Only in Your Dreams
Luckily, he was able to find Vicky's address easily. Feeling strangely nervous, Mack drove through San Angeles towards his apparent girlfriend's home. It was cute, he thought, a nice starter house. The front yard was large and square, with beds of flowers all along the perimeter. His heart leapt into his throat as he gazed at a flower with pink and red petals.
He rang the bell and a moment later it was opened, revealing a pretty blond girl a few inches shorter than he was. "Baby!" she squealed happily before throwing her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips. "You smell nice. All caught up on your sleep now?" Vicky asked in a teasing tone.
"Yeah," Mack answered with a smile. He was still trying to figure out how he'd ended up with someone who was such the opposite of Rose. But Vicky was very pretty, Mack admitted to himself, and very happy to see him. Maybe his tastes had just changed.
Or maybe Rose had rejected him.
Mack shoved the thought from his mind. "Ready?"
"Just about," Vicky answered, straightening the hem of her knee length skirt. "I'm glad we get to see everyone tonight," she gushed as she followed Mack outside. "I mean, I adore all of those kids, and your friends are so funny. I hope we're as happy as Will and Ronny and Dax and Rose."
Dax and Rose?
"Y'know Vicky, I'm still a little tired. Will you drive?" Mack handed over the keys. He wasn't tired at all, of course, but the bomb Vicky had just dropped had thrown him for a loop. Dax and Rose…
Vicky had no problem believing this and slid into the driver's seat. She chatted happily, requiring no comments from Mack to keep going. He noticed that as she drove, she watched him from the corner of her eye. He'd smile when she did this, if only to keep her convinced that he was the Mack she obviously knew.
Ronny and Will were in the front yard at the Lo home. Playing on the grass were four children with creamy brown skin-the Aston kids. In Ronny's arms was a baby girl, fast asleep. Vicky squealed happily. "Hello little Ruby. This is Auntie Vicky," she whispered as she reached out for the infant. The blond looked to Ronny. "She's so beautiful, Ronny."
"Thank you," Ronny said, smiling. She spotted Mack. "Hey Peter Parker." She threw her arms around him. "You look good, Mack. Meet your deadlines?"
"Yeah," Mack said as Will got up. They exchanged brief hugs and hellos. Then little hands tugged at Mack's. He looked down at the oldest of Ronny and Will's five children. "Hi."
"Did you bring me and my brothers presents?" Logan Aston demanded.
"Logan," Will said warningly. "Just because someone goes away doesn't mean you get a present."
"Yes it does," Caleb chimed in. "When Uncle Tyzonn and Auntie Vella came back from Mercury they brought us all Mercury toys."
"Actually, it's Mercuria," said Tyzonn's familiar voice as he and Vella came up the walk. Vella too, had a baby in her arms. "Hello everyone. Nice to see you all."
Vella and Ronny took their baby daughters into the house. Tyzonn and Will began playing with the Aston children once more and Mack watched with an ache in his heart. He wanted this…but not with Vicky. He wanted it with Rose.
"Baby, let's go inside," Vicky suggested as she linked her arm through Mack's. She smiled up at him so happily that Mack couldn't protest. Whatever he felt for her was nowhere near what she obviously felt for him. Mack wondered if the Mack he was now really loved her.
Dax, grinning happily, met Mack and Vicky on their way to the kitchen. "Hey Mack. Hey Vicky. Glad to see you could make it. I'm gonna herd the kids into the backyard so I can start the grill. Rose has snacks in the kitchen if you're hungry."
Vicky settled down at the kitchen table and began visiting with Vella and Ronny, bouncing little Ruby on her knees. Mack sat down next to her, wondering where Rose was.
He didn't have long to wait. Rose's familiar petite form appeared a moment later. There was an apron tied around her waist, but that didn't hide the fact that she was heavily pregnant.
