\u201cDrew, my friend, what is wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drew turned around to find Pavel standing in the doorway, a dark bottle in his hand and a concerned look on his face. \u201cNothing,\u201d he lied, forcing a smile to his lips. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause this is a party for you and Molly, your family is due any minute, and rather than being out in the backyard with your guests, you are hiding in the living room of your soon-to-be brother-in-law\u2019s house, in the dark,\u201d Pavel said, leaning against the door frame. \u201cSo pardon me if I don\u2019t believe nothing is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
He couldn\u2019t deny that, so Drew shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing, really,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m just tired. It was a long day yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pavel looked keenly at him. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it,\u201d he said finally. \u201cYou look worried, not tired. You have been worried all week.\u201d He paused and said, \u201cAre you have second thoughts about the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? No!\u201d Drew stared at him, appalled. \u201cHow could you think that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what is it?\u201d Pavel said. \u201cWhat is so bad that you would rather brood than share it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drew hesitated, then shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s not the wedding, but there\u2019s a small issue with one of the guests,\u201d he said finally.<\/p>\n
\u201cProblem with a guest?\u201d Pavel eyed him. \u201cYou point them out, I take care of them. No problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that easy,\u201d Drew said, chuckling ruefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is the guest?\u201d Pavel finally came into the living room and sank down into Nathan\u2019s recliner. \u201cTell Uncle Pavel everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drew was about to reply when Schrodinger came into the room. Drew, Drew! Molly sent me to find you! Your family is here!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too late,\u201d Drew told Pavel. \u201cIt\u2019s just too late.\u201d He sighed. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Schrodinger looked from Drew to Pavel, puzzled. What\u2019s wrong?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNothing.\u201d Drew squared his shoulders and went out of the room.<\/p>\n Pavel looked at Schrodinger. \u201cWe should follow him. This could go badly.\u201d<\/p>\n But why?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBecause family is complicated,\u201d Pavel said, and Schrodinger had no answer to that.<\/p>\n Molly met Drew as he came out of the house. \u201cThey just pulled in,\u201d she said, smiling up at him. \u201cAt least, I think it\u2019s them. I\u2019m not sure who else it could be.\u201d She glanced around the yard. \u201cAfter all, I think half the Cove is here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just because you\u2019re loved,\u201d Drew told her.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause WE\u2019RE loved,\u201d she corrected him, and grinned, hugging him. \u201cCome on. I\u2019m dying to meet your family.\u201d<\/p>\n He let her lead him from the backyard to the driveway, wondering if she\u2019d be as thrilled once she saw who was here.<\/p>\n The rental car had just parked when they came out, Schrodinger and Pavel trailing behind them. A large car, more suitable for a family rather than his aunt and uncle, and Drew smiled despite himself.<\/p>\n \u201cDid they really need that big a car?\u201d Molly asked him quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s Uncle Larry,\u201d Drew said. \u201cHe\u2019d drive a tank if he could.\u201d He stepped out and waved his hand.<\/p>\n His Aunt Janice was out of the car almost before the engine had shut off, and Drew felt guilty as he saw the grey in her formerly dark hair. But her voice was the same: warm, very nearly the same as her sister\u2019s, his mother\u2019s, had been. \u201cDrew!\u201d she said, hugging him tightly, and he smelled cinnamon and nutmeg. Aunt Janice always smelled like she\u2019d been baking. \u201cYou look so good!\u201d She stepped back and looked over at Molly. \u201cAnd you must be Molly!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMolly, this is my Aunt Janice,\u201d Drew said, and Molly got her own hug. \u201cAunt Janice and Uncle Larry raised me after my parents died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good to meet you, dear,\u201d Aunt Janice said. \u201cI\u2019ve heard so much about you from Drew!\u201d Then she looked back up at him and winked. \u201cYou know, I hope it doesn\u2019t put you out, but we brought someone extra with us, Drew. Someone who can\u2019t wait to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n He braced himself. \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded and turned back to the car, gesturing to someone Drew couldn\u2019t see. And then, as the person got out of the car, his jaw dropped.<\/p>\n \u201cDoug? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n His cousin grinned and held out his arms, and Drew ran into them, thumping his back. \u201cDid you really think I wouldn\u2019t come back for your wedding?\u201d Doug demanded, chuckling. \u201cCome on!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I was hopeful, but you never responded to the invite, so we weren\u2019t sure you\u2019d gotten it,\u201d Drew said, his grin matching his cousin\u2019s. \u201cDamn, it\u2019s good to see you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you. Besides, it gives me a chance to introduce you to some new members of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n Drew\u2019s eyebrows went up as he watched Doug open the car door and help someone out. \u201cYou got married?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe ran away and did it,\u201d Aunt Janice said dourly, but she grinned. \u201cBut he brought me back a grandson, so I forgave him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA grandson?\u201d Drew said.<\/p>\n \u201cMeet your cousin Ryan,\u201d Doug said, showing him a sleeping infant in a carrier. \u201cAnd this is his other father, Tim.\u201d He put his arm around a tall man with an easy smile.<\/p>\n \u201cCongrats, man!\u201d Drew reached out for Tim\u2019s hand, shaking it enthusiastically. \u201cWelcome to the family!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks.\u201d Tim had a surprisingly deep baritone, and his smile was warm. \u201cI\u2019m a lucky man.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re lucky men,\u201d Doug corrected him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is Molly,\u201d Drew said, drawing her closer to him. \u201cMolly, my cousin Doug, his husband Tim, and their new baby Ryan.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly gave them both smiles. \u201cWelcome to the Cove!\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, welcome!<\/em><\/p>\n Both Doug and Tim\u2019s eyes went wide as Schrodinger came up.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is Schrodinger, the CrossCat that lives with us,\u201d Drew said, exchanging a grin with Molly. \u201cWelcome to the Cove, as they said.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA CrossCat?\u201d Tim asked. \u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHas Doug told you what I do for a living?\u201d Drew asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot really,\u201d Tim admitted. \u201cHe said it was something to do with gate maintenance or something, but I couldn\u2019t follow it all.\u201d He was still staring at Schrodinger. \u201cHe talks.\u201d<\/p>\n Doesn\u2019t everyone?<\/em> Schrodinger said, tilting his head sideways.<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t from a CrossRoads town, are you, Tim?\u201d Molly said gently.<\/p>\n \u201cA what?\u201d Tim said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, he\u2019s not,\u201d Doug said, chuckling. \u201cThis is going to be quite the trip for him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re mean, not telling him,\u201d Drew said. \u201cEspecially coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Doug said.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause Carter\u2019s Cove is a bit more\u2026colorful than most CrossRoads towns,\u201d Drew said, chuckling. \u201cSchrodinger is only the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n True,<\/em> the CrossCat said. I\u2019m much less interesting than the Snow Queen or Old Man Winter.<\/em><\/p>\n Tim choked a little at that, and Molly laughed. \u201cCome on, Tim,\u201d she said, taking his arm and then taking Doug\u2019s. \u201cLet me introduce you to the family.\u201d<\/p>\n Drew watched them go, admiring how she put both men at their ease. Then he turned to greet his uncle, who had finally come around the other side of the car.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, sir,\u201d he said, shaking the older man\u2019s hand. \u201cI\u2019m glad you could come.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs if we\u2019d miss your wedding,\u201d Uncle Larry said. \u201cEven I would travel for that, and you know how I hate to fly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou could have come via Gate,\u201d Drew reminded him.<\/p>\n Uncle Larry shuddered. \u201cNo, thanks. That\u2019s even worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Drew peeked down into the car. \u201cNo Phoebe?\u201d he said, knowing he couldn\u2019t not ask.<\/p>\n \u201cNot today, no – she had certain things that needed to be done,\u201d Aunt Janice said. \u201cShe\u2019s coming to the ceremony, though.\u201d She looked at him closely. \u201cShe missed you. Just like we all did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI missed you too,\u201d Drew said, and hugged her again. \u201cI\u2019m glad you came out.\u201d<\/p>\n But as he walked them to the backyard, he had to admit to himself that he was just as glad that Phoebe wasn\u2019t going to be there before Saturday. It gave him some more time to decide just how to let Molly know about her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cDrew, my friend, what is wrong?\u201d Drew turned around to find Pavel standing in the doorway, a dark bottle in his hand and a concerned look on his face. \u201cNothing,\u201d he lied, forcing a smile to his lips. \u201cWhy?\u201d \u201cBecause this is a party for you and Molly, your family is due any minute, and …<\/p>\n