This Kiss

Chapter 19

"Mom, Natalia, come downstairs now." Emma called from the kitchen.

The two walked into the kitchen to see none other then Frank Cooper playing with Emma's hair.

"Hey." Natalia said in a shocked voice.

"Hi. Right back at ya." Frank said with a huge smile on his face.

Olivia reached a hand out to Emma. "Emma come here, you sounded like something was wrong."

"Nope, nothings wrong." She replied with excitement.

Natalia looked from Frank to Emma. "Okay, alright you two, what's going on?"

Frank had a smug look on his face and starred at Natalia. "Um, I got you a little present." At Natalia's unhappy face he put up his hands, "unless you don't want it."

"She wants it, she wants it, right mom?" Emma exclaimed, bouncing on her toes.

"Right." Olivia said, just as confused as Natalia.

Natalia turned to Frank, "Maybe we should....."

"You know what, it's not a problem, it's actually for the whole family, but I left it outside. So let me just go out and get it. Okay?"

He opened the door and Rafe walked in. "You guys got some food in here? Cause I'm really, really hungry."

Olivia gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. Natalia was happily surprised. Reaching out to embrace him. "Oh my god. Oh my baby. What are you doing here?"

"This isn't a visit. I'm, home, I'm home for good."

Olivia leant forward shocked. "You're out of prison?"

"Well I have to report to a half way house in about a week, until they see that I'm fit to stay home. But um, yeah that's it. No more prison food, no more anything."

"Oh my god." Olivia laughed out.

Natalia was bouncing and waving her arms in excitement. She hugged him again. "Thank you god. Thank you god."

Pulling back from the hug and he turned towards Frank. "Alright Ma, stop. Frank helped too."

She looked at Frank in shock. "Did you, did you get him early release?"

"Your sons a good kid. He did it on his own."

Having conflicting emotions Olivia tried to stay cheerful. "Frank come on, don't be modest. You did this, you called in some favors, you used your connections."

Natalia was still in shock, "I don't know how I can ever possibly thank you for this."

"You know what, that's just the beauty of it, you don't have to. You know I um, I did it for family."

Rafe scratched his chin. "Well you know what you could do, is you could cook him some food, cause I hear he likes your chicken."

Frank grabbed his hand a pats his back. "I heard that right."

"It's the truth."

"Rafe speaks the truth."

Natalia ran her fingers down her face. "So wait, wait, wait, wait. What happens now? I get you to myself for a week and then you have to go away again, or what, what, what's..."

"Look Ma, I'm not going to Van Cuvier. I'm just gonna be right across town. But you know what you could do..." He looked at Emma.

"You could get married while Rafe's home." She said with the jubilance only a child can have.