To Love A Cowboy

Chapter 8

Saturday at 5 p.m. -

"When are they supposed to be here?" I nervously ask again for probably the twenith time while I look at the time on my cell as I pace the living room.

"They are going to be here at 5:30 p.m.," granpa answers on a chuckle even though I don't find it amusing, and the man actually rolls his eyes at me when I glare at him.

Yes, my 64-year-old granpa rolls his eyes at me, rude isn't he?

"Kalen, chill out man," Kolton groans as he gives me a side hug. "You shouldn't be this nervous about meeting Carter. He left us remember, so his or his family's opinion on us doesn't mean shit."

"But what if he tries to make us live with him? What if he tries to take us from mama, nanma, and granpa, and never let us see them again? What if he hates that you're bi and I'm gay?" I fearfully ask against his shoulder.

I never thought of these possibilities when I agreed to meet him, and now I am terrified, and want to vomit and call this off.

"Kalen, those are not going to happen," Kolton murmurs into my ear as he pulls me into a full, tight, spine crushing hug, making me wonder if he is nervous like me, too.

"How do you know this?" I softly whine against his neck as we tighten our arms around each other.

"I know this because he is not listed on our birth certifcates as our father, so if he tries to take us, the court process will take us into our eighteenth birthday. Then he has no chance in hell of taking us away," Kolton calmly explains in a calm, reassuring voice.

I'm sure to everyone else he sounds calm and confidente, but I caught the slight quiver in his voice.

"Is it too late to change my mind, and cancel?" I hurridly ask our grandparents as I pick my head up from Kolton's shoulder with wide pleading eyes toward them.

Nanma giggles with a shake of her head as she answers; "Kalen, honey, everything will be fine. If Carter or his family do or say anything horrible or stupid, they will be told to leave."

"Okay," I meekly reply with a pout as I tuck my face back into the safety of Kolton's neck.

Get over whatever weird thoughts you are currently having about my twin and I - he is my brother, who makes me feel loved and safe.

"Go take Wynter outside to potty before they arrive," Kolton gently instructs, dropping his arms from my waist as he steps back with a reassuring smile.

"Okay," I reply with a small voice as Cassidy, Dallas, and Beau enter the house to shower before our guests arrive.

"Hey, are you okay, Kalen? You look a little pale?" Beau worridly asks as he stops in front of my, blocking my exit.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous," I murmur with a wobbly smile. "I'm gonna take Wynter outside for a few minutes, so I'll be right back."

Beau nods as his eyes search my face while I walk past him as he steps aside. Taking Wynter over to the designated area, she does her buisness after sniffing around for a few minutes. Heading back inside, I leave her harness on for when Carter and his family are here.

By 5:25 p.m., Cassidy, Beau, and Dallas are showered, dinner is done, and the table is set, and everyone can hear a truck driving up the driveway. Glancing out the window, the park trucks, turns off, and five people climb out, and walk toward the door. Nanma and granpa head to let them in after they give Kolton and I reassuring smiles as they walk toward the door.

Voices can be heard and they come closer to the living room, and my nerves return full force as they enter the living room. Okay, Kolton and I definitly look like our dad, and the two boys look like us at their ages, but Rachel looks like her mum.

"Kolton, Kalen, this is Carter, his wife Amelia, and their children, Henry, Ryan, and Rachel," granpa gently introduces with a weary smile.

"Wow dad, you have two sets of twins!" Rachel loudly giggles as she bounces over to Kolton and I.

"Hi! Who are you?" she chirps, looking up at Kolton with a wide toothy grin.

"Hi Rachel, I'm Kolton," my twin answers with a gentle smile as he squats down in front of her.

She hums in reply as she looks over at me with a toothy smile; "Hi Kalen! Your dog is pretty! Can I pet him?"

"Hi Rachel, and yes, Wynter is pretty!" I agree with a tiny smile. "I'm sorry but you can't pet her since she's my service dog. While she has her harness on, she can't be petted by anyone but me."

"Why do you need a service dog, you look fine?" Henry asks curiously as his blue eyes scan my entire body.

"I'm deaf and I have siezures sometimes," I answer moving my hair away from my left ear so they can see the hearing aid.

"But you talk normally," Henry comments, sounding very confused, which is understandable, and the rest of the newcomers seem confused, too.

"I went to speach therapy since I was 2-years-old," I tell him, remembering how much I hated it, but it did work.

"Shall we eat? We can continue talking while we eat," nanma suggests with a warm smile.

The twelve of us head into the kitchen to fill our plates with nanma's chicken, potatoes, and corn, and once everyone has their filled plates, we head into the living room to each - the table won't hold everyone. Kolton, Henry, Ryan, Rachel, and I sit on the floor around the coffee table with our plates on top to eat there with everyone else sitting on the furnature. No one talks for a few minutes, but I can feel someone has their eyes on me, so I glance around to find Amelia watching Kolton and I with a frown.

Raising my left eyebrow at her, I ask slightly irritated; "Is something wrong?"

Everyone focuses on me before looking at Amelia when they realize I'm looking and speaking to her.

"What do you want from Carter exactly? Money? Him to pay your medical bills? What?" she demands in an angry voice; my jaw tightens in anger as does Kolton, Beau, Dallas, and granpa, and everyone elses eyes widen in shock.