Page 137 of Choosing Forever
DARREN
I haveto give my mom some props for not running outside like a feral animal the second she heard my car pull up. She opted for the watch-from-the-front-window approach instead. I glue my lips together to keep from laughing when the curtains move around the moment we step onto the porch.
“I’m nervous,” Delaney whispers, panic in her eyes.
I cup her face and drop my forehead to hers. “It’ll be fine. They adore you.”
“Theyusedto adore me.”
“They still do. Mom’s made all of your favourite foods, and I’m not exaggerating. She’s never done this for me.”
Her nerves break enough for a glimmer of excitement to appear. “Really?”
“Really. She sent me a giant list of things for me to double-check before her grocery trip. I think you’ll be very, very happy when we get inside.”
“Thank you,” she says, voice low and soft.
I reply with a kiss to her crown before opening the door. My mom all but falls out onto the porch.
“Oh! You’re here!” she cheers, as if she had no idea. “Daryl, Delaney and Darren are here. Woah, that’s a mouthful.”
“It’s cute that you’re pretending you weren’t standing with your nose against the door, Mom,” I tease.
Delaney curls her arm around my back and stays close while slipping her shoes off. They aren’t knee-high boots this time, thank fucking God. I couldn’t have handled seeing them tonight without risking a hard-on at my parents’ table.
“Leave me alone, Darren. I’m trying to take a look at Delaney,” Mom scolds.
Chuckling, I lift a hand and shut my mouth.
Delaney straightens and says, “Hi, Pauline.”
“Hi, my darling,” Mom rushes out, her voice shaking. “Hug?”
Delaney lets out a breath. “Hug.”
I step aside before they launch into one another’s open arms. Mom holds her with an unbreakable grip, keeping her locked in her embrace while Delaney sniffles and holds her just as tight. I swallow past the emotion in my throat and glance into the living room at where my dad stands, watching.
He meets my gaze and nods, saying nothing yet everything without needing words. I look back at Delaney and reconfirm what I already know. What’s been screaming at me during every silent night I spent alone at home and buzzing in my ears when I should have been focusing on a presentation or speech at work.
This is right. Everything here is the way it was supposed to be. And now, we’re finally back on the proper path.
“You’re even more beautiful than you were the last time I had a proper look at you,” Mom whispers, stroking a hand down Delaney’s hair. With a firm hold, she grabs her shoulders and pulls back to smile at her. “And Darren was right about the freckles. There are so, so many more now.”
“Darren was talking about my freckles?” Delaney asks, darting her eyes in my direction.
I wink, palming her back and guiding her to my side. “Don’t get a big head about it.”
“What else did you say about me?”
“Where should we start?” Dad asks, joining us.
He’s more cautious than Mom was. While Poppy got her outgoing nature and bubbling personality from our mother, it was Dad who taught me about patience. To spend so much time with both women in one place, we both needed it.
“Welcome home, Delaney,” he adds.
There’s a fist sailing through my gut. I press my fingers harder into Delaney’s back, needing the touch for my suddenly failing balance.
“Thanks, Daryl,” she whispers, something heavy passing between them. It feels a lot like appreciation, but I don’t know what for.
