Again- Thank you to Turkeygreen for her wonderful insight. This is to all of my dear friends on the Y/H Thread- You all know who you are!! My love to all of you!!!!

Chesnut Road – Chapter 11

The fifteen-minute ride was silent. Neither of them felt it necessary to speak. She held his hand tightly in hers squeezing it reassuringly every now and then. When he turned on to the residential street, she felt his palm become moist with sweat realizing they must be getting close. At the end of the road, Owen pulled into the driveway of a nice brick ranch-style home. It was modest and very well kept. The front walk way was lined with well-manicured rose bushes. It appeared that the back yard backed up to a thickly populated patch of trees. It seemed very peaceful and quiet.

Owen turned off the engine but did not make an effort to get out or to release Cristina's hand. She didn't push him. He needed to do this at his own pace. Their silence was broken when a very large Golden Retriever bounced out of the front door and over the top of the rose bush border.

Owen laughed while reaching for his door handle. "That's Gracie".

Cristina nodded in acknowledgement but made no effort to get out. "Are you coming?" Asked Owen as he bent down and peered back into the car. "Um…..I don't do really well with dogs."

"Cristina, she is harmless and the sweetest dog you will ever meet. Come on. Please?"

Cristina took a deep breath and exhaled while rolling her eyes toward the heavens. "What will I not do for this man?" She wondered to herself.

She rounded the corner of the car while watching Owen bend over and rub the dog's head vigorously. He was smiling and talking to the dog in a very child-like voice. Something Cristina had never witnessed but found very amusing.

The sound of the screen door shutting interrupted both of their thoughts. They both turned at once to find a pale red haired woman standing on the front porch looking toward them. Owen rose from his crouching position and looked toward his mother. Neither of them moved, but Cristina heard the woman's intake of breath at the site of her son she had not seen for so long. She also thought she heard a sound escape Owen's throat, but could not be sure. Her concentration was broken when Gracie appeared at her side and nudged her hand with her wet nose. She crouched down on her knee's to scratch the dog's head and neck, never taking her gaze from the scene that was unfolding in front of her.

Owen slowly walked toward his mother while she also began to move toward him. They were both crying when they finally met and embraced. The emotions poured from both of them and Cristina's could not contain her own tears. Gracie was more than happy to lick the tears from her face. Not expecting this, Cristina lost her balance and tumbled backward onto the grass with Gracie following every move, assuming that she wanted to play. A hearty laugh escaped her, drawing the attention of both Owen and his mother.

"Gracie. Stop it!" Said Owen who was beside her in an instant.

"I am so sorry. Sometimes she is friendlier than some people care for" said the petite red haired woman who was now standing over Cristina with an extended hand to assist her from her sitting position in the front yard. Her beauty and the striking resemblance to her son took Cristina aback. She stretched out her hand to the woman allowing her to help her up.

"Mom, this is Cristina."

"Hello my dear. I have heard a lot about you in the last couple of days. It is nice to meet you."

"Hello Mrs. Hunt. It is nice to meet you too."

"Oh honey, you can call me Julia. No need for formalities here." She turned toward her son before continuing "She is just as beautiful as you described."

This brought a smile to Owen's face while he leaned in and placed a kiss to Cristina's temple. "Yes she is, Mom. On the inside and outside"

"Please come inside." Said Julia as she took a hold of Gracie's collar and gently pulled the dog along behind her.

Cristina took Owen's hand in hers and smiled up at him before following the woman inside.

"I made some freshly squeezed lemonade this morning. Would you both like some?"

"Yeah mom, that sound's good"

Owen had not yet released Cristina's hand and pulled her toward him once his mother had disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. "I Love you. I could not do this without you." Cristina returned his hug with a reassuring squeeze around his waist. "Your doing great, and I think your mom like's me" the last part came out in a whisper next to his ear. This made him laugh out loud while continuing to hug her close.

"You two seem very happy. How long have you been together?" asked Julia as she placed the tray with three glasses on the coffee table in front of them.

"We have been together for about five month's now Mom," said Owen as he handed Cristina her glass. "We met very briefly when I was home the last time I saw you and then we reunited when I came back…when I came back from Iraq the last time."

"You've been back for 5 month's?" asked Julia.

Cristina glanced toward Owen and found him leaning forward, his elbow's resting on his knees but looking downward at his tightly clenched hands. She reached over and placed her hand on top of his before slowly rising from the couch.

"I see a leash by the back door. Would it be ok if I took Gracie for a walk while you two talk for a while?"

Neither Owen nor his mother spoke, but they both knew Cristina needed to let them talk alone. Before leaving, Cristina bent and placed a kiss on top of Owen's head. He reached up with his hand and touched her cheek as a silent thank you. It was one they had shared many times.

"Come on Gracie, let's go for a walk." The very excited Golden Retriever nearly knocked her over in a race for the back door.

Cristina's heart broke for both of them. She couldn't imagine being in either of their shoes, but could tell by the body language that this was something the both of them had been yearning for. She smiled faintly while Gracie pulled her into a slow trot down the hill and into the trees behind the house on Chestnut Road.