Into the Crowd. ✔

CHAPTER 15

Saturday morning couldn't come to fast enough. The last two days we were handling the news on our own terms. Taylor seemed more tired than usual, but that was expected, but she was also living it to the fullest and that scared me. We just parked the cars when the furniture truck pulled up and parked near the front door. Drew and Ezra stepped out of their rental car and stared between the truck and the house. Big grins covering the faces.
"Seriously Josh, did you buy the whole store?" Ezra yelled. Loudly.
"And don't get me started on the house." Drew says following with his own comment, pointing at the house.
"Yeah, yeah." I mumbled, hugging them both. Stepping back, I took Maddie and Taylor's hands in mine, pulling them closer to officially meet them.
"Guys I would like you to meet Maddie and Taylor."
"Pleasure to meet you Madison. I have heard so much about you it seems totally unreal to actually meet you." Ezra meaningfully says greeting Maddie with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Drew followed pursuit, grinning from ear to ear.
"And you must be Taylor." Drew says kissing Taylor's hand as if she was a young princess.
"I am Drew and this old man next to me is Ezra." I laughed and watch Ezra kicking the back of Drew's shoes. After a few minutes of catching up I heard another car pulling up. Charlie's red Corvette came to a stop. I excused myself from the group and walked up to my brother. He slid his shades up on his head, hopping out dressed in a dark pair of jeans and a leather jacket zipped open. Slamming the door a bit too hard as he looked up at the house. A tight smile between his lips.
"Charlie, you made it."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I closed the distance and gave him a hug and slap on the back. Very manly I know.
"But I must say. I am impressed. You did well." I pulled back and followed his gaze. He was watching Maddie and Taylor talking to Ezra and Drew. He swallowed loudly looking at the ground. Shuffling his feet on the bricks.
"Taylor, come here for a minute please." I called over my shoulder. She came over slowly looking between me and Charlie.
"Taylor, this is Charlie. My brother. Your uncle." Charlie kneeled down so that he was face to face with his niece for the first time and not the unofficial meeting a few weeks ago.
"I have waited a long time to meet you Taylor." Charlie held his hand out, palm out, but Taylor had other plans. She through her tiny arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Letting go after a few moments. He looked up at me and I had to choke down my emotions. There were tears in eyes, but pushed them back when Maddie announced herself.
"Charlie! So good to see you again." Maddie came over hugging Charlie then slipped her arm through mine.
"Come on slow pokes. There's a truck to unload." Drew said from somewhere near the truck where he and one of the workers stepped out with one of the couches. We walked over and lent a hand while Maddie stayed with Taylor as they order us men around. We were working carrying furniture up and down the house. All the rest of my musical equipment would be delivered later next week so we worked around the downstairs area. Taylor loved her room, the big pool and yard. For lunch Maddie started with the hotdogs while I told everyone that I need to slip out for a minute. I made the twenty minute drive in fifteen and pulled up to the only empty spot in front of the animal shelter. The doors were closed due to heat and I stepped into the cool air conditioned room that leads to the front desk.
"Josh Boweman as I live and breathe." The woman at the front desk smiled up to me. She must be in her late fifties by now.
"Miss Mary, good to see you again." She walks around the desk and hugged me tight. I haven't seen her in over ten years. The grey hair more prominent as she ages.
"It’s Mrs. Mary now Josh. I got married a couple of years ago." She showed me the ring on her left hand, smiling when I took a closer look at the big rock.
"Lucky bastard." I smiled back at her.
"So what brings you here, superstar?" She hasn't change a bit since my days volunteered at this very animal shelter.
"I was here the other day. Adopted a puppy and now I am ready to take him home."
"Well then why didn't you say so?!" She typed on the computer for a moment then smiled up at me when she found my details.
"Here it is. Oh you adopted sweet little Troy. I knew he was going to get a home fast, just the cutest thing you have ever seen!"
"He is. He's for my daughter."
"Josh, you've been holding out on me!"
"She's almost ten."
"Well she would love Troy. He's been checked out by the vet, but there would be follow up appointments in the future, for now he can go home. All that's left is to sign this." She pulled a couple of papers from the printer behind her and gave me two copies to sign. A couple of minutes later a man walks in from the back with Troy in his arms. I took him and he greeted me with a few licks to the chin. I laughed rubbing his head. The Siberian husky pub quickly warming my heart. After I picked him up I grabbed a few things for him from the pet shop and went back home to surprise Taylor and Maddie. I've kept it quiet for two days and almost caved telling Maddie. They were all still sitting out on the veranda laughing at something Ezra was saying.
"The man of the house is back. Where have you been?" Charlie asks starring at my chest.
"A surprise."
"Ooh surprises, I love surprises." Charlie mocked.
"Actually it's for Taylor." Troy was beginning to move around where I held him against my chest, wrapped around my jacket. Taylor saw the movement and jumped from the chair.
"Dad, why are your chest moving?" She asks.
"Come and see." I mentioned her closer unwrapping the busy bundle and I heard her gasp when his head poked out.
"Taylor, I would like you to meet the newest member of our family." She leaned in closer.
"This is Troy." I took him out and let him have one last lick at my face and handed him over to her, carefully.
"No way. No way. Daddy!" She shrieked when Troy hashed onto her face, licking him like they have been best friends for forever. Instantly taking a liking at my daughter. She rushes off with the pup, playing with the bundle of joy and introduced him to her uncles. Maddie walked up to me a big warming smile warming her face.
"Josh. What did you do?" She playfully asks, grabbing the collar of my shirt brushing her hair to the other side of her neck to hide the pressured kiss to my lips.
"I wanted to keep him a surprise. Thought that he would cheer her up and as I can see it's working." I looked over at Taylor and nodded. Maddie through her arms around my neck. Lifting her face to mine again.
"Thank you." She whispers.
"Thank you." I said pushing a stray hair out of her eyes.
"For what?"
"For making my heart beat again." I kiss her deeply again, forgetting about the company. Her own hands moved up and down my chest. Her strawberry scent filling my senses. Somewhere in the back I heard a throat clearing, but I didn't dare pull away yet. I gave her a few last searching kisses before I gradually pulled away and glared at Drew.
"And that makes it the end of our long lunch. We probably should finish up the upstairs for the night."