Dreams (Random Updates)

Chapter 9

"Happy Birfday!"

"Thank you, Princess," Salem smiled then yawned since her video call had woken him up. "What are you doing today after school?"

"No school today," she shook her head.

"You don't?" Salem asked as he headed to the kitchen. "Why not? It's Wednesday there isn't?"

"Yep," she nodded excitedly, "but no school. "What are you doing today?"

"Not sure," he shrugged, "Mom and Aunt Sal have some plans but won't tell me," he said as he opened the fridge.

"Morning Aurora," Sally waved before messing up Salem's hair, "happy birthday kiddo."

"Thanks Aunt Sal," Salem smiled as she hugged him from behind.

"Morning," Rose mumbled as she hugged Salem tightly before turning back to the stove. "Morning Aurora," she waved at the phone.

"Morning Miss Rosie," Aurora squealed excitedly. "Who that?" she asked at the knocking that was coming from the front door.

"Don't know," Salem shrugged. "Mom, Aunt Sal, you expecting anyone?"

"No," both women said at the same time.

"Go answer it, please," Rose said as she focused on not burning the pancakes.

"One sec, Princess," Salem said as he walked to the door.

"What's up?" Josh and Jackson grumbled as they came down the stairs yawning.

"Someone's at the door," Salem explained making the guys wake up instantly.

"Who?" Josh asked.

"Yeah, everyone is here," Jackson looked around in confusion.

"Don't know," Salem shrugged as he twisted the knob and pulled open the door.

"SURPRISE!" Aurora shouted as she jumped and hugged Salem around his waist.

"Princess!" Salem shouted as he picked her up and swung her around. "You're here!"

"Wow!" Josh and Jackson said hugging her once Salem quit spinning her.

"Happy Birthday, My Life," Rose smiled as she kissed his cheek. She saw the happy looks on the men standing on the porch and nodded, "Come eat."

"Need any help making it?"

"No thank you North," she shook her head as she started back toward the kitchen. "Show them around Boys, please."

"Yes Ma'am," Josh and Jackson said at the same time.

"I can't believe it," Salem smiled as he held Aurora's hand.

"Missed you," she giggled as she held Jackson's hand too.

"How did you manage not to tell us these past few months we've been here?" Josh asked winking at her, "I thought we didn't have any secrets."

"But this good secret," Aurora smirked. "Worth it."

"Yes, it was," Salem smiled. "This is the best birthday present. How long are you here?"

"We're here for a week then we need to head back," Owen said as he straightened his tie.

"Hey Kiddo, I got called in for some reshoots, but it should only take a few hours then I'll be back," Sally said as she rushed in while hanging up her phone. "Stupid photographer messed up the lighting, so everything looks wrong." She grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the counter, "happy birthday, love you. See you later." She kissed his cheek, then kissed Josh and Jackson on the cheek before rushing out the door yelling at everyone to behave.

"Surprised?" Aurora asked as she sat next to Salem at the table.

"Very," Salem smiled, "but I love it. I'm so happy you and your dads are here."

"This is why you didn't let us stay up all night," Jackson smirked as he took a plate from her and sat down. She nodded while making another plate.

"Thank you, Momma," Josh smiled as he kissed her cheek while taking the plate.

"Aurora?" Rose asked as she put a pancake on a plate.

"She'll have just one," a deep voice said from next to her. She jumped but nodded as she looked up into the dark eyes of the man dressed in all back. "North."

She opened her mouth, but the words were stuck. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath then slowly let it out, "North," she barely whispered but pride filled his eyes at hearing her say it. It may have been a whisper, but she still managed to say it so he would take it. Warmth filled her at seeing the pride in his eyes. It confused her but she knew she couldn't question it right now.

"So, Salem because he's a Halloween baby?" Sean asked, as North put the plate in front of Aurora after cutting it up for her.

Rose put the plate of pancakes on the table before turning back to the stove to make some more.

"Partly," Salem answered for her. "Mom has always been fascinated with Goth stuff and magic, so she's had my name picked out since she was a teenager. It was just luck I was born on her favorite holiday since I'm the only child Mom will ever have."

"Any plans for today?" Luke asked. He instantly spotted the curiosity in Sean's eyes but knew it wasn't something Rose was ready to divulge just yet.

"The guys and I were going to go to some fright shows but now that the princess is here, we should do something else," Salem said happily. "Right Guys?"

"Definitely," Josh and Jackson nodded in agreement.

"How is that going by the way?" Nathan asked.

Rose cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. She took a deep breath then opened her mouth, but the words were stuck again. She took a breath then tried again, grateful that everyone was being patient with her. "Here," she said after a couple of minutes. "Sal knows."

She shoved a packet over to Salem then another to Josh and a final one over to Jackson. "What's this, Momma?" all three boys asked in confusion.

"Yeah, I thought we weren't doing presents," Salem frowned in confusion. "I told you I didn't want anything, Momma."

"Open it," Aurora bounced with excitement.

"Seriously?" Salem asked as he pulled out a stack of papers.

"Really?" Josh asked as he dropped the papers.

"Momma?" Jackson asked in disbelief. "Really?"

Rose nodded as she looked at the three boys looking at her in shock. She signed and Josh chuckled, "If we want? If course we want, Momma, we've wanted this for years!"

Jackson got up, walked over to her, and hugged her tightly, "Thank you Momma."

"Salem?"

He jumped up and rushed around to her, wrapping her in a tight hug the instant Jackson backed away. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair since he was nearly the same height as her.

"Welcome Baby," she whispered back as she held him to her.

"How?" Josh asked.

"She emailed me and asked for my help," Owen said after he cleared his throat. "It took some monetary negotiations but, in the end, I was able to get the outcome everyone seems to have wanted."

"What's going on, Daddy?" Aurora asked, confused by the whole situation.

"I got both of my birthday wishes Princess," Salem smiled as he looked down at the papers in his hands. "Mom has officially adopted Josh and Jackson, so they are legally my brothers now and you surprised me with your visit, so this is officially the best 13th birthday ever."