"Grandma, grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Braelin Grayson," Logan introduces us with a gentle squeeze of my side.
"Hello Braelin," his grandma greets with a warm smile. "We are his dad's parents, and Logan has spoken highly of you."
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Noble, it is nice to meet you," I murmur with a small smile toward them.
"Hello Braelin," Mr. Noble greets back with curious eyes as he scans me from top to bottom, and back again.
"The other couple over there are my birth mother's parents," Logan tells me as he motions toward the other couple speaking with his dad.
"That is nice that they come, and that your parents invite them," I murmur to him as I look up at him with a smile.
"I agree," Logan murmurs, tilting his head down to slightly kiss me on the right cheek.
My face burns when his grandma coos at us because I honestly forgot that they were in front of us.
"Sorry," I mumble to them, and the three of them tell me not to be sorry.
"Do not apologize, honey," Mrs. Noble says with a warm smile. "You are just so cute, well both of you are."
I feel like she would pinch my cheeks if she could, and not have Logan upset with her for doing this to me.
"Thank you, ma'am," I murmur, fidgeting under her intense gaze.
"None of that, 'ma'am' stuff, please call me Gloria," she replies.
Nodding in agreement, even though I will never call her by her first name. I feel that it is disrespectful to call her by her first name despite her permission.
"Now, come with me, dear," she demands nicely as she slips her hand onto the bend of my elbow to lead me away from Logan and her husband with a grin at them.
Feeling a little awkward at being alone with her without Logan, and she leads us into the kitchen where we sit down at the table across from each other.
"So, tell me about you, Braelin," she requests as she reaches across the table to hold both of my hands between both of her hands on the top of the table.
"Um, what do you want to know?" I reply, unsure of how to start.
"How old are you? What are your parents like and their names?" she asks with a gentle smile.
"I am sixteen, and my mama raised me by herself," I shyly admit. "Mama's name is Paisley Grayson, and she is thirty-two. She had me when she was sixteen. I do not know my father as he has never been in my life, and I do not know either set of grandparents. Mama's parents kicked her out of their house when she refused to get rid of me, and my uncle was kicked out, too, for choosing her and me over their parents' rules."
Mrs. Noble instantly frowns at me; "Well, now if you would like, you have me and my husband as your grandparents if you would like us to be."
I eagerly nod with my teeth sunk into my lower lip in excitement.
"Gloria, are you overwhelming the boy?" her husband asks as he and Logan decide to join us.
"No, I am not overwhelming our new grandson," she huffs in amusement at her husband.
"Welcome to the family, Braelin," he warmly says with a bright smile as he wraps his right arm around Logan's shoulders.
A little while later, the third set of grandparents, and Logan's uncle arrive, and we gather around the table to have dinner together.
"I would like to say a quick thank you to everyone for coming here to have dinner with us, and spend Thanksgiving together," Mr. Noble says once everyone has their plates filled. "I am glad Braelin was able to join us this year, and I hope he can join us every year from now on."
Giving Logan's dad a shy smile which he returns as Logan places his hand on my thigh. I wonder if Logan and I are still going to be together next Thanksgiving? If we are, I wonder if his family would allow and accept my mama and uncle, too?
Dinner is pleasant, and after we have finished eating, everyone pitches in to help clean up. When this is finished, everyone gathers into the living room to chat, and a few play a board game with Shelbie at the coffee table. I am trying to stay out of 'Little Space,' despite feeling safe and comfortable to slip because I am unsure how the rest of Logan's family would be alright with this.
"Are you okay, baby?" Logan whispers into my right ear as I sit sideways on his lap since there is no where else for me to sit, and honestly I enjoy sitting on his lap.
"Yeah, just trying not to slip," I honestly answer, my voice whispering into his ear, so no one can hear me either.
"You can slip if you want, Brae," he murmurs into my ear. "I promise no one here will judge you for this."
Biting my lower lip as I internally debate with myself for several seconds before finally deciding to let myself slip. Laying the side of my face onto his shoulder, and slipping my left thumb into my mouth, and I softly suck. 'Nana' coos at me when she notices me sucking my thumb, and I move to pull my thumb from my mouth when Logan softly tells me to keep sucking my thumb. Tentatively continuing to suck my thumb, I look around the room, and no one seems to be paying attention to me, or what I am doing. Snuggling into Logan, he rubs my full belly, and this sends me to sleep against him.
I dream of a life and future with Logan, and I hope that we can have a future together that is happy and healthy. I dream of us adopting several children together, and fostering many, too. I also dream of us having a home that we fill with happy and joyful memories. I want something like this with him, and I hope he does, too.
