Feels Like Home

Part Three

Letty's POV

As I pulled into the driveway. Everyone had typically made it back before me. I wasn't at all surprised. Roman and Tej were sat in the backyard drinking Coronas already. Dom was overseeing the barbecue on top of which enough food was frying to feed a small army.

I headed into the kitchen and stood for a moment not knowing where I belonged in this, well family dinner.

"Letty, I could use a hand," Mia trilled as she returned to the kitchen carrying laundry.

I nodded. "Sure, what would you like me to do?"

"Firstly I need you to change, it's cold outside now," Mia said with a cheeky grin. "Then I need help in the kitchen."

I sighed and went off to change. I grabbed a pair of black jeans with a gold leaf pattern down one leg and a clean black tank top. It looked fine. I grabbed a pair of combat boots and laced them up. Mia was right. It was getting cooler.

I returned to the kitchen and Mia started showing me how to make her famous sticky chicken.

"So, how much of this do I add?" I asked as I waved a jar at her.

"Just a teaspoon."

A cry sounded from upstairs and Mia flew off to fetch her pride and joy. Her beautiful blonde haired Angel, Jack. I wasn't all that fond of babies but he was enchanting. There was something in his bright blue eyes that made me melt. Every time I saw him I wanted to cuddle him. Maybe it was because he didn't know me, couldn't compare me to what I was or what I had been because all he knew was me as I was now. I liked having someone who didn't compare me to anything. At least with him I had a completely fresh start.

Mia returned carrying Jack on her hip, looking as though it came naturally to her. His face was red and puffy from tears but he'd clearly stopped crying when he'd seen his Momma.

"Will you hold him for me please, just so I can finish up here?"

"Sure."

I took Jack uncertainly, I usually avoided all children like the plague. Taking him in my arms felt weird. Instantly he latched on to me. Next thing I knew one of his chubby hands got tangled in my wavy dark brown hair. He tugged at my hair whilst I laughed.

"Jack, you know we don't pull hair," Mia clucked from the counter.

"He's okay Mia."

"No, he needs to break that habit," she said with a sigh.

I tried to shake my head in disagreement but it didn't work thanks to jacks surprisingly strong grip.

I was drawn to the window, which overlooked the back garden. The boys were stood, each of them clutching a Coronas and standing laughing beside the barbecue. They were too engrossed in their conversation to notice me watching them.

As unlikely a group to look at, there was something about them that looked so natural together. They all bounced off each other without thinking, no one taking sharp words to heart, no one throwing old resentments out there for the sake of it and no one hating Dom for dragging them all to London where their safety had been in serious question. It was like they filled the holes that existed in their lives with each other. An odd but perfectly complete family. Their love even embraced me and I knew I loved them, but I couldn't explain how I knew it. I just did.

Without thinking I asked Mia, "Is it always like this around here?"

"Like what?" She asked as she frowned.

"Like this, so relaxed?"

She grinned and carried on, dicing up vegetables for kebabs, "Pretty much. Everyone just takes it a day at a time and doesn't worry too much as long as their family is okay and there's a fast car in the driveway."