Marie's Path

Chapter 53

The kitchen smelled of home baked cinnamon rolls and the dishwasher hummed quietly in the background. Marie sat across from Raven at the small breakfast table and watched the others doing their little jobs before they took off for the day. She'd come to love mornings like these. As sunlight streamed in through the breakfast nook windows, she thought the kitchen had a homey feel to it. It was becoming her favorite room in the house.

This sure wasn't how she'd envisioned her future. Its funny how fate works. Everything that had happened in her life brought her to them. Thinking about it now, she'd live through every bad moment again, if knowing it would eventually take her to this point. To them. To her guys.

"Are you ready for today?" Raven asked her.

"I wish everyone was able to go. But yeah, I'm excited." Marie's face sobered. "I've never been canoeing before. I'm kind of worried about tipping. I'm not a very good swimmer."

Raven shrugged, reaching for her fanny pack that was on the table. "They won't capsize. And even if something did happen, you'll have a vest on, plus Marc and Axel are strong swimmers. Going on the river has never been my favorite thing to do. It's hot, boring and there's too many fucking bugs. Drives me nuts." He zipped up her pack, setting it in front of her. "Besides, I'm not at a hundred percent, yet," he said putting a hand on his stomach.

"You're gonna ruin it for her before she's even on the river," Jay said, sitting down next to Marie. "It's not so bad, you'll love," he told her. "We've got a lot to take care of today getting the gym ready to open, or I'd come."

Marie leaned against Jay. "Steel Power. I like that name for your gym."

"You should," he laughed, "you're the one that thought of it."

Grinning playfully at Raven she said, "It's all Raven's fault. For the past two weeks all I've been playing with is steel. He's had me taking apart and putting together so many different guns, I'm starting to do it in my sleep."

"You like playing with my steel, don't lie." Raven winked at her.

"I haven't even gotten to shoot one yet."

Raven smiled wide. "Yes, you have." He reached across the table closing Marie's open mouth.

"Okay, too much information," Jay said, tearing off a piece of his cinnamon roll and popping it into his mouth. "Damn, these rolls are good."

"Corey, let's go! " Brandon said, folding a dish towel after he dried off his hands. He and Corey were assigned the job of painting Miss Rose's bathroom and kitchen. He walked over to the table and leaned across giving Marie a kiss on the cheek. "I told you we'd be getting boring ass jobs. I know damn well she's going to add another room at the last minute, too." Pointing at her, he gave her a stern look. "Don't fall in."

"I won't," Marie said getting up off the chair and coming around the table to walk the twins to the door. "Let me know what colors she picked." She hopped on Brandon's back. Grabbing her thighs as he walked, he twisted his head giving her a swift kiss.

"We'll have paint splatters on our clothes, so we can show you," Corey said, coming up behind them. They both wore old tee shirts and faded jeans. He pulled Marie off Brandon's back and hung an arm around her neck pulling her close against his body. "Have fun with Marc and Axel. Maybe tonight we can have family movie night."

"Think up a good movie, something with a lot of action," Brandon added. "No disney shit."

"Hey, I like disney movies." She grinned when he rolled his eyes. "Okay, Hallmark it is."