Page 18 of Marshall

“I’m happy where we are.And yes, Alan and I found us a house.It’s on the back of the property that mom and dad live on.”Becka winked at him.He had a feeling that she’d known that as well.“Aunt Becka, what did you do to my daughter this time.You know that I love it when you share but I think she’s about bursting at the seams now with all the magic that has been bestowed upon her.”

“Oh, she’ll need that and more.I believe this one will be the person that everyone turns to when her grandda retires.It’s doubtful that Meggie will ever retire, but we can only hope someday she gets tired of running around.”

“Never.”Marshall looked at the doors and didn’t see Meggie yet.“I thought that she would have been here by now.This thing starts in about an hour.”

Meggie was always running late nowadays.Her new job was taking up more time than she wanted it to, but she loved it, so she wouldn’t dare quit.He loved her, so of course, he wanted what she did.

“I heard from her just before we got here.She said that she’s coming in soon and that there was a mix-up in her travel arrangements.I think perhaps heads are going to roll before she gets here.I know that she’s been looking forward to this as much as we all are.”Emma grinned, a look that he’d found both endearing and scary when she’d been a child.“Maybe she’ll embarrass my brother, and we’ll have to have a pity party for him.”

“You don’t mean that.”She shook her head and took MJ when she started to fuss.“She’s just sick of all these people touching her.You’ll notice that I wasn’t touching her but just holding her.She needs her nap.”

“You mean you need your nap.I’ve never seen a grown man that can fall asleep like you do, Dad.You can sit down, put your feet up, and bam, you’re out.I’m so glad that MJ has gotten the same thing from you.After her bottle, she’s out like a light.Thank you for that.”He laughed to himself.There wasn’t any way that MJ received any of his traits, and he was sure that Emma knew it.They weren’t blood at all, but he was thrilled that she spoke as if they were.“Also, Dad, can you help Alan finish putting the final touches on the playhouse?I don’t think she’ll be using it anytime soon, but he had to put it up.”

“Because, like me, he wants things ready when they need them.He’s a good man, as much as I hate to say that.Where is he anyway?”She told him that he was on his way and that he had to pick up something on his way here.“He’d better not be late.They can’t start this thing without Meggie, but he’ll be locked out if he tries to come in late.”

“He knows that.”She looked at the doors when he did.“There he is now.And Dad, you’d better be nice to him.I know you love him but he thinks that you don’t.All right?”

“Yes, all right.Your mother told me the same thing that I was giving him a complex with the way that I teased him.He’s much too serious if you ask me.He needs to learn to relax.”

“Says the man who came here to this kiss with a rod the size of a house up his ass.”Becka laughed at her own joke and told them she was going to find her seat.As she was walking away, Marshall, sure that she couldn’t see him, he flipped her off and smiled that he’d gotten away with it.He should have known better.He had belly cramps so bad that he knew it was all on her.“You’d better fart or you’ll explode, dear Marshall.”

“I hate you right now.”He couldn’t embarrass himself by letting go.He thought about blaming it on the baby, but the way he was feeling right now, it would have killed her to have gas the way that hedid.“You’re going to have to take this away, Becka, please?”

“You owe me then.”He said he’d gladly owe her just so he’d not die right here.“I’ll have to think of something really dangerous for you.Maybe you can fart like this when the party is going on.Before I forget to tell you again, you’re going to have to have a talk with Alan.He’s being approached by some very bad men, and he’s afraid for his family.They want him to get a video of one of you guys shifting.He doesn’t even care which group either.”

“Why hasn’t he come to me before now?”She didn’t have to answer him.He knew it was because the man was terrified of him.“I’ll be nicer to him too.I’ve taken it too far if he’s that afraid of me and still willing to take on these men without telling me about them.You’re right.Again.”

“I’ll take that as a payment.I so love it when you have to admit that I was right over and over.Don’t you just love it?”He said that he’s had better times, yes.“Good.And your wife just landed.Her and that damned chopper.I wish that they’d given her something less noisy.But she does love to make an entrance.”

Meggie had gotten really good at making an entrance, too.She had done her country proud as both an officer in the Army and also in the White House.Serving two terms as president and two as vice president had made her a household name all over the world.She’d done everything that was needed to make sure that the country was where it needed to be right now.Progressing.

When she walked into the large arena, with secret service men surrounding her, the entire room stood up and clapped.Making her way to the podium, she was going to be the guest speaker today.He felt his heart swell with pride.She was his mate, his wife his everything.And he couldn’t have been more in love with her than he was right now.Christ, she was wonderful.

“Please have a seat.”It took about ten minutes for everyone to stop clapping and to have a seat.“Please, I’m only here because my son is graduating, and I wanted to say a few words to the kids to hopefully get them on the right path.”

When everyone was seated, the graduating class came in.Tad was first as he was the valedictorian.When he made his way up to the podium with his mom, he realized that he was crying.There, right there with him was the very reason that he was alive today.Family.

The two of them hugged tightly when they got together.Whatever they were saying to each other wasn’t caught on the microphone.He thought perhaps Meggie had done that, but he didn’t care.They were the very picture of love standing there, holding onto each other, and he’d not have it any other way.

After Meggie gave her speech, short and to the point like she did when she was in the White House, he laughed when she said that she missed the food and all the parties.When he knew better, that was the worst part of being there was the parties that they were required to attend.She made her way to him with her guards in tow.

“I love you, Meggie Mine.”She kissed him on his mouth and took the baby from Emma.“Are you all right?”

“Yes.Later, okay?”He said that he could wait forever for her, but he was there for her.“I love you dearly.Now, let’s pay attention here.”She looked at him again.“I can’t wait.I want you to know that I’ve been asked to run for president again.However, I put your name in the hat instead.”

If she expected him to pay attention after that, she was surely mistaken.He liked the job all right when there was no pressure, but to be the man in the White House, the one in charge?Nope, it wasn’t going to happen.

~*~

Tad looked around the room and realized that his speech was crap.Not only was it nothing that he wanted to say, but it wasn’t even close to what was going on in his mind.Putting his notes down, turning them over so he’d not be tempted to read them, he smiled.

“As most of you know, I’m from a fairly large family.”Hamish could be heard telling him that he had the best.“Thanks, Uncle Hamish.And speaking of him, I’d like to give you a little bit of information about my uncle.

“He, like the others in my family, was always there for me.But in a different way than even myparents knew about.He was my confidant.The man that I went to when I had heavy decisions to make.Some might ask why I’d go to him and not my parents?It’s because they would have moved heaven and earth to make sure that I had whatever I was pondering about right in my lap.Uncle Hamish would be the advocate that I needed.And my Aunt Lauder would slap me around and make sure that I did what was correct.Sometimes, I’d have to remind myself that they both loved me when they would not literally smack me around, but I was able to work things out with them there.”

He cleared his throat, thinking about his family.“My Uncle Warren and Aunt Robin were the people that I went to when I needed just to hang out.While with them I learned how to think not just outside of the box but to also think about what the box could do for me as well.I learned humility from them.And at an awkward age, I learned that it was all right to wake up with my head so full of sex that I didn’t know what to do with it and that someday, I’d cherish what they taught me about doing the right thing with those thoughts.Mostly to let them go and know that they were a part of growing up.”People laughed, just as he wanted them to.

“I have an Uncle Murray that I love to the moon and back.He alone taught me that not every bully can change, though they might, though he told me that sometimes those who didn’t change could become better people.A nicer one, too.However, it was my Aunt Rosie who taught me how to keep myself safe and how to fight when there was no other choice.Sometimes, she told me that you have to bloody a few lips before someone understands that you’re fine with taking care of yourself.”He looked at his Uncle Warren and Aunt Ruby.

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