The Dance Part 2

Chapter 231 We Both Know

Noah and Blue were the last to arrive at the main house for dinner. The house was filled with a flurry of activity as the family ready the table for dinner. Blue loved the noise and ruckus that came with a big family. Small children skirted around she and Noah as they removed their coats. Blue felt a small tug on her sweater and found a raven haired little girl next to her. She motioned Blue to bend down. Blue squatted on the floor next to the little girl. Lily asked her in the sweetest little voice she ever heard, "Are you the ballerina?"

"Yes, I am. I'm Blue. And who are you?" She tapped Lily on her nose with her finger.

"I'm Lily Rose Brown and I want to be a ballerina too."

"Maybe you can come over and visit me and I can show you some ballet steps."

"Lily Rose." Her father's firm voice echoed through the room. "Are you already hounding Ms. Harper for ballet lessons?" Bam walked to where his daughter stood and scooped her up in his arms.

"No, Daddy,"

Bam extended his hand to welcome Blue. "Sorry you've been ambushed. They don't get a lot of visitors out here."

"It's no problem. I like children and she's adorable." Blue replied cheerfully.

"Well,  come on in and meet the rest of us. Noah can make introductions."
Bam escorted them into the large dining room.

"Noah! You made it and you actually brought her!" Bear poked fun at his usually stoic brother.

Blue was quick to snap back. "I wouldn't have missed this dinner date for anything."

"You've already met Bear and Red. That's their daughter Violet with my sisters, Rain and Bird." Rain and Bird smiled and waved as they fawned over little Violet. That's Lucy, Gabe's wife."

Lila was pleased to see Noah had enough courage to bring Blue to a Brown family dinner. She hugged Blue. "I understand from Bam that Lily Rose is enamored with you."

Blue laughed. "Doesn't every little girl want to be a ballerina?"

"So you're Noah's girlfriend?" Matt asked as Noah groaned loudly.

"She's not my girlfriend. She's a girl who is a friend." Noah replied back sharply.

Blue leaned closer to Noah and whispered, "What exactly have you told them about us?"

Noah felt a rush of color move up his neck and cheeks. Leave it to his family to be as blunt as they could possibly be. Noah prayed silently to himself that his mother wouldn't ask any questions about babies. She had five grandchildren already and another on the way.

Jill rescued Blue and Noah from Matt and grabbed Billy and Ami for introductions. "Ma, Da, I would like you to meet Ms. Blue Harper."

Ami and Billy were friendly and welcoming. And God must have heard Noah's prayers because his mother did not ask inappropriate questions about marriage and children. Billy and Ami returned to the kitchen to get dinner on the table as Bam rounded up the brood to the dinner table. Their family table had grown significantly as each brother had added a wife and now Noah had brought a date. Fourteen adults now sat around the dinner table with a separate table for Bam and Matt's children. Violet had taken a bottle and laid sleeping on the sofa.

Nineteen Browns and one Harper broke bread that night. Dinner was a workout with just the passing of platters, bowls, salt and pepper, and bread baskets. At least twice, Bam had to referree a spat between his daughter and son. Questions came flying at Blue like arrows about her family, her work as a professional ballet dancer, and how she came to make her home in such a remote locale. Blue fielded the questions like a pro and as the evening wore on, she began to feel like a part of the family. She poked fun at Gabe and Bear as equally as they tried to rile Noah. She helped clear dishes with Lila and Jill when the family feast was finished. Red and Lucy had whipped up their special chocolate chip cookies for the kids and served up apple pie for the adult dessert.

Afterwards as the family settled into the great room for conversation, Blue noticed how much love filled that room. She watched as Bam helped his very pregnant wife get comfortable on the couch next to Billy and Ami who held hands as they held court with their children, spouses and grandchildren. She took note of how Matt let Jill sit on his lap snuggling close to him by the fire place. Bear and Red stretched out on the floor next to Lucy and Gabe who had a pile of kids on top of them. Rain and Bird had brought in chairs from the dinner table and made themselves comfortable exchanging sisterly secrets with each other. Blue and Noah sat most appropriately on the loveseat opposite the family matriarch and patriarch. The conversation bounced from when work would begin on Lucy and Gabe's home on the compound to Lila and Bam's impending addition to the family. Blue had never felt so much love in one room or so much contentment in herself. She found herself weaving her fingers into Noah's hand. He squeezed her hand acknowledging a mutual feeling.

As the evening came to an end, one by one the couples rounded up their family and headed back to their respective homes. Lucy and Gabe accompanied Noah and Blue off the compound and back to their own apartments.

Gabe and Lucy bid Blue and Noah goodnight. "I hope we will be seeing more of you," Gabe suggested.

"I think you will," replied Blue. "I hope you will."

Noah and Blue continued their walk to her apartment. "I like your family."

"I'm sorry if they asked too many questions." Noah tried to explain that when you marry a Brown, you marry the family as well.

"That's not a bad deal." Blue giggled. "I can tell how much they love one another. It's a good kind of love."

Blue handed Noah her keys and he unlocked her door. He escorted her safely inside. "Would you like to stay for awhile?"

"I better not. It's pretty late and I wouldn't want to wear out my welcome."

"Oh. Okay." Blue felt somewhat disappointed that Noah didn't want to stay a little longer.

"May I call you tomorrow?"

Blue nodded. "Good night, Mr. Brown."

"Good night, Ms. Harper."

She closed the door behind him and leaned against the door listening to him walk away. Noah got part way down the street and suddenly turned back in the direction of her apartment. Blue made herself comfortable kicking off her shoes and headed into her kitchen for a cup of cocoa before bed. She heard a knock at the door. When she peered out the peephole, she saw Noah standing there.

"I forgot something."

Blue looked behind her but didn't see any of his things. "I don't see..." He cut her off mid-sentence.

"May I kiss you?" He asked politely.

She was somewhat stunned as he was always so formal with her and as she shook her head up and down, his hand reached up behind her neck pulling her to his face. And just like that, he kissed her. Not once, but twice. And unless she was unusally rusty at kissing that second kiss felt like he was staking his claim on her and she had no problems with that move in their relationship.

"Good night, Blue."

"Uh, huh." She lost her ability to speak as she watched him saunter off into the darkness content in the fact that he had made such a bold overture.

Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw-We Both Know