Page 79 of Electric Kiss

“Yeah. I feel safe here,” she said.

“Good,” he replied, then kissed her neck.

Nate took her keys from her pocket and told her to stay where she was. He flipped on the kitchen light and wedged the door open. Daisy cocked her head, frowning at why he was letting all the cold air in. Then he advanced with a wicked grin. She didn’t have a chance to ask what he was doing when he swept her up bridal style and carried her into the house.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Now that it’s official, this will be our home to raise our family. I thought it was best I carried you over the threshold.”

“That’s so sweet, Nate. Are you sure you want to live here, in the shadows of Turner Hall?”

“Yeah. I’ve always felt lonely down there on the docks, and I love it up here. It’s so peaceful, and you’re happiest when you’re with your family. It’s perfect for both of us.”

“I think we should have a bath to celebrate. Then tomorrow, we can move anything you want up from the workshop. We’ll borrow Ralph’s trailer. It’s much bigger than the wheelbarrow.”

“Sounds good, beautiful.”

“I might even unpack my boxes too.”

Nate carried her up the stairs while she pressed her lips to his neck above his scarf. There wasn’t much room, but she found his warm skin and marvelled that she would be doing this for the rest of her life.

“We’re going to need a bigger table,” Bailey said as he frowned at the assembled group.

“And a longer coat rack,” Archer quipped.

Everyone had congregated in Maggie’s kitchen, much to her delight. She smiled and bustled as she dragged in different-sized tables. Erica placed Isobel on the day bed in the room attached to the kitchen, and she put the baby monitor on the countertop near the coffee machine.

“I’ll need to get a few more mugs,” Erica said.

They arranged all the tables and the bench seat with mismatched chairs on one side of the tables. Everyone sat in a row in age order, and Daisy clutched onto Nate’s thigh. She had someone to her left.

“Oh yes, this works. I’m no longer nearest the kettle,” Archer said, nudging his mum with his shoulder.

“You look like birds on a wire,” Bailey said.

The chatter was loud, joyful and as argumentative as four siblings, their partners and finally, their mum waited for Maggie to make them breakfast.

“Are you sure I can’t help you?” Imelda asked from the end, half getting up.

“Absolutely not. Stay where you are. This is what I do, and I love it. It is so wonderful to have you all here.”

Maggie sniffed and pulled out her hanky from her trouser pocket. She wiped away a tear and cleared her throat.

“Right, who wants what?”

“That bloody woman!”

All heads turned to the half-glass wall to see a woman stomping down the stairs and muttering like a mad woman.

“Who’s that?” Jason stage whispered.

“One of the nurses your aunt has hired. They don’t stay long,” Bailey said in a quiet voice, barely moving his lips.

“Oh boy, I can’t say she makes a good patient,” Heidi said.

“There is not a thing wrong with her. She doesn’t need nurses. She needs someone to boss about. Jenny is long gone, and we don’t see her,” Maggie said.

The nine of them were still fixed, looking at the opening where the woman would enter. When she did, they tilted their heads in sympathy. She was young and close to tears.

---