Page 20 of My Orc Pen Pal

I was too, but that was secondary compared to her sorrow. “Breathe, love. Tell me what’s wrong. Can I help you?”

There was the sound of a few sniffles, then I heard her inhale and exhale once, then twice. “Good,” I murmured. “Good girl. It will be okay.”

“I’m sorry,” she finally said a third time. “I just got a text from my brother that Dad is smoking a few pork butts, and I’m expected to be there. I…” I heard her defeated sigh, and I winced. “It’s like a family tradition. I hate that he sprang this on me, like he justassumedI don’t have anything better to do, but Mom would be really disappointed if I’m not there.”

“I understand,” I murmured soothingly. “Rosemary, family is one of the most important things in our lives.” I ought to know, having walked away from mine ten years ago for the possibility of a future here in the human world. “And I know how close you are to yours. I would expect you to honor them.”

“Thanks, Akhmim.” She was quiet for a moment, but I could tell she was thinking, so I said nothing. “I don’t suppose…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t suppose you’d want to come with me? I mean, I know you said you wanted our dates to be private, but you’re my friend, and I know my family would enjoy meeting you.”

My brows had gone up. “They would?” As soon as I said the words, I regretted how surprised they sounded. It was my experience that some humans weren’t the most welcoming when it came to big green monsters dating their daughters.

But I could hear Rosemary’s shrug when she said, “Sure! My mom’s always bugging me to find a boyfriend so I can bring him home and she can feed him. Areyousure you don’t mind being overwhelmed by?—”

“Dkaar,” I interrupted firmly, “I would be honored to meet them.” And it was the truth. If my Mate’s family lived nearby, then they would becomemyfamily as well.

But I admit I was nervous when, a few hours later, we climbed out of my Jeep in front of one of the little cookie-cutter houses in Eastshore’s largest neighborhood. This house had been added onto over the years, and there was still a tire swing hanging from the large oak in the front yard.

“A perfect place to grow up,” I murmured.

Rosemary slid her hand through my arm. “Yeah, it was.”

I shifted the bouquet I’d stopped to pick up from the floral shop to my other hand and tucked her against my side. This felt…good. Meeting my Mate’s family as one of our allotted dates feltright.

When the door opened to our knock, the female looked like an older version of Rosemary, and her smile of welcome caused her eyes to crinkle, which told me shewaspleased to see us. “Akhmim! Ro has told us so much about you! Come in, both of you! Call me Mindy, please.”

This last was exclaimed as she pulled first Rosemary, then me, into hugs. She only came up to my chest but was just a ball of joyful energy that delighted me. “Mindy,” I rumbled, offering her the flowers, “I can see where my Rosemary gets her sense of style from.”

“Oh, what a perfectly sweet thing to say!” she sputtered, taking the flowers and blushing. “These are beautiful! Did Maya make it? Of course she did. That Mate of hers is all thumbs when it comes to flower arrangements, but he did our garden, and it’s never looked better. Come, come, I’ll show you, everyone is enjoying the shade out back!”

I sent Rosemary an amused glance, but she merely rolled her eyes and shrugged, as if she’d long ago accepted her mother’s energy, and didn’t want to change it.Iwanted to tell her that I loved it. I loved her family already, and I’d only met her mother.

One might expect that meeting one’s Mate’s family, especially unexpected,especiallywhen one was a different species, would be awkward. But her parents and siblings and their spouses did everything they could to make me feel welcome.

I appreciated it beyond words.

One of Rosemary’s sisters-in-law was an anthropologist, and we had a long talk about orcish Mating traditions. Her sister stood nearby listening, occasionally inserting snarky comments, until Rosemary swooped in to drag me away. Her brother offered me a beer and, when Ilearned that he also worked in software development, we had plenty of notes to compare. Through it all, her mother flitted, refilling drinks and snack bowls, bringing out games and toys for the half-dozen children playing in the yard, and generally being a bright and cheerful hostess.

I ended up standing with Rosemary’s father at the grill as he moved around the brats he was making for anyone who didn’t eat pulled pork. He’d been introduced as Richard, but since he was as quiet as his wife was energetic, I knew little else about him.

“You a big griller, Akhmim?” he asked.

“No sir. We learned long ago that none of us can compare to our friend Aswan when it comes to meal preparation, so we let him get on with it. Back home…” I trailed off, doubting it was the time to point out more differences between us.

But Richard clacked the tongs twice and turned to me, his expression serious. “Back home what?”

I took a deep breath, remembering my long-ago life. “I grew up cooking meat over open fires. There’s an art to it.”

The older man studied me for a long moment, then nodded once and clacked the tongs again. “There is, but the woodsmoke makes it worth it.”

He didn’t turn back to his grill, but instead continued to look at me, long enough to make me uncomfortable. I shifted my weight. “Yes sir,” I finally said, wondering if that’s what he was waiting on.

But he glanced over his shoulder, as if ensuring there was no one around, then turned back to me. “Akhmim, what are your intentions for my daughter? She dates sometimes, but I can’t remember the last time she brought someone to meet us. She said you two were friends.”

I took a deep breath, noticing the way Richard’s gaze dropped briefly to my shoulders. Wondering how strong I was, perhaps? He needed to know I would only use my strength to protect his daughter.

“Rosemary and I have been friends for a while now,” I began.

“But?” he asked, with another clack of the tongs.

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