Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

O nce back inside the warm cabin of the SUV, Mia felt the gravity of the situation fall over her like a dark cloud. She had just sent off a test that would prove to everyone what she was sure she knew -- that Daisy was her biological child. There couldn't be any other outcome, or at least not if she was to keep her sanity intact.

"All good?" Kyle asked as she settled into her seat.

"That seems like a loaded question. I mean, what's the best possible result? That I prove to everyone that Daisy is my daughter? I know what I know, Kyle. She's mine."

"I know that too. I just meant did you have any trouble mailing the test away?"

"Oh… no. The man inside was very helpful." She looked down at her mittened hands. "I'm sorry if I sounded angry. I'm not. I'm just frustrated that I can't seem to remember enough to clear this whole thing up. Plus, I feel terrible dragging you and your family into my drama. You've all been wonderful. It doesn't seem fair."

"Don't worry about us. Focusing on you gives the family a chance to take a break from harassing one another." She watched as he grinned at her, and she began to relax.

"It's just insane that I seem to be a fugitive and you're all willing to keep my location under wraps. I truly do feel as though I'm asking too much of all of you."

He sighed. "I don't know what else to do to convince you that this is something we want to do… I want to do." Kyle turned in his seat to face her. Then he grabbed both of her hands and pulled off the mittens, linking his fingers with hers. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm in love with you, Mia."

She felt her heart race inside her chest. She knew that she should say something, but she couldn't get her mouth to form any words. Instead, she leaned over the center console of the truck and kissed him. His lips were warm, and she parted them with her tongue, wanting to taste him, to consume him, to shut the world out and run away with him to a place where no one could find them. She slipped her hand inside the zipper of his coat and could feel the strength of his chest that lay just underneath his flannel shirt. She wanted him with an immediate intensity; she just wished that they were still alone at the house and could do as they pleased with one another. Reality shook her out of that delusion as soon as Daisy started to cry from her car seat. It was time to feed her. They had to go back.

She pulled away slowly, reluctant to lose the physical connection she had to him. "Kyle, we'd better…"

"I know. Daisy's hungry." He paused then said, "Mia, just to be clear, I'm not going to let you go, I'm going to hang on and see this thing through. And when it's settled, when we know the truth, no matter what it is, I'm still going to be here, you'll see. You make me feel things I didn't think I was capable of anymore." He squeezed her hand.

She looked into his eyes and saw that he was sharing a deep part of himself with her, and she wanted to reciprocate. "Oh my God, Kyle. I love you too. I'm just so scared that this will all disappear once I remember who I am. Please, please don't let that happen."

"I won't, Mia. There's got to be an explanation for all this trouble, and we'll find it. For now, let's just enjoy the holiday and try to put the test and everything else out of our minds. The results will be here soon enough and maybe by then we'll have discovered some other clue to your identity."

She felt the car shift into gear, as he slowly steered them back onto Route 6 toward the house. For as much as she wanted to head straight to his bedroom once they reached his family's home, she knew that was out of the question. She had to feed Daisy, and the house was full of people. Any chance of intimacy would have to wait until much later. She only hoped that she could hold herself together until they could be alone together again.

The first thing Mia noticed when they arrived at the house was an old red Honda civic on the driveway. It had a dented fender and looked like it had logged many a mile. She glanced over at Kyle and asked, "Who could that be?"

He smiled. "Millie, my sister. She's the only member of the family you haven't met yet. She must have just arrived from Boston."

She nodded and jumped out of the truck, opening the rear passenger door to lift Daisy out of her car seat. She walked up the path with Kyle, who was holding the bag of groceries that Sibby had tasked them with bringing home under penalty of death if the entire list wasn't fulfilled. She had gotten used to Sibby's manner and knew that her outside persona didn't truly match the warm and caring woman she was on the inside. She only hoped that Millie was as kind and understanding as the rest of her family. Of course, she realized, it would be impossible for her to be anything other than caring and welcoming; the rest of the clan had proven that already.

They stepped into the warmth of the house and hung up their coats and were instantly greeted by the smell of cinnamon and apples simmering on the stove. She could hear laughter and conversation coming from the kitchen but opted to run upstairs and feed Daisy first before meeting Kyle's youngest sibling. Plus, she felt the need to organize her thoughts before seeing the family together again. Dropping that test off took more out of her than Mia cared to admit. She stepped into the room Daisy had been using, grateful that it was quiet. She sat down in the rocking chair and settled the baby at her breast, willing herself to be calm for the sake of her daughter. So much had happened since she'd arrived in Boston, but that fate had brought her to Kyle was so overwhelming that she almost didn't believe it. If she didn't know that he was real, that he was just downstairs kidding around with his siblings, she would have thought that she was dreaming. But it is real, she told herself. Now if you could only remember the rest of who you really are. She tossed the name Maeve around in her head, knowing that Kyle had traced her identity through the internet, knowing that despite the facts, it still all seemed foreign to her. No, not foreign, she thought. Distant. Cloudy. Hazy. Surreal.

She looked down at the sweet face of her baby. She has my bone structure, doesn't she? I know that I'm her mother. I'm sure of it…

But the truth was that Mia wasn't sure anymore. Doubt filled every corner of her mind. What if she stole someone else's child? Was she capable of something like that? And if the worst is true, and this baby isn't hers, what will Kyle do then? He certainly couldn't protect her from the law, could he, no matter how he felt about her. He had sworn an oath to serve and protect, after all. She would lose him…

She let out a breath. Daisy had fallen asleep, her lips still moving, her eyelids fluttering as she dreamed. She slowly stood, careful not to wake the little girl, walking to the crib and placing her down gently for a nap. She backed away and quietly turned to leave the room. When she opened the door, was startled to find Kyle on the other side in the hallway. She silently latched it shut and whispered, "What are you doing here? I thought you were downstairs catching up with Millie."

"I was, but I thought that maybe I could sneak out before anyone noticed. We have unfinished business, don't we?"

She looked into his eyes, smoldering with heat and realized what he meant.

"Are you serious? Won't they come looking for us?"

"We can be quick, and we'll need to be quiet…"

"Where?"

"Follow me."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway into his bedroom. He locked the door. Then he led her into the ensuite bathroom and repeated that precaution. Mia didn't hesitate. She put her arms around him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. He unzipped her jeans, and she shimmied out of them. Then he lifted her onto the cold marble countertop, pulled her panties to one side, unzipped his fly and maneuvered himself inside of her with one fluid motion.

Mia gasped. The feeling was so intense, so full. Silently, they took from each other what they needed, climaxing together with a simultaneous shudder. She felt sated, even if only temporarily until he stepped back, breaking their connection.

"You are incredible, Mia. I want you all the time, any way I can have you. I can never have enough." He ran the water in the sink and stuck a glass underneath, offering her a drink, which she accepted before passing it back to him.

"Same," was all she said before jumping down on shaky legs. "I guess we have to go downstairs now, huh?"

"We do, but wow," he replied, looking at the counter where she had just been sitting. "Are you okay to go deal with everyone, or do you need a minute? I can run interference, you know."

"No. I'd rather go downstairs with you now. Just give me a chance to splash some water on my face."

She ran the tap, made sure the water was cold and used a few handfuls to cool herself down. Kyle handed her a fluffy towel, she dried off, looked in the mirror and hoped that everyone would think the flush in her cheeks was a result of breastfeeding Daisy – or maybe they wouldn't notice it at all. Ugh.

Once done, she passed the towel back to Kyle and said, "Ready as I'll ever be, let's go." She reached for his hand, and they headed downstairs.

Thirty minutes later, Mia wondered why she had been worried. She instantly loved Millie who was a younger version of Colleen – a bundle of energy and warmth. Sibby was sitting at the counter with her lists, organizing the feast for the next day, shouting out orders to the rest of her family.

"You know, Sibby, I can make dinner rolls and a dessert. I've remembered a few recipes and have some sweet treats stored in the downstairs freezer. I'm sure we have all the ingredients I need to make some yeast based rolls."

"Well, that would be lovely, Mia. The kitchen should be all yours after tonight's meal of…" She consulted one of the multiple sheets of paper in front of her. "…beef chili."

"Um, sounds good. I'll get to work when dinner is over." In her mind she questioned what "chili" was but decided it would be better not to ask.

"I'd be happy to help you, Mia," Kyle offered.

"Great!" she replied. "Just be ready to roll up your sleeves. There will be kneading involved."

He gave her a knowing look as if to say whatever it was, he was elbow-deep in it with her.