Dragon

Chapter Seven

Maria sat with Porky in her lap. I had given him a bath while she slept, not wanting her to get sick in case the puppy had something on him.
He yipped at her happily as she rubbed his fat belly, his ribs still visible. It would take a few weeks to get the meat back on his bones. Wolf had called earlier and I had informed him of the new addition to our witness protection program. He had laughed and said he would inform my Dad.
I got up and set a few more logs on the fire, the temperature had begun to drop as it got darker. Dad had said the central heating air system made a weird noise when you turn it in, that he had been planning on getting someone out here but been busy. I was just glad that it was cool now and not the middle of summer. Maria had a throw blanket over her lap. The puppy running up and down the length of the couch, stopping every once in a while to be petted by Maria.
My back stiffens as a knock on the door interrupts our peaceful little bubble. I look at Maria and wave my hand to get her attention. She looks at me as I mouth, "Go hide, someone, is at the door." She stands up quickly with Porky in her arms, moving to the kitchen so she could hide in the cellar. It had an exit just in case something happens.
I grab the gun from the table drawer by the door. I check the clip and see it filled. I glance out the peek hole before letting out a sigh of relief beige ripping the door open. " Hello, Em and Aiden."
Em walks into the door, not bothering to wait to be invited inside. I motion Aiden, who is holding a large box, inside and he mouths an apology. I smirk, Em was just like that, bold and no worries.
Em looks around the living room, " Where is Maria, Roman?" She asks, looking in the kitchen and dining room.
I motion towards the kitchen, " In the cellar, it has a back exit just in case something happens."
Aiden sets a large box on the couch." Wolf told me you might need this stuff."
I see Maria walk into the living room with Em talking while looking at her. Maria just nods, probably ignoring whatever she was saying. Em talking about how hard it was to find the place.
She sees me and I motion to the box sitting on the couch. She just walks away from Em, not even bothering to excuse herself, too excited to see what was inside. Em looks shocked for a moment before shrugging and walking to Aiden. He wraps an arm around her waist. We all watch Maria as she smiles and makes a happy noise at the content of the box. She picks up a small black collar.
I laugh as Porky wiggles so much that Maria sets him down. She bends down to pick up the box up off the couch. I feel my feet moving towards her, setting my hand on top of the box. I shake my head no and point to her belly. She crosses her arms and huffs.
Em chuckle at us then jolts, " I almost forgot, Harm, set up an appointment with her with the OBGYN in town." She pulls a piece of notebook paper from her pocket. " It's tomorrow at eight. You might want to get there a little early to fill out the paperwork."
I nod my head as I look at the address I would google map it tonight to see what time we would need to leave. The closest town was like an hour away, so we would have to leave pretty early. I look away from Em and I see Aiden helping Maria adjust the collar for Porky. Then he takes the puppy pads and lays three throughout the house.
Em walks away, grabbing the small pet bed and setting it beside the fireplace. I walk to the box and grab out the dishes and hard puppy chow, setting it all on the counter. I take the porcelain bowl off the counter, and set it in the sink, and replace it with the metal bowl from the box.
I decided to see what I could make with dinner. I had put the roast on for dinner early this morning. I was trying to decide if I should make mashed potatoes or mac-n-cheese.
  "Aiden do you and Em plan to stay for dinner?" I yelled, picking up potatoes to start boiling them.
  I glance at the clock, seeing that it was already four, I would have to dice the potatoes up to get them cooked in time. I grab a knife off the counter and the cutting board. Aiden walks in as I dice the potatoes, " So, Wolf told me your club name is Dragon. How did you get that name?" Aiden rolls up his sleeves and grabs the cut potatoes from me washing them off than setting them in the pot on the stove.
  I glance up at Aiden as he waits for me to finish cutting the third potato, " It isn't something I like to talk about." I say in a tone that means drop it. Aiden nods his head in understanding.
  Maria and Em walk into the kitchen, Maria's hand perched on her slightly rounded stomach. I give a smile before i continue to cut the potatoes. Em looks at the booking water before adding salt. I roll my eyes and shake my head. She didn't mean to be disrespectful is was just how she was.
  I finish cutting the potatoes, Maria was starting at the counter and blushing. I knew what was going through her head. I watch her for a moment before smirking. I slowly reach my hand out, gently touching her hand. Her head jerks to me, " What are you thinking about?' I mouth at her. Her face deepens about two more shades of red. I smile a knowing smile, before Aiden clear his throat. "So, how are you settling in?"
  I snap my head to him, silently cursing him for interrupting our moment, " Good, took me a few tries to get the hot water heater up an running but besides that it mainly keeping the fire going."
Aiden nodded his head, " I was surprised Wolf actually asked me to be the runner for y'all."
  Em was checking the potatoes at the pot, knowing they wouldn't be done,  Maria was watching the both of us."You aren't in any club. He has known you since college, and you adore Maria. You are our best bet."
  Aiden nods his head in understanding. I watch as Maria shiver, and I realize that the temperature must be dropping again. It had warmed up to melt the snow today, but that's mother nature for you.
I walk into the living room and throw a few more logs on the fire.
  Em follows me, she waits patiently as I stoke the fire. "Wolf wants to know if you are going to be around after all this or..." She let's me fill in the rest myself.
  I tense, Wolf would be the asshole to ask that question. He saw the worst in people. Well except his wife, she could do no wrong in his eyes.
  I take a deep breath and look at her, she has her arms crossed, waiting for my reply." Tell him, I don't care if the child has a eye like a cyclopes. I will be in their life. I don't care if he doesn't want me to be in their life, he can get fucked."
  Em rubbed her arms and nodded her head,"I'll relay the message to him later. I will not leave a word out you said" she smirks, causing a grin to find it's way to my face. I gesture back toward the kitchen, she turns and walks ahead of me. I am stopped a few steps later by the ringing of the burn phone.
  I pull it from my pocket and flip the phone up, " Hey, Dad all is good here."
  "Glad to here it is all good." Mom says.
I arch my brow, confused" Is everything okay there, Mom?"
  She laughs,"Yeah, your Dad left his phone here to charge. He tells me you are okay, but I still worry."
  I smile, " I know Mom."
  "How is everything with you am Maria?"
  "A lot better, Mom. We haven't argued."
  "Should I plan a wedding?"
   I freeze at her question, " Mom, we are still working thinks out. You can't have a strong marriage because you have kids together. If we did get married and it didn't work I wouldn't feel right splitting with the kids.
  Plus, we live in a society where it is perfectly okay to love someone and raise a family with them, and not get married."
  "Love? Roman did you just say you love her?" Mom ask, in her stern voice, meaning if I lied should would whoop my ass. It doesn't matter that I am twenty-two year old man.
  "Yes, Mom, I love her. But I can't really tell her that until we get all our shit figured out."
  "I know, Sweetheart, but you will. Then you can make he even more grandbabies."
  I chuckle, " Mom, you do have Sarah with two more on the way. If we each give you three that will make a total of nine grandkids."
  "I want a total of fifteen." She says like she is a king for vegetables at a road side stand.
  "Mom, that's like a total of five kids each. That's a lot of college tuition. Plus, Maria and i actually have to get through the twins being born before even discussing more."
  "That's true, Sweetheart. I'll let your Dad know everything is okay. I'll let you go and take care of Maria and my future grandbabies."
  "Bye, Mom, I love you and talk to you soon." I look into the kitchen and see Em draining the potatoes.
  "Bye, Roman, love you too." She hangs up first.
  I walk to the kitchen to finish up dinner. I could tell tomorrow was going to be a long day.