Higher Love

Chapter Twenty one

21

Two weeks later, everything is settled. We haven't told anyone yet, we wanted to make it a surprise. But it's damn hard for me to keep it to myself because I'm so freaking excited.
Today we are invited to Bradley's parents for dinner. His whole family is going to be there. I'm pretty nervous because I never met his brothers. I'm curious if they are even a little bit like Bradley.
I try to dress for this occasion and the weather. It's already June and the weather is pretty hot for London. I stare in my closet and can't decide what to wear.
"Emy, don't overthink, just wear something you are comfortable in."
"I know, but I want to give a good impression on your family."
"My parents already know you and love you."
"And your Brothers? And sisters-in-law?"
He hugs me from behind around my waist, leaning his chin on my shoulder. "They will love you too. They are all really lovely."
I breathe deeply: "Ok, ok, I will be ready in five minutes."
"Ok, I will wait downstairs."He peeks my cheek.
A few minutes later, I enter the kitchen.
"Wow!" Bradley says with eyes wide open."You look gorgeous."
I blush: "Thank you."
He grabs my waist, pulling me closer to him, giving me a demanding kiss.
"Bradley... we need to go if we don't want to be late."
"Let them wait, I don't care." He purrs in my ear.
"Noooo, we can't, your family is waiting."
"Ok, ok, but when we come home, you are mine!"
"I'm yours anyway." I laugh.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, I know and now let's go."
We make the short drive to Catherine and Jame's house. It's in the suburbs of London and wonderful. But I wouldn't have expected anything else from Catherine.
"Aw, that looks so nice."
"It is and it's really cozy, I think you will like it."He takes my hand. "Come on."
But the door already opens and Catherine comes out greeting us. "Aaaaw, hello, you two." She comes toward us and gives us a bear hug. She greets me first and, looking at Bradley, I mouth "sorry" towards him, but he just laughs and waits for his mom to greet him.
"I'm so excited, the last time the whole family was together was when you came back from Libya. And that was way too long ago. I can't wait to see my grandkids." She hooks arms with us and leads us to the house. Inside it's really warm and cozy. In the hallway right up to the next floor, the whole wall is filled with pictures of Bradley and his brothers.
My eyes fall immediately on one picture. It seems like it's a sketch from a real photo.
"Oh my god, Bradley, is that you
"Uhm, yes. Mom, You really need to hang offthese pictures."
"No way!"
"No way!" Catherine and I yell at once.
"It's one of my favorites and all these pictures are important because they are all from my kids."
I lay my hand on Bradley's cheek: "It's so sweet."
"Yeah, of course." he rolls his eyes at me
Catherine leads us to the kitchen, which smells so amazing already. It smells like freshly baked bread and I love that smell. Reminds me of home.
On the stove are four different pots already cooking. In the oven, you can see a roast.
"Oh Catherine, you already prepared everything. Thought we could help you with cooking." I say, seeing everything in the making already.
"Oh, Dear, you are not here for cooking. Everything is fine. The whole family is under this roof again, so it's a pleasure to cook for you all." She smiles wide. She seems really happy and enjoying this all. "Go ahead, take a seat. Do you want something to drink? I made some Margaritas."
"Oh yes, thank you." I take a seat at the kitchen counter.
"Yeah, thanks, mom, a beer for me," Bradley says sarcastically.
"It's in the fridge, Darling."
"Of course." He rolls his eyes but pecks my lips and grabs himself a beer. "Where is Dad?"
"He is still upstairs, in his office. He will join us in a few minutes." Catherine answers.
But first, we can hear the front door open and it seems like a bunch of people are coming in. Immediately, I feel nervous and look out for Bradley, but he is already by my side.
"Everything is going to be fine." He whispers in my ear. I just nod.
"Hello?? Anybody there?" a deep voice echoes from the hallway.
"Kitchen!" Catherine yells.
"Uncle Bradley?" Another voice comes from the hallway and seconds later, a little girl comes running into the kitchen and jumps right in Bradley's arms. He catches her and whirls her around.
"Hello, Gracie." He puts her back on her feet, takes one of her hands and lets her turn around herself. "Look, what a young lady you are already."
"I'm not that young, I'm going to be eight soon." She laughs.
"Ok then, when you turn eight, I will call you old lady." Bradley answers, laughing and again we hear someone saying: "Who do you call old Marshmallow?"
A man steps into the kitchen, followed by a beautiful red-headed woman and a young boy.
Bradley rolls his eyes  again: "Will you ever gonna stop calling me that?"
"What do you think?" They both laugh and hug each other. "Good to see you again, little brother."
"You too!" They clap each other's shoulders.
"Hello, Bradley." The woman hugs Bradley too, the young boy just nods towards us and leaves the kitchen with his air pods in his ears.
"Jakob!" Bradley's brother yells.
"Let him!" his wife stops him.
"Oh, so he doesn't have to greet? At least his grandmother?"
"It's ok, I know how boys are at this age. I had three of them." She winks at me.
"Uncle Bradley, is this your girlfriend?" Gracie asks, unimpressed of what is going on with her brother.
I just stood there at the kitchen counter, not sure what to say or do.
"Yes, Gracie, this is Emily."
She eyes me when I say to her: "Hello Gracie, nice to meet you!" I offer her my hand and she takes it, suddenly shy.
"Hello." She gives me a slight smile, then turns to Bradley and whispers, but we all can hear her. "She is beautiful!"
Everyone is laughing and I just blush, smiling down at her.
"Yes, Gracie, I think so too." He gives me a loving gaze.
"Thank you, Gracie, you are not so bad yourself," I reply to her.
"Yeah, I know, Daddy tells me every day," she answers proudly
"Shush Gracie, don't be that cocky!" Catherine scolds her.
But I just laugh and say: "Your Daddy is very right."
"Ok, ok, now it's my turn, " her father interrupts us. "Grace, go and look out what your brother is doing.
She faces me and rolls her eyes but leaves the kitchen.
Brandon gives me a bear hug: "Hello, so nice to finally meet you. My mother told us a lot." He lets go of me and his wife hugs me too.
"I only hope for good things." I return.
"Only good things! I'm Olivia."
"Hey, Olivia, nice to meet you all."
"Oh, that's not the end," Brandon says, laughing. "Benjamin and Jordan should be here in maybe 30 minutes. They had a baby problem."
"Baby problem?" I ask curiously.
"Yes, Alice is one year old and she isn't a good sleeper at the moment."
"Oh, ok, I understand.
"Olivia, want a drink?" Catherine asks.
"Oh yes, please." And she let herself fall on one of the bar stools beside me.
Catherine gives her a glass of margaritas.
"Emily, Catherine told us you are archeologists? And a Professor at a university?" Olivia asks me, waiting for her drink.
I take a sip from mine: "Hmm, yeah, that's right."
"Sounds amazing."
"It is, at least for me. Guess most people think it's boring."
"I guess it wasn't boring when you were buried in that cave?" Brandon looks at me.
"Oh, don't remind me! That was scary as hell." Bradley answers for me.
"Right, Granny told us," Olivia confirms.
"Yeah, Granny has to tell us everything at the moment because marshmallow is too busy for calling." Brandon looks at Bradley but with a massive grin on his face.
"Wait, did you really call him marshmallow? Thought I heard that earlier, but thought I would have heard that wrong." I ask Brandon, who laughs: "Yeah, Bradley is our little marshmallow since, I don't know, maybe he was six or seven."
I grin at Bradley and he seems to know what I will say.
"Don't..." he tries to stop me, but I say it anyway: "Aw, I would LOVE to hear that story.
"What story? I wanna hear that too." Another man enters the kitchen and this has to be Benjamin, the second brother. A woman follows him with a baby in her arms. They all hug each other and finally end with me.
"Hi, I'm Emily." I greet the two.
"Hi, I'm Benjamin, this is my wife, Jordan...." Benjamin points to his wife, who gives me a slight smile. "...and my baby girl Alice."
I wave my hand and squeak out: "Oh my, she is so cute!"
"Yeah, now you say that, but when she doesn't sleep at three in the morning, she is not so cute anymore." Jordan laughs while saying that. "You wanna hold her?"
"Uhm, if that's ok for you?" Usually, mothers won't give away to a person they barely know.
"Definitely, I could take a break. I carried her the whole night and day, so my arms hurt."
I take Alice from her arms and stand up and start moving upper body to give her a feeling of being rocked. She just looks at me, and I start speaking quietly: "Hello Alice baby, I heard you won't sleep?"
She giggles.
"You think that's funny, huh? I bet your mom won't agree with that."
Everyone in the kitchen is talking and sipping drinks. Sometime later James finally joins us.
"Sorry, I had to make a phone call, that took me a while."
"Ok, but now, James, please, help me set the table." Catherine opens a cabinet and she starts putting plates out of it and everyone grabs something and carries it in the living room to the dining area. I follow them, Alice still in my arms.
"I can take her back if you want to." Jordan offers.
"Oh no, it's ok with me, she is so sweet."
"Ok, but if you are tired, just tell me."
I nod and make my way to the window so that Alice can take a look in the garden. "Look, Alice, how colorful the garden is. There are butterflies, birds, bees...." I just talk to her in a singsong about everything we can see in the garden while I still rock her back and forth. I can feel her getting heavier in my Arms. I search for Bradley, who is talking to Brandon. He finds my gaze and I move my head to show him to join me. When he comes to my side, he asks: "What...."
"Ssshhhhh...I guess she fell asleep, go and get Jordan, I will just go on rocking her."
He nods and kisses me on the forehead.
Not a minute later, Jordan appears, looking at me baffled: "How did you do that?" She whispers
"Don't know, just talked to her. And I think I'm calmer because it wasn't me who got no sleep last night."
Jordan nods: "I will ask Granny where we could lay her down, is that ok?"
"Yeah, sure."
Then Catherine leads me upstairs, she has one room prepared for the kids, with a crib for Alice and a tv for Jakob and Grace.
"Hey you two, I'm sorry, but you have to leave, Alice fell asleep and the food is ready anyway, so come downstairs."
Jakob and Grace left the room quietly and I lay Alice slowly in the crib.
"Come on, let's go eat, I will switch on the baby monitor."
We leave and join the others at the dining table. I take a seat beside Bradley, who grabs my hand. Brandon recognizes this gesture
"Aaaw, look..." He nudges Olivia with his shoulders and nods towards us. "...young love."
I feel a little embarrassed and want to let go of Bradley's hand, but he just grabs me stronger.
"Jealous?" Bradley asks with narrowed eyes.
But Brandon laughs: "No, more glad you finally found someone who can stand you for more than a few hours."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I look at Bradley
"Nothing, he just wants to mock me."  Bradley answers.
"Right, marshmallow."
Everyone laughs and I remember something: "Oh, I still want to hear that story."
And while we all fill our plates, Brandon and Benjamin tell me the story behind this weird nickname.
"You know, Bradley was obsessed with the Ghostbusters back when we were kids." Benjamin starts.
"Yeah, really, every day on his way to school, he took the largest umbrella he could find and put it between his back and backpack, just like these things the ghostbusters wear to catch the ghosts." Brandon goes on.
"Oh my god, you still remember that?" Bradley moans.
"Of course, you and your friend were late to school so often because you played all the way."
"Ok, ok, but why marshmallow? Why not Venkman, Spengler, or even Smiler?" Bradley looks at me like I'm crazy when I ask that.
"You know all these names?"
"Hey, only because I grew up on a farm doesn't mean I don't know the ghostbusters." and Bradley smiles at me, widely and Jakob asks, clearly confused: "What the heck are you talking about
It's the first time I hear Jakob talking.
"That was way before your time." Catherine declares.
"No, I know the ghostbusters, there are no names like this." Jakob whirls his fingers around in my direction.
"Oh boy, we don't talk about that remade shit they made a few years ago, we are talking about the real ghostbusters." his father explains.
Jakob just shakes his head and mumbles something in his non-existing beard.
"Ok, go on with the story." I please.
"Can't we just leave it be?" Bradley looks hopefully towards his brothers.
"No."
"No."
"No."
"No."
We all say together.
"Mom???" Bradley yells out.
"I'm sorry, dear, but it's such a cute story. Let them tell ...."
"Great!" And Bradley starts eating in silence.
"Ok, so he and his friends played ghostbusters all day every day and of course, they gave themself cool nicknames."
"But Bradley was a little bit chubby as a kid, so we just thought it was funny to call him marshmallow from the giant, fat marshmallow man, and this name just stuck with him." Bradley's brother goes on.
"Yeah, because I'm still that chubby, right?" Bradley says a slightly aggressive tone in his voice.
"No, you are not, don't be mad, it's cute!" I try to calm him down, but he just rolls his eyes at me, saying: "That's what a man wants to hear from his girlfriend."
"I think you are cute, uncle Bradley," Gracie says, looking at him.
"See? Not only your girlfriend thinks you are cute." I lean myself over to him so that I can whisper in his ear: "And I think you are not only cute, Mr. Marshmallow."
Shocked, he looks at me: "Seriously? This is it?"
"It's the revenge for Cherie." I grin.
Bradley looks around the table, but everyone is talking and eating now, so he changes the topic: "Guys? We have something to tell you?"
Everyone is quiet and eyeing us
"Do you want to?"
"No, you..".
"Just tell us. Are you two ok? Something happens?" Catherine asks, worry on her face.
"Oh no, don't worry, everything is perfect." He takes a deep breath before he goes on: "In Four weeks, we can start with an excavation again.."
But his mother interrupts him: "In that Cave?"Catherine seems nervous.
"Yes, in that cave," I answer her.
And Olivia asks: "The cave that crashed while you were still in there?"
"You can't be serious," Jordan says.
"It's safe now." I try to calm them down but no chance.
"Bet you thought the same the first time." Catherine's voice gets a pinch higher.
"No, it's safe now. The ceiling is supported with steel girders and we opened the two exits, so if anything happens again, there are two ways to get out." Bradley explains.
"If you say so." but Catherine doesn't look like she is convinced.
"What are you talking about?" Gracie asks and her brother answers: "They want to search for evidence that King Arthur really lived."
"But he did really live. Where else are all these tales from?" she asks further.
I smile about this pure innocence: " I do believe that too and that's why we want to have a look at that cave." I smile at her and she seems proud when she asks:" Can I go in that cave?"
"Definitely not." her mom shouts out.
"Sure," Bradley answers at the same time. "Why not?"
"Because it's dangerous."
"You think I would put my niece in danger?"
"Well, you did it with your girlfriend." Brandon says and Bradley gasps, I take his hand fast and squeeze it:" No, that's not true. He never wanted me to go in there."
"Not? But it was his job."
"Yeah, maybe, but he told me from day one it's too dangerous, but I didn't listen. He would never put someone in danger on purpose."
Olivia then answers: " I don't say that, but...."
"I know she is your daughter and you worry about her, that's ok."
"But I want to be in that cave, I want to see if King Arthur was there." Gracie interrupts us.
Olivia sighs, not sure what to say, so I answer:" Maybe your parents and I can make a deal?"
Brandon looks at me:" What kind of deal?"
"Well, maybe, when we really find something important and we were able to retrieve it, Gracie can come and have a look at what we found? So she doesn't have to go into the cave?"
Brandon and Olivia look at each other, then both look at Grace, who is nodding her head in excitement.
"Ok, maybe we can do that."
"Yes, thank you, mom." And Grace jumps up to hug her parents.
"Jakob?" Bradley addresses his nephew," You can come too if you like?"
"To look at old stones? Nah, thanks."
We all laugh and Bradley is now talking to his whole family:" But, we have to tell you something else."
"Oh my god, what?"
Bradley grabs my hand, saying:" Before we begin with the excavation, we are getting married."
Silence.
Then Catherine jumps up from her chair, jumps around the table and flings her arms around us:" Aaaaw, you two, I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks, mom ."
"Yes, thank you." Bradley and I mumble.
Everyone gets up now and gives us hugs and congratulations and Jordan asks:" But when the excavation starts in four weeks, when are you going to get married?"
"In two weeks," I answer.
"Did you already organize everything?" Olivia asks.
"Yes, almost, with the help from my friends."
"Good, if you need anything else, just tell me." she goes on.
"Uhm, there is one thing and I hope it doesn't sound weird to ask because we only just met today...."
Olivia and Jordan eye me.
"So well, I still don't have a wedding dress and I wanted to ask you three...." I look at Catherine," If you like to...
And Olivia already squeaks:" Oh my god, yes yes!!" She hugs me again
"Oh, Darling, I would love to come and see you trying on all these gorgeous dresses." Catherine ads.
"Thank you, Catherine."
Jordan also hugs me and says:" I'm coming too, of course, it would be my pleasure."
"Gracie, you wanna come too?" I ask her.
"Can I try on some dresses too?"
I kneel to her: "Of course, a flower girl should wear a nice dress too, don't you think?"
"I can be your flower girl?"
"Yea, if you want to."
"Yes." She squeaks
"So now that's settled," Bradley says,"  Jakob, wanna wear the rings for us?"
"Uhm..." He looks at his father, who slightly nods, " Yeah, ok."
"And Jordan, Alice can throw flowers too, if you want to, Alice and she would be so cute together," I explain.
"Aaaw, yes, thank you."
"No, thank you all for being so nice and welcoming me so warmly." and I feel myself blushing.
"Nice people are always welcome, but are you sure you really wanna marry this idiot?" Benjamin shouts from his seat. He grins at me, I just smile, look at Bradley and nod:" Yes, at least he is my idiot, huh?"
We all laugh and I peck Bradley's cheek.
"Where are you getting married?" Jordan wants to know.
"In Brighton at the Beach."
"At the Beach? You can marry at a Beach?" Gracie starts to jump and down.
"Yes, Gracie, you can marry wherever you want to."
"Where did you marry mom, dad?" she asks her parents.
"At a church."
"Boring, I like the Beach better."
"You don't say," Brandon replies, laughing.
"When do you wanna go dress shopping?" I get asked.
"I thought, if you all agree, maybe this weekend?"
And everyone agrees with the date,
Then we hear a noise over the baby monitor and Jordan gets up:" I guess my type is desired."
And then she goes upstairs to get Alice.
Brandon lays an arm around Bradley:" So, marshmallow, when the girls get shopping, what are we going to do?"
"No idea honestly, haven't thought about that yet."
"If you wanna, you all can come here and we will watch some sports and have a drink?" my father-in-law suggests.
"Sounds good."
"Yeah, that would be nice."
"Can I come too?" Jakob asks.
"Yeah, but without the drinks."
"Sure thing, dad."
After everything is settled, we enjoy the rest of the day. Everyone is getting comfy in the living room, the kids play, we have a few more drinks and when it's dawning, we all make our way home.
We left the car at Catherine and James' house because we had a little too many drinks and grab a taxi home. Back home in the hallway, Bradley grabs my wrist, making me stop.
"So Cherie..."
"Yes? Mr. "Marshmallow?" I burst out laughing
"You think you are funny?" He reduces the space between us.
"Only a little bit, but I told you, it's the revenge for Cherie."
Our bodies are touching now. His hands cup my face lovingly, his nose nudge mine
"Well, well..." Bradley's lips hover over mine, not touching them
I try to reach his mouth with mine, but he won't let me.
"I guess then, we have something to discuss."
I inhale:" Really?"
"Yes." And finally, he kisses me deeply, begging with his tongue for entrance, his fingers driving through my hair. I sling my arms around his neck, tickling his skin with my fingertips. Suddenly he grips me by my butt, lifting me, so I swing my legs and wrap them around his waist. He starts getting up the stairs with me in his arms. In the bedroom, he lets me down on my feet.
"Ok, let's get you out of these clothes, we have something to discuss." He says, laughing and we both start to undress each other.