Thanksgiving....[Oh the craziness]

[missinglinks]

This was the first time Ty and Ollie were hosting anything remotely family related. It had a lot to do with the fact that Ollie was back state side, and the house was finally finished. So it was natural that they were going to host both families for the Thanksgiving holiday, which a part of Ty thought was insane. However, Hadyn and Elisha came through on their end by putting everyone up at the US Grant hotel, one that the Kagan's had bought not that long ago, and left it in Ty's charge as part of easing him into the business.

All that aside, at least it meant that the evening before Thanksgiving was peaceful...ish at the house. "Are you sure we have everything?" He asked as he came around the corner and into the kitchen as he looked at Ollie. "Hadyn wants to know if they really don't need to bring anything, or if you're just saying that."

Reaching around Ollie, he picked up his beer (not caring that he wasn't supposed to be mixing the alcohol and medications). "Also, I vote for only one side or the other next time. I can't deal with multiple sisters- I really can't. Mine is difficult enough." Not that he didn't love Sarah, but she had an opinion about his habit of drinking even with his meds. It was not his favorite thing, not even close. Especially when Sarah brings Izak into it, and the two tag team him with 'disapproval'.

"Also, there is plenty of beer and wine in store room, do we need to put it in the fridge? How much does your family drink, really." He asked, when there was a knock on the door. Moving around the island he set his phone on the counter. "I'll get it, it's probably the take out." Because Ty refused to cook when they were cooking all day tomorrow.

But when he opened the door, all he could do was blink in confusion at the woman and...her daughter. "Uh, hi....can I help you?"

Comments

[inheritedtraits]

The sudden motion couldn't help but get Alena flinching on their side of the door--or Eliana attempting to stifle a glance back, sensitive in the quiet way children are to sudden swings of moods in adults.

The questions felt bigger than her answers for a moment, Alena couldn't help feeling. It was almost a relief to see the other man suddenly at the door.

Except that looking toward the door meant catching sight of the little girl's eyes peeking nervously around at them. That meant there couldn't be all that much holding back.

"She'll-- be fine. This really can't wait."

[missinglinks]

He wanted to shake her, he thought. To scream at her, to just...scream in general. Ty looked at Ollie, trying to keep the desperate panic in his chest from showing in his eyes as he looked at the man...and then past him. He watched as Eliana looked at them nervously. She looked so calm for a child, but there was that sadness her eyes too.

"I..." needed time to think, he thought. But he couldn't say that even as he looked at the girl. Maybe she wasn't his, but that maybe seemed like a gamble. If she was, could he really leave her to foster care just because there was a chance she wasn't? And even if she wasn't, what sort of a person would he be if he did?

But could he even, responsibly, raise a child?

"Okay," he said, licking his lips a little as he looked at Ollie and then Alena. "Okay. We'll...do the test, sign the papers." Do the right thing like he could imagine both his fathers telling him to do.

But it didn't stop the panic, or slow his racing heart.

[strangebyrds]

The look Ollie gave Alena was similar to what the men under him got, when they were aboard the carrier. Not as sharp, not as severe. There was sympathy there as well. But there was also a cool, assessing expression, one that suggested she should reassess the situation.

He stepped inside and took Ty's hand. He supposed it looked like a united front, he thought; the two of them against her. That wasn't really what it was - it was just him trying to keep Ty calm, at least until Alena and Eliana were out of range. He squeezed Ty's hand as he spoke, and smiled at Alena.

"I think that covers the essentials," he said gently. "I know there are details to work out, but I think...we need a couple of minutes, all of us, before we dive into that, Ms. Lowell."