Family. I'll try to treat who ever is behind that door as family and accept them. Whether it will be soon or later doesn't matter and I'm sure they'll understand me fairly well. I was greeted by the sight of unfamiliar faces at the door and by their expressions I can tell they weren't expecting to see me either. There was a total of six people or children; four girls and two boys, with Ray and I included it was four boys.
"Alright, children!" Mr McGuire said smiling as his eyes swept across the faces of his confused children,"Meet Vermont Dee McGuire."
I smiled as their eyes landed on me like spears and they looked at me with confusion and fear. They then shifted to look at Bella who was also smiling and I saw one of the boys step forward. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Are you really okay? Doesn't it hurt you to know that he cheated on you?" he said.
Bella's smile widened at his words and everyone else looked shocked or amused.
"Take heart Mike. He's not a McGuire in that way." Bella said patting her son's chest.
"Then you cheated on dad?!" the other children exclaimed.
Bella, her husband and Ray laughed out loud and they even slapped their hands together for a while.
"We are adopting him." Ray said and Mr and Mrs McGuire looked at him and he corrected himself,"I mean.....Mom and dad are adopting him."
"Aren't seven kids enough?" one of the girls asked.
She is probably the oldest with that look in her eyes. She is a mysterious version of Bella. I looked at the others and picked out there resemblances.
"Quadruplets, twins and....." I said then turned to look at Ray,"An outcast?"
"Hey.... It's good to be alone." Ray whined.
"How can you tell when we are all fraternal?" another girl asked.
"I read it in Ray's diary." I said.
"It's not a diary it's a journal." Ray corrected me,"Why were you reading it?!"
"Hey!" Mr McGuire shouted suddenly and the place fell silent then he smiled,"Let's let the kid rest."
"You didn't call me kiddo. Does that mean you have renounced me?" I asked only to have him smile at me.
He pushed Ray aside and came to stand next to me. He placed his hand on my shoulder and looked up slightly because I was taller than he was and said,
"Nah. You're still kiddo. You are my son."
"Is it alright for me to be here?" I asked feeling bad for causing them trouble,"The man who murdered my former family is still looking for me and he wouldn't hesitate to kill any one of you because I'm here. I don't want to endanger you."
He's and Bella's smile's faltered and they looked at their children. It's understandable that they would change their minds because of what a threat I was to their own hood and I hold nothing against them. I removed his hand from my shoulder and took a step back.
"I'll find somewhere else to go." I said.
"Ohh please! Where will a wanted teenager like you go?" one of the girls asked,"We can protect ourselves."
"Yeah....we could get guns or keep some of our kitchen utensils close by to protect ourselves." said the eldest girl seriously even though she was smiling.
I was going to say that I appreciated their generosity but I felt my wings start coming out. I moved closer to the wall and pressed myself on it to avoid the inevitable but instead Mr McGuire come towards me attempting to give me a hug.
"Don't!" I exclaimed and he frowned at me somewhat upset,"I.....I...."
"He has this phobia of.... sudden outbursts.....when touched in sweet ways so hugs are off bounds." Ray said looking alarmed because he realized what was happening,"He slapped me the first time."
"That statement of yours had far too many pauses for me to believe it." Bella said also walking closer.
By the time the couple reached me I had already gotten my wings back in. I was the one to hug them and I did the same for everyone else.
"I don't react when I'm the one who initiates the hug." I said smiling at them all,"Thank you for letting me stay here."
"Don't worry kiddo. It is what we live for as McGuires."
"Personally I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that I left someone to die to safeguard a life that can be lost in sleep." Bella said.
There was an awkward pause after that I heard a quiet movement from behind the family. I looked there and saw a middle aged woman carrying a heavy flower vase. I walked towards her, aware of the eyes on me, then I took the vase from her without saying anything. She smiled at me gratefully and I smiled back at her.
"Where should I put this?" I asked and heard the others giggle.
"It's supposed to go upstairs. Will you manage?" she asked with concern and she even extended her hands like she wanted to take the vase back from me.
"You shouldn't be carrying things that are half your weight or three quarters your height." I said as I made my way towards the stairs case.
"Spoken like a true McGuire, kiddo!" Mr McGuire shouted as I went up the flight of stairs.
I could hear the woman's footsteps following behind me and soon I heard the others start moving as well. The woman led me to a room that was literally filled with indoor plants and empty vases. I put the vase down next to the window as she instructed and while getting up I felt my wings inch out again. I moved them back quickly knowing that the others were looking at me. I turned around and walked towards them quickly.
"I still don't know your names." I reminded them.
"Ahh yes!" Bella said,"This is Estella, Felicia, Cecilia, Michelle, Mike and David. You obviously already know Ray over there."
"Is Mike short for anything?" I asked.
"No." Mike answered guardedly.
"It is. Michael." Mr McGuire said.
"What was your last name before you became a McGuire?" Cecilia asked.
"Delsaloriota." Ray answered in my stead,"Right?"
I shook my head and saw how they shook their heads like they were trying to pronounce my name in their heads.
"You should take a shower, eat and rest kiddo."
"I will as soon as I know where my room might be."
"I'll show you." David said excitedly.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me along with him to a room at the end of the corridor and later I found out that the room opposite mine was Ray's. Now I'm wondering if Ray is short for anything. This time I remembered to take my clothes of and while standing under the shower my thoughts went to Rose. What is she doing? Is she worried about me? Is she on good terms with Rilili? There is no way for me to ask her those questions nor is there a way for me to know the answers without asking. When I was done I walked out of the bathroom naked; no point of using the towel if I'm alone, is there?
I instantly regretted not taking the towel with me because Estella was in the room spreading some clean beddings and before I could run back to the bathroom she looked up and saw me. She screamed and run out of the room consequently pulling the sheets off the bed and leaving the door open. Ray came out from his room and laughed when he saw me standing in the room naked then he came over to the door and closed it. I went back to the bathroom, wrapped myself with all three towels that were available and then came out.
I dried my hair first by rubbing it with one of the towels and then dried the rest of my body. The door opened and Mr McGuire walked in with some clothes.
"Try these on kiddo." he said and I did so.
The clothes were small. He grunted and then looked down at my feet and squinted his eyes.
"Did they...?Ohh no....." Bella said frowning at the sight of me in the clothes,"I guess we'll be going shopping later."
"Ray's clothes fit better." I informed them and Mr McGuire got up to get clothes from Ray.
He didn't close the door either and I wondered what would happen if my wings started doing their thing again. With no resistance they would freely come out. I took off the shirt as Bella made no effort to leave the room. I sat down on the bed as she continued to stare at me.
"What did you do to Estella?" she asked.
"Nothing. I found her here when I was done showering...."
"Then she screamed for no apparent reason?"
"No. She saw me naked." I said truthfully and Bella slowly nodded her head.
Mr McGuire returned to the room with the clothes and a pair of shoes. I took them from him and they left the room. Have I already lost their trust or am I imagining the looks of uncertainty on their faces? After I changed I made the bed and hang the wet towels but I didn't leave the room. I instead went to wash the clothes I had been wearing and then lay on the bed.