Page 46 of Deep in Her Marrow

I turn and see Marrow leaning against the door jam with his arms crossed and a small smile on his face. “You did this?” I ask in a tiny voice that shakes. “But why? How?”

“How about you invite your parents inside, and we can all sit down and have some coffee. I made another pot when you went to get the door,” he states and ushers us all into the living room.

I take a seat on the couch and my parents take one on either side of me. Both are running a hand up and down my arms, almost as if they don’t believe I’m real. I understand the feeling, I can’t quite comprehend that they’re actually here myself.

“I’ll be right back,” Marrow says before disappearing into the kitchen. I doubt the coffee has brewed already, and I have a feeling that he’s just trying to give us all a private moment together. I swear, just when I think he can’t get any better, his stubborn ass has to go and prove me wrong. Sweet jerk.

“That is one hell of a catch you caught yourself, darling girl,” my mom says with a mischievous glint in her eyes and gives me a wink.

I blush bright red all the way down to my toes; I can feel it. Leave it to my mother to say something like that after having not seen me for so long. But I suppose she’s right, especially after Dominic the dick. Marrow is a king salmon while DD is a puny guppy.

“Mother!” I hiss lowly, while glaring at the woman who gave birth to me. “Now is really not the time for that kind of talk.” I roll my eyes in exasperation.

She waves a hand in the air dismissively, our similarities not lost on me at all, and gives me a bored look. “Please, Cadence, you know good and well that I will damn well say whatever is on my mind.” Boy don’t I know that unfortunate truth. “And what is on my mind is that hunk of a man who seems to be head over heels for you.” She rubs her hands together gleefully. “I can almost smell that new baby smell.”

I look at my dad for some help in reigning in my mother. He looks at me with pity but just shrugs his shoulders. I get it, I really do. Trying to stop my mother would be like trying to stop a train with a foam board. But a little help would be nice.

“It’s a little early in the relationship for those thoughts, Mom,” I mutter as I sink into the back of the couch. Maybe it will swallow me whole.

She purses her lips before smiling brightly. “Happy accidents can happen, dear.” She pats my thigh.

As much as she drives me bonkers, I love the hell out of her, and really couldn’t ask for a better mother. Well, maybe one who had a muzzle or filter, but beggars can’t be choosy.

“What accidents?” Marrow walks in obviously having caught my mother’s reply. Just kill me or send me to that cave. He sets down the tray filled with the pot of coffee, cups, milk, and sugar onto the table before take a seat in his ginormous recliner that he somehow makes look average-sized.

My dad being absolutely no help what-so-ever, just chuckles as he shakes head and reaches for the pot of coffee. I glare at him as he offers me a cup and don’t lessen it when I nod.

“I was just telling Cadence that…”

“Mother!” I hiss and screech at the same time.

She looks at me with that look she would use when I was a child and misbehaving. You know the one that promised a world of punishment when we got home. “Do not take that tone with me young lady. I may be old, but I can still take a dish towel and whack you in the arm with it like I did when you were younger.” She eyes me evilly. “And I’ll make sure it’s damp enough to jostle your manners back into you.”

I give her a contrite look before glaring at the man I love when I see his lips twitch. He better watch it; I’m sure I’ll be meeting his mother some day and payback is a bitch.

“Now as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” she sends me another glare before looking sweetly at Marrow, “that happy accidents can happen when you least expect them.”

He tilts his head, “Happy accidents?”

She gives me a sly look that almost makes me feel sorry for him, almost, he shouldn’t have been so amused. “Judging by all that muscle you’ve got,” she eyes him up and down, and I would be creeped out if it wasn’t my uterus she was actually imagining. Hmmm, yeah that actually doesn’t sound much better. “I’m guessing you’ve got quite a bit of testosterone flooding your system. My estimate is that your swimmers are more like ovary-seeking missiles.” I only get a small amount of joy when he chokes on the coffee, he just took a sip of. Really, just a miniscule amount of glee. “That happy accidental grandbaby should be in my arms within a year just looking at you.”

The rapid flood of looks and emotions that cross his face are hysterical. I can feel my dad’s body shaking next to me. I’m dying to burst out laughing, but I somehow remain in control. Marrow looks at me like I can save him from my mother somehow.

I just shake my head with a small smile. “Don’t look at me.” I smile wider, enjoying this turn-around. “You’re the one who invited them without telling me. If you hadn’t kept it a surprise, I could’ve warned you.” I give a tiny shrug and a sad look that is as fake as could be. “Surprises just really aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, now are they?” I blink innocently and want to smile big time when his eyes narrow at me.

“Son, when it comes to these two women right here, it’s best not to say anything. Just go with the flow. It makes life a hell of a lot easier.” My dad looks between my mother and me before turning back to Marrow. “Trust me,” he drawls, making my mom and I frown. “For your own sanity.”

Hours Later:

This has been one of the best days I’ve had in years!

After sitting around the living room and chatting for a few hours, Marrow suggested that I show my parents around town. He said they might like to see where I’ve been working. My parents jumped right in, exclaiming that they would love to meet all of the people who’ve taken such good care of me.

I smile and shake my head remembering how Edge, Draven, Blaze, and JT were nowhere near prepared for someone like my mother. The four of them kept looking between my mom and me like they couldn’t believe that we were related. And it had nothing to do with our looks since I’m a clone of her younger self. Nope, they definitely expected my mother to be more like me personality wise, and whoa boy, were they wrong. Mel spent the entire time giggling in a corner with my dad. She evenhelpfullysupplied why it took us so long to find Bri, who looked thoroughly entertained by my tiny mother chastising the big, tattooed men. The fact that they cowed down to her probably solidified to Bri that they only look big and scary, but are really just big mushes.

Mel also decided to tell them that we should stop by the Reapers Den to see where I train. She evengraciouslydecided to go with us. I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with Axel. Most definitely just done out of the kindness of her heart.

Danny and Axel looked terrified of my mom, again amusing us all, while Jameson looked like he was about to be adopted. Between his baby face and manners, my mother didn’t stand a chance. She was a goner. The only thing that snapped her back to herself was meeting the girls known asthe triplets of terror,or something asinine like that. I truly don’t get it, all three have always been so sweet to me. I think people like to make out like they are a lot worse than they actually are.

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