White Lies

Happily...

Dinner with the Peters family is not like any other gatherings Blanche has experienced. And it is very much an experience. Each of the siblings talks above the others, while still conversing with each other.  Blanche tries her hardest to keep engaged without looking like a fool.  Are all big families like this?

Despite the seemingly chaotic nature at the dinner table, she has not stopped laughing and truly enjoying herself.  All of Hunter's siblings take turns to tease their brother, imparting story after story about the young Hunter and all his attempts at being a normal child.

"Normal has never been his thing," Jason says.  "Remember when he joined little league and bonked his own head with both the ball and the bat?  I've never seen anything like it!"

"There's that one year Hunter tried out for hockey when he couldn't even skate and ended up in figure skating classes with me." Coral guffaws after her recollection.

Hunter has a reply, an excuse or a retort to each anecdote.  He doesn't share in with the laughter, but under the table, whenever a story begins, Hunter squeezes Blanche's hand. His butt on the chair momentarily shakes, like a happy puppy.  Whenever Blanche throws her head back to laugh or cover her giggle with a hand, Hunter nuzzles the soft skin behind her ear.

***
While she engages in a conversation with Coral, his mother places a hand on his free arm.  "She's lovely, Hunter," she tells him, patting his forearm.

His eyes crinkle on the corners when he smiles.  His heart seemingly doubles in size from its rapid beating.  How much happiness can one person take? But he wonders, how many times has he changed his mind to bring Blanche back home with him?  Now that she's seated with his family and listening to silly stories his brothers and sister do not let him forget, he's grateful that they are both there.  Together.  Hunter foresees future dinners and get-togethers.  And once his daughter, Aria, is born, his mother will certainly insist that they visit on most, if not all, Holidays.

"She's the most beautiful woman I have ever met, Mom."

"You're happy."

"More than that.  I'm in love," Hunter confesses.

His mother pats his arm again.  "And she's clearly besotted by you, Hunt.  It's all a mother can really hope for."

The dinner continues much in the same manner.  When dessert is served, the conversation turns into the their parents' vow renewal happening the next day.  Hunter runs a hand through his hair, and tugs at the short ends.  Blanche soothingly rubs his back.  When she strokes his low back with her fingernails underneath his shirt, electricity surges up his spine.  Hunter is tempted to bypass the different sorts of pies his mother baked.  All he wants is some alone time with his love, to celebrate their engagement.

When he's about to excuse himself, ready to pull Blanche away from the table, a shadow appears past the threshold.  Hunter squints his eyes to focus on the figure swathed in darkness.  "Preston!"  And immediately, Hunter's eyes shoot towards Weston and Darla. 

All the men are on their feet as soon as Preston steps into the light.  Even the children stop chattering.  Hunter's brother looks at each one in attendance, and smirks when he sees Darla, with her head down, beside Weston.  "It's nice to see that nothing has changed around here."  A tense muscle jumps on his jaw.

***
The air in the room has changed.  Blanche's skin chills.  Something has occurred between Weston and Preston, which involves Darla that Hunter has not shared with her.  Whatever that may be, she knows he'll tell her later.  In the meantime, she is only an outside observer.  More often than not, innocent bystanders get caught in the line of fire.  Not this time, though.  Not when Hunter is there with her, already protecting her with his whole body.  She fails to notice how he made his way in front of her in a blink of an eye.