Blood To Love

Chapter 22: Happily Ever After?

We had been so excited to tell my mom, that when we got back to the house my bike was left propped against the garage door and our helmets were still on when we ran in the front door and into the kitchen where my mom was reading a paper while sitting in her high bar chair in the kitchen sipping out of her favorite mothers day mug that says "roses are red, violets are blue, my mom, is the bomb." Ironically I got her that mug when I was seven years old .

"Whoa...something happened to you guys? You look out of breath and in a rush. '' She says looking up from the paper she was reading genuinely worried. She even went as far as to set the paper on the counter and straighten up giving us her full attention. I had one of the biggest stupidest grins on my face and I looked at Gabriel. "You tell her." I say hopping up and down.
He screwed up his face. " No way I have to tell my dad you tell her. "
I laughed. "Alright. Mom, he agreed. He will be my mate by the end of the eclipse." I say taking his hand. "I told him everything and he still wants to be with me. "

A grin spread out across my mother's face and she got up and walked over to us engulfing us both in a giant bear hug. "Oh, Ivy, I am so proud of you for telling him, and Gabriel, welcome to the family. I guess that means I get to have a son in law and hopefully some grandbabies unlike what miss gloom and doom over there said. " She said while nodding her head toward me. I scoffed and playfully pushed her. Gabriel laughed and ruffled my hair.
"Son in law yes. The grandkids...you might have to wait a bit for those. I want Ivy and I both to be ready for that." He said while wrapping his arm around my shoulders I leaned into him. "Now, all we have to do is figure out what to tell my dad." He said, sounding a little distant. I froze up, I honestly didn't think of that. My mother laughed.

"That's easy, your eighteen, you basically found the girl of your dreams. Tell him the truth...you're getting married. " She says, winking.

A weird grin crossed over Gabriels face. "That does sound believable, and when you guys move I have a reason to go with you, but there are a couple problems. One. I don't have a ring to give to Ivy, Two, Don't you think it would be strange for us to be married but not invite anyone to a wedding, not even my dad? " He said, moving to sit on the couch. Me and my mother in tow. I sat beside him and she sat across from us on the chair.
"That is easily fixed. I can give you a bit of cash so you can go get Ivy a ring, and two, why not just get married for real. You're both over eighteen, young marriages are normal these days, and you can invite your dad to the wedding. You will have proof that you are together. And wouldn't it be nice to not only be bonded in the means of vampiric terms but also governmental terms. You will have the paperwork to prove it. You would just have to go back every couple of years and renew the paperwork. " She says sitting back.

I hate to admit it, but I agreed with my mother. It would be nice to be legally married to Gabriel. I looked at Gabriel and squeezed his hand. "What do you think Gabe? It seems like a sound plan....and I wouldn't mind having a nice little wedding. It kind of makes it feel like it is more stable and authentic. It's up to you though." I say looking at his face, my eyes roaming, looking for answers. To what? I don't know.

He sat there for a minute worrying his lip with his teeth. Mulling it over. "Your right. It would give me a solid alibi and being a human that was always the only form of authentically being with someone forever. Let's do it. Tomorrow if you will allow me and my dad to borrow your truck, I can have my dad take me into town and I will break the ice to him when I buy the ring. " He says looking between me and my mother. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"Yeah, you can borrow the truck tomorrow, but we are gonna need time to plan the wedding. The Lunar Eclipse is about a month and a half away. Do you want to do this before or after that?" I ask seriously. I was too excited about both to really think. He smiled at me.
"I think we can pull a wedding off in a month in a half. We can be married the day before the eclipse and then we can be mates on the honeymoon. Sound like a plan?

"YES!'' I jumped off the couch and into his arms he laughed and caught me. My mom still in her seat across from us watched and laughed slightly before wiping a tear from her eye. "Alright it's settled. Then June 20th is going to be your wedding date making June 21st the lunar eclipse and your honeymoon. I will tell Fein in the morning, but now I think we should all go to bed. I will see you both tomorrow. Gabriel, if you decide to stay over again at least write your dad a note and leave it over at your house where your dad will see it in the morning, and with that I bide you both a good night. '' She says standing up digging her wallet out of her purse and handing Gabriel a small stack of money and making her way to her bedroom. Gabriel didn't even count it; he stuck it in his wallet and put it in his pocket. He kissed my head. "I actually think my dad will appreciate it if I "Slept'' in my own room tonight. Give me about 20 minutes and keep your bedroom window open. I will be there soon . I smiled and kissed him one more time before he walked out the door. I went upstairs, opened my window and sat on my bed with my headphones in my ears and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Where was Gabriel?
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After walking the short distance to his front door, Gabriel had unlocked the door, walked in, dropped his keys in the dish by the door, put his wallet away in the drawer and and started writing the note to his dad. He had only gotten one word out before a hand wrapped around his face pressing a wet cloth to his nose and mouth. Before he knew it...his entire world went black