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Jaira sat beside Aunt Samantha, crying, the group of women seeking to comfort each other. Arlana sat on the porch steps beside her uncle. Clarence held her hand as they watched Aziel play.
"I really felt so bad all these years that my dad rejected Aziel because he is mixed and a bastard..." She didn't mention the baby nestled in her womb. A second blow to her father if he found out, but now, did it even matter what he thought?
"Don't let that little boy near him, do you hear me?" He instructed, voice trembling, "We will be there for your son. I will be like a grandfather to him. He doesn't need to be exposed to the evil in our family."
Aziel ran close to the covered pool. Clarence stood up, "Aziel, don't run so close just in case. Play with the ball beside the trees okay?"
Aziel listened to his great uncle, returning to a safer area near the fence.
Arlana noted that her uncle was following through with what he had just said. She had a huge family and if they were there for her and her child, did it really matter if her immediate family rejected her? Everything, absolutely everything, had changed this weekend.
Lachlan laughed, sitting beside Ivan as he held his beer bottle. Arlana's heart fluttered as she watched him. He fit in extremely well with her extended family.
Roseann emerged from the house behind Arlana.
"Here take this to Lachlan," she instructed as she passed out paper plates laden with food. Clarence rose with her to join the others.
Lachlan' eyes drifted over her as she approached the men, plates in hand. "Roseanne sent this out for you," she passed the plate to Lachlan.
"Thanks," their eyes met and held, "Did you get anything to eat yet?"
"Yes," she handed the second plate to her uncle, and the third to her sister who turned her shoulder towards her.
Ivan drew her attention away from Jaira, "I was just sharing a little of what we talked about last night with Lachlan," he continued not noticing Arlana's eyes grow wide. He leaned back in his chair, "Lachlan you need to really be there for your wife now. She is going to need you more than ever."
Neither Lachlan nor Arlana corrected him.
Lachlan nodded, setting the brown bottle on the ground.
"I'll be there for her, no worries," he winked at Arlana.
Jaira remained by their aunt's side, as Arlana returned to the house. She settled Aziel on the couch, tucking a throw around his limbs. He was already sound asleep. Hoping Lachlan wouldn't leave yet, she returned to the yard.
****
HER UNCLE HAD LIT THE fire pit, flames crackling against the night sky. Cousins and aunts had pulled up chairs around the fire, the flames illuminating their faces as they talked in low tones. Jaira sat under a canopy sipping a glass of wine with her aunt, eyes red with tears.
Lachlan gently drew Arlana down onto his lap, holding her against his chest. His arms shielded her from the cool night chill but it was her heart that was in the greatest danger of being frozen. Lachlan's eyes twinkled as he held a grape from his plate to her lips. Arlana accepted his offering, her lips brushing his fingers. She sighed, snuggling within Lachlan's arms.
"If you call the cops it will be better," Clarence continued, unaware of the electricity between the couple beside him, "If this goes to court, and I believe it will, we will all be there backing you up."
A cold shiver shot up Arlana's spine. Her uncles were right. She needed Lachlan - needed him more than ever, and because Uncle Ivan had shared the family secret with Lachlan, she could share her heart with him in the coming days.
****
"GET READY," LACHLAN instructed Arlana, whose knees had turned to jello, "We need to head back now."
He didn't want to release her, however, Josiah expected them back directly after the funeral. He'd have some explaining to do if they returned much later, and this secret was for Arlana to choose when or if she would ever share it with her husband.
Arlana nodded, heading to the house to get her son. Lachlan had been good enough to stay and it had been five hours since the funeral.
Aunt Samantha was waiting for her inside the living room, "Here are some pictures I was able to find for you." She passed her niece a large manilla envelope, "Be sure to bring some of these trays of food home with you as well," she gestured to the stack of trays filled with various finger foods.
Lachlan joined her in the house, his eyes smouldering. Stepping into the living room, he emerged moments later with a sleeping Aziel in his arms.
"Thank you, ladies, for your hospitality," he turned to Arlana, "I'll wait for you in the car."
She nodded, giving her relatives a final hug goodbye, holding onto her Uncle Clarence the longest. "I will do everything I can..."
"I know you will."
Ivan walked with her to the car, helping to carry the trays of food Roseanne had insisted she take back home.
He set it in the trunk then turned to Arlana, "Remember what I said..." her uncle Ivan let his words hang a moment. "Lachlan knows and will be there for you. You have a good husband - trust him okay?"
Arlana wasn't sure what to say so nodded. No point in explaining she was married to another - a man she couldn't confide in even if she wanted to. Her heart twisted in a knot of pain. "Goodbye Uncle Ivan. Please come visit us sometime."
Ivan nodded as Lachlan shut the car door.
****
LACHLAN DROVE IN SILENCE focusing on the stretch of highway in front of him. He had only had two beers but he wasn't going to take any risks, his driving taking his complete focus.
"Your Uncle Ivan threw some water bottles in that bag," he gestured with his hand, "Have a drink, it's going to be a long trip."
Arlana passed one back to her sister, then unscrewed the lid of hers, sipping on the cool water for a moment.
"Would you like one?" she offered Lachlan.
Without replying, he reached for Arlana's water bottle, placing his lips where hers had been and drank deeply.
"Thank you."
Jaira huffed, staring out the window.
Arlana turned in her seat, "Is everything okay Jaira?"
Her sister was scowling, staring out the window. Something was clearly bothering her.
Jaira refused to answer her sister.
Lachlan frowned, reaching for Arlana's hand. Rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb he looked in the rearview mirror, "Jaira?"
"Fine! Yes, there is a problem!" She spat out her words, swearing as the truth came tumbling out, the whole ugly truth, Jaira holding nothing back although it wasn't her place to tell Lachlan.
"Jaira!" Arlana gasped, thankful her son was sound asleep.
"It's the truth! Ya, that's right Lachlan. I don't know what the deal with you two is but you better know now that Arlana is messed up. Comes from a long line of creeps - you name it, we got it!"
"I hadn't told him yet!" Arlana gasped, spinning around in her seat. She hadn't been sure just how much Uncle Ivan had told Lachlan.
Jaira wasn't finished, "Get mad all you want Arlana but it was me - ME - who drank Grandpa's wine tonight. Ya, that is right, go ahead and judge me! Samantha and I drank Grandpa's wine as I cried over his death. You left me alone, flitting here and there like some freaking social butterfly while I mourned Grandpa's death. Only Aunt Kelly and Samantha comforted me. Where the frig were you?"
Her anger blazed white-hot, like an erupting volcano.
"Please Jaira, Aziel is trying to sleep."
"Oh ya, it's all about your precious son. You think he is some kind of boy genius. Well, have I got news for you!" Jaira grit her teeth, "I wish William would come to get me tonight. This trip has been a huge regret!"
Arlana just wanted to be home too. She didn't need the stress and definitely didn't know what to say to her enraged sister.
They rode the remainder of the trip in heavy silence until at last Lachlan pulled into the driveway, idling the car.
"I'll help you bring Aziel in," his voice was soft and soothing, "Then I'll come back out for those trays."
"Please stay awhile," Arlana implored him with her eyes.
Lachlan nodded, pocketing his car keys. He followed the sisters into the house, Aziel in his arms, kicked off his shoes then disappeared up the stairs to put Aziel into his bed.
Jaira didn't say a word, tossing her suitcase aside, disappearing into the bedroom she had slept in two nights before, slamming the door shut behind her.
Lachlan joined Arlana downstairs. "Are you okay?"
Arlana didn't answer his question.
"Thank you for being here for me...you have no idea how much I needed you."
Lachlan didn't say a word, lowering his head until their lips met in a slow, tender kiss.
"I really must be going," he released his hold on Arlana, "I shouldn't have kissed you."
Arlana looked away, still tasting Lachlan's kiss on her lips - a tease.
Lachlan was right of course.
It could never be.