Epilogue
1708 Words
EpilogueThe following evening, Felicity and Adam arrived at her parent's house sharp at seven. This was a big occasion, but she wasn't nervous.
Adam's mindset was a different story though; he'd asked her about a dozen times on the way over if he'd make a decent impression. Nothing she could say or do would reassure him completely. Still, by the time she unlocked the front door to her childhood home, Adam seemed to be completely focused on the task at hand.
I do hope they'll like me, Adam thought.
Relax, it'll be fine. They've been wanting me to settle down for so long, they're not going to get picky now.
Okay… it's just that I've had some bad experiences in the past—
Felicity tugged at his arm. Come on. Now or never! They're lovely people. Really.
"Hi, Dad," she called out, and pushed Adam just a step ahead of her into the living room. "This is Adam, remember, I told you about him."
"Nice to meet you, Sir," Adam said upon stretching out his hand in greeting.
After all they'd been through together, stealing evidence and notes from the police and breaking into the station, it was funny how formal Adam acted now. This wasn't really him, but it was adorable nonetheless.
Her dad got up and shook Adam's hand, mumbling something in response. It was a slightly weird but nice sight: the two men in her life, meeting each other for the first time.
"You've got a very nice place here," Adam remarked, and shot Felicity a confused look.
What the hell else can I say?
Her dad just grunted in response. That was that conversation over and done with.
Felicity couldn't suppress a smile. It's okay, he doesn't talk much with me either.
"Come on, let's find Mom," she said.
The relief was evident on Adam's face as well as her father's, who nodded at both of them, before sitting back down on his chair to watch the news.
Felicity glanced over at the screen. A woman with a microphone stood in front of one of the local Sevenoaks supermarkets on High Street, speaking straight into the camera as the citizens behind her went about their daily business.
"This is Rachel Kinsey, reporting for Sky News from Sevenoaks, where a web of corruption and incompetence hangs over the local branch of Kent Police in a case that will give even the most seasoned investigators nightmares. A string of gruesome murders…"
Felicity shook her head. She'd lived it; the last thing she needed was to have the events of the past few weeks rehashed in front of her by a sensationalist news reporter. Again.
"Follow me," she said and led Adam into the kitchen, where her mother was flitting back and forth between the stove and the fridge.
"Hello, darling. Oh, is this Adam? How lovely to meet you! I hope you're hungry, because I've made enough food to feed an army tonight."
"Hi, Mom," Felicity said.
"Hello, Mrs. Weir. Thank you so much for the dinner invitation." Adam's greeting was almost cut short by the rather awkward group hug Felicity's mother attempted on the two of them at the same time.
She's very enthusiastic, isn't she? Adam thought.
Felicity chuckled under her breath.
"Please, call me Jill. I won't have any of that formal Mrs. Weir nonsense from my future son-in-law."
"Uh, okay, Jill," Adam mumbled.
Despite the obvious weirdness of the situation, as well as Adam's residual nerves, Felicity couldn't suppress a smile. Adam was the first man she'd ever brought home and it was so sweet seeing them all together like this. Her mother was of course more overbearingly affectionate than her father had been. His favorite news program was on, so the lack of conversation didn't really mean anything anyway.
"Can we help in any way?" Adam asked.
How cute.
"Oh, that's very kind. Yes please, you can lay the table. Dinner's almost ready," Felicity's mom said.
"You know, Adam is a pretty good cook too," Felicity commented.
Adam made a face. Why do you have to go and tell her that now?
Don't be a Grinch. She'll love it.
"Is that so? I'm pleased to hear that. Our dear Felicity is rather challenged in the cookery department. I don't know why she never took to it; Lord knows, I did try to teach her," her mom chattered away.
Meanwhile Felicity opened various cupboards and deposited plates and cutlery into Adam's hands. The latter stood by rather helplessly.
I guess I have at least her approval then? Adam winked briefly. Finally, he was starting to loosen up.
Are you kidding me? They're thrilled.
Adam grinned and blew a kiss at her, which threatened to make Felicity blush.
Once they were done arranging the plates on the dining table, Felicity's mom appeared with a tray containing some rather large serving dishes.
"Frank, dinner's ready," she called out in the direction of the TV and armchair.
Felicity's dad got up instantly and joined them at the table.
Looking at her parents, as well as her man, around the table she had eaten so many meals at as a child, Felicity felt overwhelmed with nostalgia, as well as something else.
Don't worry, we'll visit them often , Adam tried to reassure her.
Felicity nodded, but still her eyes got a bit moist.
"So why don't you tell us properly about this new job of yours?" her mom asked, while serving the potatoes.
"Well, it's really not so different from what I was doing at the camp here," Felicity started.
"Isn't it?"
"Except it's a real job, not volunteer work. I'll be looking after the new camp they're building close to Adam's base," Felicity explained.
Her father nodded. "It's about time they shut that place down over here. Sevenoaks is no place for a refugee camp."
"Dad!" Felicity complained.
"What your father is trying to say is, this place is too small. They just don't have the facilities or staff needed," Felicity's mom elaborated.
Felicity sighed. "I suppose that's true."
She'd never truly understood how her parents managed to communicate so well, when her dad never seemed very expressive. Now she knew. There was a lot being said between the two of them, without ever speaking a word out loud.
Just like us , Adam commented in her head.
Yeah, just like us.
"Have you thought about moving up north with us," Adam asked her parents.
They exchanged a look, then her dad cleared his throat.
"I think we'll ride it out."
"This has been our home for so long, plus your father still has his job to think about," her mother added.
That was to be expected. Hopefully with the troublemakers behind bars, all the nastiness would soon blow over. Perhaps someday soon, Sevenoaks would once again turn into the quiet little town she’d grown up in. Felicity smiled briefly, then dug into her plate.
"So, Adam…" Felicity's mom started to speak again. "I simply must ask. When are you both planning on formalizing your bond?"
Felicity stopped with her fork halfway toward her mouth. That was a bit direct, wasn't it?
It's okay, Adam reassured her.
"Well, perhaps a summer wedding would be nice, what do you say, Felicity?" Adam suggested.
Felicity stared at him, then at her parents, then at him again. He was being serious; she could feel it. It was just odd hearing everyone talk about this on their very first meeting. Didn't couples usually take things a lot slower than this?
"Don't wait too long," her mother remarked.
Felicity stared at her again and frowned. What on earth did she mean?
Why would she say that?
Adam shrugged.
"Mom? What are you talking about?" Felicity asked.
"Oh, sweetheart. Don't tell me you don't feel it yet!"
Feel what? Felicity put her fork down and leaned back in her chair.
"Tell me, have you noticed any increase in appetite?"
Appetite?
Felicity instinctively placed her hand on her stomach. She was famished, but how could she not be when faced with such an amazing selection of her mother's cooking?
"Adam, have you noticed any change in her?" her mom asked.
Felicity felt Adam's eyes on her. She closed her own for a moment, hoping it would allow her to focus.
His gaze rested on her lower abdomen.
She looked around the table and found that both her parents were staring down at her stomach too.
"She has that glow already, doesn't she, Frank?" her mother asked.
Felicity was speechless. How could she be so certain, when Felicity herself hadn't noticed anything unusual?
"Surely not, it's too quick!" Felicity protested.
Her mom smiled mysteriously. "I'd say this couldn't have happened soon enough. But you'll have to promise me we'll get to meet our grandchild often. You don't get to just run off to Wales and cut us off."
Felicity focused on her own body again, taking one deep breath, then another. There was something different. A seed of something she'd never felt before, even during her short time with Adam.
A spark.
A life.
Oh my God, she's right. We're going to be parents!
In that case, I'm going to do this right. Adam got up from his seat and got down on one knee beside her.
"With your permission, sir." Adam looked across the table at Felicity's dad, who nodded in agreement. "Felicity Weir. Will you marry me?"
Felicity swallowed hard, and glanced over at her mom, whose eyes were starting to get moist. They had just come here for dinner, how had all of this happened so quickly?
She looked down at Adam again, whose deep brown eyes had remained fixed on her face throughout. Although the entire affair was unexpected, refusal was not an option. She’d known this would happen sooner or later from the moment they'd first properly met.
"Yes. Yes, of course," she stammered.
Adam looked up at her parents. "I'm afraid I wasn't fully prepared. I don't have a ring."
Felicity's mom rushed to his aid, and swiftly took off the ring that had adorned her own finger up until this moment.
"Use this, son."
Adam accepted the ring, and gently placed it on Felicity's finger.
When she looked down at it, she found that her vision was blurred. Tears freely streamed down her face.
In a short week or so, she'd gone from single to mated to the most amazing man. And now, upon introducing him to her parents, they discovered that they were soon going to be a family too. It was too much.
Don't cry, Adam tried to reassure her.
But Felicity wasn't really crying; a smile broke through her tears.
This was just the beginning of the rest of their lives, and she could not be happier.
- END OF BOOK 2 -
Alpha Squad: Infiltrator
- Writer
