all the readers, thank you for believing in me and my characters as much as you do. Love you guys hard.

  Lastly, thanks to my IG and Twitter family. You never know, I may just join Snapchat at some point. Ha ha.

  Thank you for reading Love Reunion.

  If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase and on Goodreads. It means a lot to me to hear what you think.

  Also, feel free to join my street/reader group – Click Here

  Check these links for more books from Author Maria Macdonald.

  Goodreads Links

  Click on the links below to add to your TBR list.

  Love Reflection - An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 1

  Love Resisted - An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 2

  Love Renewed – An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 3

  Finally Unbroken – Finally Unbroken Series Book 1

  What’s Left of Me – Finally Unbroken Series Book 2

  Chrysalis – The Emergence of Emery

  Amazon Links

  Love Reflection – An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 1

  Love Resisted – An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 2

  Love Renewed – An Entwined Hearts Novel Book 3

  Finally Unbroken

  What’s Left of Me

  Chrysalis – The Emergence of Emery

  Website

  Email

  Facebook

  Goodreads

  Maria Macdonald is a full-time working mum, she has two beautiful daughters, both of whom love books as much as she.

  She has loved writing since she was a little girl.

  Reading and loving books, as well as blogging, has inspired her to write and publish.

  Maria, her husband, and children now reside in Wiltshire, England.