Welcome To The Family

Taylor's Girl

Jenny was excited when Noah left the house last night to get Taylor's wife, but now she fussed around the kitchen nervously. I was sure that when Gabe and I came back to the house that Taylor's wife would be here; however, Noah had yet to return home. Gabe, Taylor, and Dylan went outside to work.

"What if something happened to him?" Jenny asked for what had felt like the hundredth time.

"I am sure he is okay," I said.

"I haven't been apart from him for this long in over twenty-five years," she said. "I really hope he is okay."

I smiled and put my hand on Jenny's arm. She covered my hand with hers and let out a shaky breath.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the front door opened.

"Grandpa!" Jared screamed as he ran down the hall.

"Jared!" I called after him.

I chased Jared as he ran to Noah. Noah was holding an unconscious girl bridal style in his arms. Jared wrapped himself around Noah's leg. Noah chuckled as he looked down at Jared. I picked him up and held him in my arms.

"I am so sorry," I said.

"That's okay," he said. "She is not going to wake up for a while."

I looked down at the girl. Her short curls were covering her face. She had on a short tight black dress. Her chest was spilling out of the low cut cleavage. I wondered where Noah had found her. I had trouble picturing Noah going to a club or a bar to find a girl.

"Let's bring her upstairs," Noah said.

He shifted her weight in his arms. Jared motioned that he wanted to be picked up by Noah. Noah chuckled and walked past Jared who began to pout. I picked him up and he wrapped one arm around my neck and put his thumb in his mouth.

Jenny rushed over to Noah as he walked up the stairs. Her hands were clasped to her chest as she looked down at the unconscious girl. I followed behind them carrying Jared.

Noah went down the hall to Taylor's bedroom. I sneaked a look at Gabe and I's old room before stepping into Taylor's room. Noah placed the girl down on the bed. Jenny sat on the edge of the bed. She brushed a curl off of the girl's face.

"What's her name?" Jenny asked.

"Emme," Noah said.

"She's beautiful," Jenny said. "I am so glad that you saved her for our family."

The girl let out a slight moan before stirring. She barely lifted her hand off of the mattress before dropping it back down. I chewed on my bottom lip as I watched her. I wondered what she would be like when she woke up.

Noah turned and held his arms out toward me. I raised an eyebrow. I was unsure of what he wanted.

"Give me Jared," he said. "I'll bring him outside while you girls clean up Emme."

I nodded. I kissed Jared's cheek before passing him over to Noah. Jared squealed and rested his head on Noah's chest.

"Come on, Buddy," Noah said as he walked out of the room.

Jenny got up from the side of the bed. She looked over her shoulder at Emme before looking back at me. Her lips were spread into a wide smile.

"I'll get some towels," she said. "Take her dress off."

"What?" I asked.

"Take her dress off," she repeated. "We have to get her ready for Taylor."

She didn't wait for my response before leaving the room. I let out a shaky breath before walking over to the bed. I sat on the edge of the bed and expected her to stir again. She was still, clearly unconscious from whatever Noah did to her.

I recalled my first night with the family. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I was so scared and Noah had injected me with some substance that made me go to sleep. He must have used the same thing on Emme. I wondered if Jenny cleaned my body while I was unconscious too.

Jenny walked back into the room. She had a wash basin in her hands and a stack of towels. She set the water down on the nightstand.

"I told you to take her dress off," Jenny said.

"Did you do the same thing to me?" I asked. "Did you clean me?"

"Of course I did," she said. "And you are going to do the same thing with your daughters."

Hearing that word made my chest tighten. Bonnie was my daughter, but I knew what she meant. One day Jared will turn twenty and Gabe will go out and find him a wife. Jenny and I would be getting her ready for Jared.

"Help me," Jenny said.

She rolled Emme onto her side. I pulled down the zipper on the back of her dress. We pulled the tight black dress off of her body and then her underwear. Emme let a noise escape her lips. My heart pounded at the thought of her waking up right now.

"Don't worry." Jenny must have seen my fear. "She'll be out for a while."

I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat and nodded. Jenny dipped one of the towels into the water and began to scrub Emme's skin. I noticed streaks of mud on her legs and knees. I wondered what had happened before Noah drugged her. I picked up one of the towels and cleaned her legs.

"Taylor is going to be so happy," Jenny said. "She is perfect."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Noah wouldn't pick up the wrong person," she said. "They are very careful about that."

"What about me? Noah did not pick me."

Jenny let out a slight chuckle. She grabbed a new towel and dipped it in the water before wiping the lipstick off of Emme's lips.

"I'll admit that it was unusual," she said. "Noah should have found you, but Gabe knew he wanted you when he saw you. You are perfect for this family. I am glad they didn't kill you with your friends."

A flash of Finn screaming in pain flashed through my mind. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. I did my best to not think of my life before Gabriel.

Emme let out a groan. Her hand shook as she brought it up to her face. Jenny grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away. She continued to wash Emme's make-up off.

"Noah must have gotten her far away," she said. "I honestly didn't think she would be waking up yet."

"Should we leave?" I asked.

"We have to get her cleaned."

I returned to washing the dirt off of Emme's legs. She moved and my heart would skip a beat. I bit onto my bottom lip as I rushed to clean her. Jenny finished and was patting her skin dry with a new towel.

"Do we have anything for her to wear?" I asked.

"We'll leave her like this," Jenny said. "Taylor can get her sorted."

The door downstairs opened. I listened as the stairs creaked while someone walked up. I looked behind me to see that Jenny had closed the door behind her when she came in. There was a knock.

"Give us a minute," Jenny yelled.

I helped Jenny as she covered Emme's naked body with a knitted blanket at the end of the bed. Jenny tucked Emme's curls behind her ears. She smiled as she looked down at Emme.

"It's perfect," she said. "Let's go."

Jenny picked up the basin and the towels. I followed behind her as she headed for the door. In the hallway, Taylor was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"She's all yours," Jenny said.

Taylor smiled before unfolding his arms and walking into the bedroom. I watched as he closed the door behind him. I wanted to place my ear against the door, curious what was going on, but I knew Lindsay would not like that.

I forced my feet to walk away from the door and down to the kitchen.