Natural Reaction (28 page)

He wrapped his arms tightly around her and lifted her off the ground, spinning in a circle as the snow flew around them. Then he kissed her until she was breathless. “Say it,” he insisted, lowering her feet to the ground, but keeping his arms firmly around her. “Please say it.”

“I love you, Bradley Alden,” she said, her eyes glowing with love. “And, yes, I will marry you.”

The sun was barely up when Ian came down the stairs to the kitchen. Mary was already busy in the kitchen. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and sniffed the air. “What is it that we’d be having for breakfast this morning?” he asked.

“Waffles,” Mary said, with a quick smile.

“Waffles?” he repeated. “That’s a fine way to greet the day. Are we celebrating?”

Mary tried to hide her smile, but the joy she was feeling was too great to hold in.

“Yes,” she said with a wide grin. “Yes, we certainly are celebrating.”

“Ach, do you think you’ll be hurting the wee
bairns
feelings acting this way?” he asked.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Oh, that’s right, I
dinna
tell you,” he said. “While you were getting ready for your fancy date last night Katie called. They were getting in late last night and would be coming over this morning to pick up Andy and Maggie.”

“Oh,” she said, her light mood slightly diminished. “Oh, well, I’m going to miss them.”

“Aye, like a splinter,” Ian teased.

“Come on,” she said. “Admit it; you loved every moment of it.”

He nodded, straddling the kitchen chair, and looking longingly up stairs. “Andy’s full of wit and Maggie, well she’s wrapped my heart around her wee finger.”

“Do we really have to give them back?” she asked.

He chuckled. “Aye, I’m sure Katie’s just as fond of them,” he said. “So, if we aren’t celebrating being free and single once again, what are we celebrating?”

She held her left hand out, displaying her new engagement ring. “Not being single,” she said.

Ian got up, walked over and took her hand in his. “Well, look at this shiny rock,” he said. “But it’s no competition to the sparkle in your eyes. I ken you’re happy.”

“So happy,” she admitted.

“Aye,” he said. “And it’s about time.”

She laughed. “Yes it is.”

The sound of small footsteps on the stairs was almost bittersweet.

“Guess what, Mary?” Maggie said. “My mom is coming home today.”

“That is so wonderful,” Mary said. “I’m sure she missed you.”

Maggie nodded. “Yes, I’m sure she missed me too.”

Ian laughed and ruffled her hair. “What do you think about waffles?”

Her eyes widened.
“Really?
Waffles? I love waffles.”

Ian pulled some plates from the cabinet and set them on the counter. “Well, we’re celebrating this morning,” he said. “So we’re all having waffles.”

“Do you want butter and syrup or strawberries and whipped cream?” Mary asked her.

“How about…,” she said, lengthening the word as she made up her mind. “Both.”

Ian laughed out loud. “Aye, darling, you can have both.”

Andy hurried down the stairs carrying his suitcase and his backpack. “My mom is coming to get us today,” he announced. “I told her we could stay longer, but she said she missed us too much.”

“Well, I can understand that,” Mary said. “I’m going to miss you when you’re gone.”

Andy slipped onto a chair at the table. “I could come over every day and eat breakfast with you,” he offered. “So you wouldn’t miss me so much.”

Mary grinned. “Well, we need to work something out with your mother, so we get to see you more often,” she agreed.

“I like your ring,” Maggie said, as she stuffed her mouth with waffle.

“Thank you,” Mary replied. “Bradley gave it to me.”

Andy stopped buttering his waffle for a moment and looked up at her. “Are you guys getting married?” he asked, delighted.

Mary nodded. “Yes we are.”

“That is so cool,” Andy said.

“Why thank you, Andy,” Mary said, a little surprised at his reaction.

“So, he’s going to move here, right?” he asked. “Chief Alden is going to be my neighbor?”

Ian laughed. “Now I see why he’s so excited.”

“Well, it’s okay,” Mary said. “I can totally understand his infatuation.”

A little while later, both of the children were washed up and ready to go.

“Your mom will be here in a moment,” Mary said, blinking back tears. “Thank you for staying with me.”

Maggie came over and gave her a big hug. “You are my
favoritist
place to stay,” she said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Maggie,” she said, returning the hug.

Ian squatted down and Maggie hugged him too. “Remember now,” Ian said, his voice cracking slightly. “You promised you’re going to marry me when you’re older.”

“Will you get me a pretty ring, like Mary’s?”

Laughing, he gave her a quick squeeze, “Aye, just like Mary’s.”

Andy walked over to Mary. “I guess I’m too old for a hug, right?”

Mary shook her head. “Well, you might be too old,” she said. “But I’m not.”

She gave him a hug.

“I’m glad the Chief is marrying you,” he whispered to her. “He’s like a hero.”

Nodding, she wiped away a few stray tears. “Yeah, he is.”

When she heard the knock on the door, she gave Andy another quick hug and stood up. “I think that might be for you,” she said.

She opened the door and Katie came inside. The children threw themselves against her. “Mom, you’re home.”

Katie hugged them and held them for a few moments. “I missed both of you so much,” she said. “Did you behave yourselves?”

Maggie nodded. “I was so good. And guess what? Mary got a ring from Bradley. She’s getting married.”

Katie looked up at Mary. “Really?” she asked. “That’s wonderful.”

“Yeah, Chief Alden is going to be living here,” Andy said. “That’s so cool.”

Katie laughed. “Yes, that is cool,” she agreed.

“Can I go tell dad?” Andy asked.

“Yes, you may,” Katie said.

“Me too?”
Maggie asked.

“Yes, but be sure to say thank you and good-bye to Mary and Ian.”

“Thank you. Good-bye,” both children repeated obediently as they rushed out the door.

“Well, I love emotional good-byes,” Ian laughed. “Katie they were a delight. Sometime we’ll have to tell you about Maggie’s guardian angel.”

“I’d love to hear more about him,” she said.

“Aye, I’m sure you will,” he said. “Now, I’ll go and clean up the waffles. Welcome home, Katie.”

“Waffles?” she said to Mary, “You really did spoil them.”

“It was my pleasure.
Really.”

Katie took Mary’s hand and looked at the ring. “Oh, well, that’s just beautiful,” she said. “And was it romantic?”

Mary grinned. “It was perfect,” she said.

“Daddy!”
They both heard Maggie’s cry of delight and peeked out the door to see Maggie throw herself into her father’s arms.

A shadow of sadness passed over Mary’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Katie asked.

Mary shrugged.
“Nothing really.”

Katie laughed. “You’re not a very good liar, Mary. Now tell me.”

“I don’t know if Bradley and I will be able to have children,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to be a mother.”

Katie hugged Mary. “My mother always told me never to borrow troubles,” she said. “Just wait and see what happens, you might be just fine and you’ve worried for nothing.”

“Mom, come on,” Andy yelled.

Mary smiled. “You’re right, and you’d better get going.”

She squeezed Mary’s hand. “Things will turn out the way they are supposed to,” she said, moving to the door. “Besides, there’s always adoption.”

Mary walked with Katie out to the porch. She nodded. “I know,” she said. “But I’ve always wondered about that.”

Katie hugged her again. “It’s a wonderful experience,” she said softly, “I know because our sweet Maggie is adopted.”

The End

About the author: Terri Reid lives near Freeport, the home of the Mary O’Reilly Mystery Series, and loves a good ghost story. She lives in a hundred year-old farmhouse complete with its own ghost. She loves hearing from her readers at
[email protected]

Other books by Terri Reid:

Loose Ends - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book One)

Good Tidings - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Two)

Never Forgotten - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Three)

Final Call - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Four)

Darkness Exposed - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Five)

The Ghosts Of New
Orleans -
A Paranormal Research and Containment Division (PRCD) Case File