Author's Note:
Hello to all!!!! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update; school is whipping my tail, and all my music ensembles are having their concerts right now! But I will do my best to update regularly!
Now, onward!!
The family stopped talking when the truck stopped moving. They had spent the long trip from New Jersey up to Maine laughing and talking, and being rather loud and rambunctious. The hatch door opened, and the family stood to both show respect to anyone preparing to enter the truck and to make themselves ready to walk out.
As the door opened, sun light seeped in, slowly blinding everyone; Liz put her right hand up in an attempt to block out the light, but actually managed to obscure her view as someone stepped into the truck. A relatively short and plump figure approached the group, and spoke to Liz a distinctly female and heavily Irish accented voice. "Well, look at ya'! If it in't Miss Lizzie and the handsome brute himself!"
Liz was gob-smacked, her mouth hanging open in a shocked uncharacteristic way as HellBoy came up beside her and stammered at the figure. "Mrs…Mrs. O'Brien?"
~*~
There had been hugs, mild laughter, jokes and chatting as Mrs. O'Brien led the family into her house. It was an architectural hybrid, a strange but charming mix between a small Victorian style mansion and a tiny farm house. They had all come in through the back door into a larger than average sized kitchen as Mrs. O'Brien clucked happily like a well fed hen.
"I was so excited when Tom said he was sending ya', I insisted that ya'd stay here; it's been so long since we've had guests, let alone old friends." Mrs. O'Brien left the family standing somewhat awkwardly in the center of the kitchen holding their few belongings as she went to the left wall. Her white curls bounced as she opened a pantry with double doors. The doors began to close slightly as the family watched her bend toward the ground and open a door in the floor. "Nick!" She called into the hole excitedly. "They're here! Make yourself presentable and come up!"
Mrs. O'Brien came back out and looked the Red team over. Putting her hands on her hips with a sigh as the pantry doors closed gently behind her she smiled. "Well, don't just stand there, makes yourselves comfortable!"
Trevor was the first to sit down at the small kitchen table in one of the four available wooden chairs around it. He still had his ear buds in, his music loud enough to fill the room with 'shaka shaka's. HellBoy walked up behind his son, thumping him on the back of his head with his left forefinger. "Take out the buds," he said in the most fatherly voice he could manage. His son obeyed, turning off the music player, wrapping the ear bud cords around it, and shoving it into the pocket of his black jeans.
Mrs. O'Brien moved about the kitchen, filling her coffee maker with grounds and water and turning it on, searching the cabinets for mugs and finger snacks. "I assume the twins take coffee like their parents. And what about you Abraham?"
Abe held up a webbed hand and shook his head slightly, "Oh, no, none for me, thank you Mrs. O'Brien."
HellBoy and Abe settled themselves on either side of the large window that allowed light to pour over the kitchen table, the two of them a strange mirror of the other with their arms crossed in front of them as they leaned against the wall. Liz and Blair each took a seat at the table, leaving one chair open for Mrs. O'Brien, who had once again gone over to the pantry to yell down the trap door. "Nicholas Riley O'Brien, you get your tail up here, or so help me – "
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" A lightly accented male voice responded to the incomplete threats; Mrs. O'Brien huffed as she came back into the kitchen. She began speaking with the family, asking what they would like to eat, how they took their coffee and the like, when someone came out of the pantry.
Blair was the first to see the young man who had joined them in the kitchen; he was around her age, possibly a little older, with pale skin and bright blue eyes. His hair was shaggy and slightly curled, and his face was covered with a light dusting of freckles. He stood in the pantry door way, wearing only a pair of blue jeans and a paint spattered black belt. His chest and abdomen were lightly muscular, nowhere near as impressive as HellBoy or Trevor, but still, impressive in comparison to most young men.
The young man met Blair's gaze as she looked him over, an eyebrow raised as if to ask, 'Why are you looking at me that funny way?' Blair blushed lightly, embarrassed both for being caught staring, but also for finding it hard to look away from him. She scolded herself mentally as she looked down at her hands and began picking at her cuticles.
"Ah, there he is," Mrs. O'Brien said, bringing coffee mugs to the table before walking over to the young man. Patting his arm and grinning broadly, she spoke with pride evident both on her face and in her voice. "This is my grandson, Mr. Nicholas Riley O'Brien; Handsome in't he?" Mrs. O'Brien winked toward Blair, who blushed a deeper red and returned to staring at her fingers.
HellBoy chuckled from his stop leaning against the wall. "That's 'Little Nick?' Wow kid; you've grown…"
Liz nodded as she held her full coffee cup. "You're looking good Nick. Good to see you again."
Nick nodded, scratching his chin with his left hand; he had some minor facial scruff, the beginnings of a five o'clock shadow. "Thanks, um…What am I supposed to call you all again?"
Abe nodded toward everyone in their party as he introduced them, coming to Blair last. Blair picked at her fingers as she glanced up and offered a small 'Hello' to Nick.
Liz looked at her daughter with mild concern. "What's up Blair? You're awful quiet."
Blair looked up at her mother as Mrs. O'Brien began speaking with HellBoy and Trevor, making the comment, "Like Father - Like Son." Blair shook her head as she spoke. "I'm just really tired all of a sudden."
Mrs. O'Brien seemed to overhear Blair as she spoke to her mother. "Well, if you're tired dearie, why didn't you say so? Nick." Nick looked up at his grandmother from his spot beside the pantry. "Show Miss Blair up to the one of the spare rooms; preferably the one with the bathroom attached."
Nick nodded as he walked over to Blair and took her small bag from her; Be-Bear was sitting comfortably in the side pocket of the bag, his charred ear pointing toward the sky. Nick glanced at the bear before pulling the bag onto his shoulder and motioning for Blair to follow him. Blair got up from her seat and with one last glance at her family, walked with Nick from the kitchen.
Mrs. O'Brien chuckled as the couple left the room. "Well, this will certainly be an interesting visit, won't it?"
Liz nodded as she stared after her daughter, her bad feeling which had been persistent over the last twenty-four hours easing ever so slightly.
Yay! Nick has finally arrived! You have no idea how excited I am about working with this character! He's one of my favorites!
Until next time!
XX~BBMT
