Page 65 of An Unexpected Home

“Is mom here?”

“Alice!” Charlie bellowed.

“What in the world are you yelling about?” She came into the room. “Oh Brandon and Leah, what are you doing here?”

“We are taking the boat out with the other’s but I wanted you guys to meet Leah.”

A look of pride covered Alice’s face. “Leah, it's so nice to see you again. This time at least, I’m not knocking things over with a cart.”

“I’ve done that more times than I can count,” she said. “So don’t feel bad.”

“I hope Brandon invited you to our Mother’s Day gathering?” she said.

“He did and I’d love to come if you’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“None at all.”

“Can I bring anything?” Leah asked. She wasn’t the best cook but she did have a few dishes she made fairly well.

“Don’t even think about it. On Mother’s Day the boys do all the work and us ladies just enjoy our day.”

“You cook?” She looked at Brandon.

“You seem surprised.”

“Why haven’t I seen these culinary skills?”

“Oh I like this one, Bran. She keeps you on your toes.”

Leah laughed and Brandon reached for her hand. “She does and I like it,” he said and kissed her knuckles leaving her speechless while his parents looked on.

“We should probably go,” he said to his parents.

“See you guys Sunday,” his dad said and his mom gave her a surprising goodbye hug. “It was great to meet you,” she said in Leah’s ear.

Leah was shaken to the core at the kindness his mom had shown her. Her own mom, while loving in her own way, would never hug a person she had just met.

“My parents like you,” he told her as they made their way to the lake.

“How do you know?” she asked.

“My dad was smiling the whole time and stayed quiet. When he likes something he always stays quiet. And mom...well she loves when people can hold their own against anyone and when you asked about cooking, that told her that you’re no pushover.”

“They’re so,” she tried to think of the right word, “normal. I mean you’ll never meet my dad because you know, prison but my mom,” she shook her head, “she’s not cold she’s just proper. Extremely proper.”

Just remembering the way she had grown up made her shiver. After living in Cedarville for only three weeks she already knew that she would never raise her own kids the way she was raised. Even though, until this moment, she had thought her childhood was fine.

She was wrong.

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