Chapter 22
I woke up the next morning dreading what I needed to do today. I willed myself to get up and shower. I didn’t do much with my makeup, just a little mascara and lip gloss. I made sure the mascara was waterproof, because I would be needing it. I traveled downstairs and saw my mom cooking breakfast. I smelled bacon and my mood immediately improved. Mom created a plate for me with bacon, eggs, and pancakes. I poured a glass of milk and took everything to the kitchen table. “Thanks, Mom, this looks great.”
“Of course, honey. Now, it may not be as great as what Harrison can fix, but it should be good.”
“I meant to ask you, how did cooking with him go?” I asked as I took a large bite of bacon. Mmm, bacon!
“Honey, he is wonderful. He gave me several new ideas for different ways to prepare some of my recipes. He should be a chef!”
“He is a wonderful cook and somehow knows when I want something hearty or when I want something light. His pot roast is to die for! And I really love his chocolate chip pancakes, too!”
“So, are you at their house for breakfast often?”
Oops. I wasn’t thinking when I said that. Oh, well. She knew most of it already, so I might as well tell her everything. “So mom, I, uh…I kinda live with them now,” I said it as quickly as I could before shoving some eggs in my mouth and looking up at her sheepishly.
She took a deep breath before speaking. “Okay. Let me process this. My nineteen-year-old daughter is living with five men who she is also in a relationship with.” She took another deep breath. “Are you sleeping with them?”
“What? No! They live in a huge house and created a room for me. I have only kissed each of them. I am not ready for anything else yet.” That wasn’t the entire truth, but she was my mom and that was not something I wanted to discuss with her. Plus, it was mostly the truth.
“Okay. I can handle this.” She took another deep breath. “I do feel better that you are with them and safe and that you have your own room. But Bre, this seems really fast – moving in with them after only knowing them for a few months.”
“I know, I thought the same thing at first, but it’s working out fine.” I couldn’t tell her that the main reason I moved in with them was that I was almost killed and kidnapped twice. I figured she would feel better about me being safer with them, but freak out that someone was trying to kill me. I couldn’t wait until Chase figured out what was going on and I could talk to her more openly. I just couldn’t imagine what could have happened. Why didn’t she know she was an Elemental? I pushed those thoughts aside. “Mom, I am being responsible about this. I have my own room and they help me with studying and my classes. Mom, please trust me that this is the right thing for me right now.”
“Bre, I do trust you. It is just a lot to take in all at once. I will be okay with it once it all sinks in. Just give me time.” She smiled at me and changed the subject. “What time are they picking you up?”
I looked at my watch. “Oh, crap, any second now.” I shoved the rest of my breakfast in my mouth and rinsed the plate just in time to hear a knock at the door. I placed the plate in the dishwasher and walked to the front door. As soon as I opened it, my favorite sight in the whole world was standing before me – my five Elementals. A rush of heat filled my entire body at the sight of them. They were each wearing casual clothes, either a button-up shirt or a Henley with khakis or jeans. I stared at them for a few moments until my mom came up behind me and invited them in.
“Bre, it’s chilly out there. Why didn’t you invite them in?” Mom asked.
“Oh, sorry. I guess I was, uh, never mind. Sorry guys.” I couldn’t help but stare at them and get lost sometimes. They were just so beautiful, I couldn’t help it. Each of them smirked at me as they made their way in.
“Have you boys eaten this morning?” Mom asked them.
“Yes, ma’am. We ate at the hotel before coming over,” Mason replied.
“So, what are your plans today?” Mom asked as we walked into the family room.
“Well, we planned on going with Bre to Callie’s grave and maybe grab lunch while we’re out,” Bryce answered her.
“Why don’t I meet you after lunch and take Bre shopping for her ski suit? I hear you guys are going to get her on the slopes,” Mom suggested.
“Yes, we are! She already has skis and boots. Once she has the ski outfit, she will be set,” Chase beamed.
“You already have skis? Where in the world did you get those?” Mom asked.
Carter answered before Chase or I could, “I gave her my older sister’s old set. She outgrew them and they had been sitting in our basement for a couple of years. I figured Bre would fit in them and she did.”
“Oh, great! Well, I have a few things to take care of. Just call me when you are about to eat lunch and I will head that way. Nice to see you again, boys,” she said as she headed upstairs.
I looked at Carter and said, “Thanks for that. I’m not sure how much more she can take. I slipped up and told her I live with you guys. Telling her that you guys spent way too much on me for my birthday would push her over the edge.”
“You told her you live with us?” Harrison asked.
“Accidentally. She was talking about how great a cook you are and I told her you made the best chocolate chip pancakes. She then asked how often I was there for breakfast.”
“You could have told her I fixed breakfast for dinner or something,” Harrison replied.
“Oh, I didn’t think about that. Oh, well. Now she knows. I hate lying to her anyway. Once we figure out what is going on with her, I want to tell her everything. I hate keeping things from her.”
“Are you ready to go?” Bryce asked.
“I guess. I am really dreading this. It’s the first time I have been back since the day they buried her.” I grabbed a jacket from the hall closet. It wasn’t too cold, but there was still a briskness to the air today.
“We can wait if you are not ready,” Carter said.
“No, I need to do this. I owe it to her to visit and I want to introduce you guys. She was one of the three most important people in my life, so I want her to meet five of the most important people in my new life. She would be pissed if I didn’t introduce you.”
“Okay, let’s do this,” Bryce said.
We all got into to their rental cars. Today, I was riding with Bryce, Harrison, and Mason. Too quickly, we arrived at the cemetery and I directed them to her grave. Sadness and grief weighed heavily on me as we got closer. The guys stayed back a little so I could be alone for a few minutes. Tears were running down my face by the time I reached her final resting place. I wiped them away with the tissues I had thankfully brought with.
“Hi, Callie. I miss you. I think about you every single day. I wish you were here with me. You would love North Carolina and college life. Things are really crazy for me right now. I found out that I am an Elemental. And I am a weird, one-of-a-kind Elemental. I have all five gifts when others only have one. But you know me, strange is my middle name! I wish you were here with me, helping me through this. But I do have five guys who are helping me. I know it’s weird that I have never had a boyfriend and now have five, but you will love them.” I felt the guys move closer and surround me.
“Callie, this is Bryce. He is the leader of this group and takes care of everyone, especially me. Next to him is Chase; he used to be grumpy to me, but now he is the most passionate person I know and is only grumpy to other people. Mason is next; he recently came so close to dying that it almost broke me. He promises to never do it again, because Callie, I don’t think I could take it. Then there is Carter. He knows me almost as well as you do. He makes sure I am okay and surrounds me with his love when I am not. And last is Harrison. He looks scary, but he is the sweetest and best cook I know. Trust me, if he winked once at you like he did me, you would be putty in his hands. They are my bonded. I have a connection to each of them and will share my life with them. Callie, I love each and every one of them. They each hold a special place in my heart, but in vastly different ways. I don’t know how to explain it, but I was made to be with them.” I looked each of them in the eyes and smiled at them. I wanted them to know I meant every word. I loved each of them with everything I had.
Bryce stepped forward and looked down to Callie’s gravestone. He placed a single calla lily on the grass before her gravestone. I hadn’t even noticed that they were all holding them. I couldn’t believe I forgot to bring her flowers. I was a terrible friend. As I berated myself in my head, Bryce started speaking to Callie, “Callie, I just want you to know that Bre is the most important person in our lives. We will take care of her for the rest of our lives. I promise this to you.”
He stepped back and Chase stepped forward. He placed his flower beside Bryce’s. “Callie, we will protect her from anything and anyone that will try to do her harm, no matter what. I promise this to you.”
Next was Mason, “Callie, we will make sure she is happy. We will fill her days with laughter and joy. I promise this to you.”
Carter stepped forward next. “Callie, Bre’s life will be filled with love. She will never go a day without knowing she is loved by each of us. I promise this to you.”
Harrison took Carter’s place. “Callie, we will support and nurture any goals Bre wants to reach in her life. We will make sure she fulfills her passion. I promise this to you.”
Tears were falling freely now. I couldn’t believe how thoughtful they were. My guys made promises to my best friend to cherish me for the rest of my life. What did I do to deserve this? My heart was bursting with love, but also with sadness. Oh, how I wished she could be here now. I wished she could see how great they all were. I hoped she was looking down on us, smiling at how beautiful our relationship was.
I stepped up to her gravestone and placed my hand on it, “I love and miss you, Callie. You were the best friend a girl could have. Thank you for being there for me. I miss you.” I lifted my finders to my lips and kissed them, then touched the top of her gravestone. “I will make you proud, I promise.”
I turned to the guys and they enveloped me. No one said anything, they just held me. After crying everything out, we made our way back to the cars. I turned to them and said, “Thank you for that. It was really hard for me, but you made it special. I will never forget what you did for me today. I love you all.”
We got in the cars and drove one town over to the large mall there. During the twenty minute drive, I looked out the window and thought back to what each of them said to Callie. Looking back, it was almost like a wedding promise each of them made to her about me. I’d never even thought about marriage. I couldn’t legally marry all of them, so how would that work? Since I had enough going on in my head at that moment, I pushed it to the back of my mind for later.
We enjoyed lunch together and then my mom met up with us to take me shopping. We looked for a ski outfit and I found a really cute, powder blue jacket and black ski pants. I spent the rest of the night talking and laughing with my mom and dad. It had been nice to spend time with them for the past few days, but I was ready to get back to the little castle. I missed being with my guys all the time.
The next morning, I packed my bag and headed downstairs. Today we were heading back to North Carolina. I heard the guys speaking with Mom and Dad as I made my way down the stairs. Deda was giving them a talk about watching out for me and making sure I never walked alone at night again. I chuckled to myself at how sweet he was. He may not be my biological father, but he was the best dad in the world. I think I lucked out in that department. Just like me, my mom had great taste in men!
I left my bag at the bottom of the stairs near the front door and walked into the family room. My breath was taken away for a second at the sight of them. I would never get used to how beautiful they all were and when they were all together, whew, talk about man candy!
“Bre, we are going to miss you! I am so glad you came home and brought your friends,” Mom said. “And I don’t care what you say, your father and I will be coming to see you soon.”
“Of course you can some see me!” I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her. “I love you, Mom. Thank you for understanding.”
“You are welcome. I trust you to do what is best for you. I love you, sweetheart. Now, I have some muffins for you to take with you. I made blueberry and chocolate chip.” Mom released me and disappeared into the kitchen to get our muffins.
I walked over to my dad and hugged him around the waist, “I love you, Deda. I’ll be back in a few weeks for Christmas break.”
He squeezed me back and said, “I love you, too, munchkin. Hopefully, you will be able to stay longer next time. This visit was just too short for my liking.”
Mom came in with our muffins and handed them to Carter. We all made our way out to the cars and I turned around to hug my parents one more time. “I love you. I’ll be home in a few weeks.” They hugged me back and told me they loved me. I started to get misty-eyed, so I turned and walked to the car with Bryce and Chase. We all waved as we drove toward the airport.
The flight back seemed longer than the one there, but the guys and I played cards to pass the time. Apparently, they didn’t think a girl knew how to play poker and took it easy on me at first. After beating them five times in a row, they stopped. I explained to them that my dad and I had been playing since I was five. We would gather up a ton of pennies and whatever I won, I kept. I thought I was rich when I was little with all of those pennies. My dad never let me win, though. He always played like he would with his friends. That’s how I got so good. The guys never saw it coming.
As we walked back into the front door of our home, I said, “I loved being with my parents these last few days, but this is home and I am glad to be back! Movie night tonight?” A chorus of yeses came from the guys. “Harrison, what do you think about doing a selection of appetizers for dinner and eating them while watching a movie? I would kill for your fried mac and cheese balls.”
“That sounds like a perfect idea, Bre!” Harrison replied. “We could do those and chicken wings, boiled shrimp, french fries, potato skins, and dip.”
“You are making me hungry!” I replied.
Everyone separated to unpack their things and settle back in. I took a long bath with bubbles and relaxed, happy to be home.