[[OLD]] A Handful of Daffodils (Forgotten Series, #7)

Chapter Eighteen

Two weeks later

I carefully pulled the thread, making sure my ladder stitch was properly done and not visible between the seams of the two pieces I was stitching. I was working on Maeve's quilt because Lisa and I had finished with the blocks and pieces of that one. It was a simpler pattern and we were going for just flat forward facing daffodils in each block. Which was vastly simpler than the one we had designed for Brochan. I lifted the half completed block with a smile. It was looking nice! I had already finished three blocks of Maeve's blanket and I was rather proud of myself.

Brochan had dropped me off a bit earlier than he normally would have but he said he wanted to get more running in with his wolf and I had accepted. He was getting better, not that there was anything wrong with how he was. He was still hurting, still aching from the loss of his female but he was working through it. I was happy to help him as well. I wanted to help him remember the good times with his female, the fun bits and the parts that were happy. I was doing for him what I had wished someone had done for me.

Maeve let out a giggle as one of the toys she had grabbed made a frog sound at her. I turned my head to look at her with a smile. She was such a happy baby. I truly did adore her. I had been with Brochan for nearly a month and a half and Maeve truly made my days bright. It wasn't often I got to handle babies anymore and I truly had missed it, so being around Maeve from sun up to sun down was a treat for me. Even when she fussed a little, I didn't mind it.

"Menza!" At my name my head snapped up and I grinned as I spotted Ellie.

"Ellie!" I waved at her and she skipped towards me, smiling happily. I was so happy when Ellie came with Lisa to the craft hall. She had rarely wanted to do that before I had been given to Brochan. So I knew she was doing it just so she could see me and that made my chest feel a warm happiness that radiated out to my bones and fingers.

She came around the large table and kissed my cheek, hugging me tightly before I could even hold out my arms for her. "I missed you!" She gave me a heavy squeeze and I reached up, patting her arm with the hand I was holding the unfinished block in.

"I missed you too!" I turned my head and kissed her cheek. She nuzzled her nose into my cheek, exhaling as her form seemed to slump slightly with relief. I didn't know why but it made me want to tear up slightly. There was such a relief to her taking in my scent, like I was a comfort for her. I hadn't expected that, being away from the house we had grown up in.

"Please please, no applause. I have arrived." At the words I perked up and beamed when I saw Simon. He was walking in, his arms out stretched. Ellie chuckled as I squeaked and practically threw my things on the table. She let me go so I could bolt around to throw myself at him. He caught me with a laugh, spinning me around right before he bent down and wrapped one arm around my thighs and lifted me off the ground fully, giving me an even bigger squeeze. "Ooooooh big squeeze. Gotta hug it out." He held my tightly and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him just as tight as he was holding me.

He rocked me back and forth and I fought back the burn in my eyes. I had missed him. I hadn't seen him in so long and I found myself sniffling. "I missed you." My voice cracked and he scoffed slightly but didn't release me, just gave me a tighter hug, it was enough to make my ribs ache but I didn't care.

"Of course you did, you have fluff for brains." He turned his head and kissed my cheek, nuzzling my skin with a heavy dose of affection. "Smart females wouldn't miss such a rakish figure like me." There was an edge of teasing to his voice and I shook my head.

"Most of them don't have you for a brother." I whispered it and pressed my forehead to his neck, letting out a shuddering breath. "And I missed my brother."