Only Her

“I see baby. They are cute.”

“Aren’t they?” Luna agreed. “You can take one or two home for your barn.”

“No thanks. I have enough kritters Luna.” She smiled at her attempt to pawn the kittens off on Sky and Ava.

“Ah Momma,” Ava whined. “They’re so cute.”

Then they heard Ramona. “Hey, anyone home.”

Skylar glanced over at Brett who visibly cringed at the sound of her voice. Just wait until he finds out she’s brought someone after he woke up in her bed this morning. “Aunt Ramona, come here,” Ava called. Her sister ignored Skylar and slipped between her and Luna leaving her gentleman friend behind them. “Aren’t they adorable?”

Skylar looked over at Brett who was trying to figure out why there was a man behind his mother. He couldn’t see his face from his position on the floor by Ava.

“Who is your friend?” Brett asked Ramona. Everyone was looking at Brett but he didn’t seem to notice.

“He’s my date,” Ramona replied with a cheery voice.

“He’s your what?” The look on his face was comical.

“After dinner, we’re going to a movie.” Brett shut up immediately. Skylar found Luka staring directly at her. She shrugged her shoulders. Then she looked at Luna who appeared just as uncomfortable as Brett was at the moment. Skylar looked over her shoulder at the guy standing behind her. He now appeared rather uncomfortable too. Her sister should never have done this.

“This is going to be a long night,” Luna whispered to Skylar before heading back to the kitchen to check on dinner.

Everyone else got up off the floor when the kittens were fed but her sister Ramona and Brett. They were staring at each other. It was so tense in that laundry room you needed a hacksaw to cut the tension.

Dalton pushed past Skylar. “Let me out before Ramona starts throwing punches at Brett’s head,” he whispered.

Skylar watched Dalton leave. Then Stellan followed him although he stopped to hug Skylar before he left. He hadn’t seen her in a few weeks. He had missed their weekend dinners because of work. Then Benji, the baby stepped by Skylar on the way to the kitchen. He let her know he was starving then planted a quick kiss on her cheek and a pat on the back before he too disappeared.

Ramona stood when Ava asked her to come see the new comforter in her room which used to be Luka’s room a long time ago. Luna had painted the room pink and bought girly blankets for the bed. It was now Ava’s room when she came to stay with her grandmother.

“Don’t I get a hug?” Skylar asked as Ramona tried to get by her.

“No,” she grumbled. Then she grabbed the man she had brought by the hand and dragged him with her to see the new comforter.

“Who the hell is he?” Brett asked Skylar.

“No clue,” she replied.

“Son of a bitch,” he snapped. Then he ducked around Skylar. “I’m going to see the new comforter too.”

“You’ve seen it,” Skylar informed him.

“Shut up,” he shouted over his shoulder. She was left with a box full of loud kittens and Luka Shaw.

“Help me up,” he said. She looked at him strangely.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“My body has taken a few beatings over the years. I get uncomfortable when I sit like that for a while.”

Skylar went to him and grabbed his arm. She pulled and steadied him while he rose from the laundry room floor. This was the most ridiculous thing they had ever tried in the cramped space. She was lucky he hadn’t pulled her down to the floor with him. “I’m going to shower and change,” he told her.

Skylar followed Luka to the kitchen to see if she could help his mother. Luna let her know that everything was about done so Skylar went to the living room. The rest of the Shaw boys were sitting in various locations about the room. She eyed a spot for herself and plopped down between Dalton and Stellan on the sofa.

“How’s our girl holding up with the king of cage fighting?”

“He hasn’t asked me to get into the cage with him yet so we’re good.”