Serendipitous

Part 9

"You're okay, just support his head," Persephone readjusts the baby in my arms, one of her hands lingering in the middle of my back. "And dance. He likes that."

Persephone begins to shimmy from beside me, laughing as Olly latches his hand around one of her fingers. Her eyes stare up into my face once more, spying the look of concern etches onto my lips.

"Dance, monkey." She whispers sarcastically, the softness of her breath making the hair on the back of my neck stand at an end.

"I'll get you back for this." I whisper back as I begins to sway to the music, unable to keep the smile off my face as I stare down at Olly. He giggles once more, reaching his spare hand up and grabbing the corner of my suit jacket.

Meanwhile, conversation flows around the group, and I'm yet again surprised by how easily Persephone's friends make everything look. How easy they make friendship, romance, children look. Maybe they're just those types of people though, the kind that makes everything look easy, no matter how hard it may actually be.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you boys," Persephone's voice pulls me from Olly's face, drawing the attention of Christian, Casey, and Bailey at the same time. "Max told me you didn't interrogate him the other night. Why?" I laugh loudly, and it takes every ounce of willpower I have not to stoop down, and press a soft kiss to Persephone's hardworking forehead.

"What do you mean?" Christian replies mid shimmy, glancing innocently in our direction. Beside him, Lera smiles dotingly at her child, before that grin makes it way to me. She adds a thumbs up, making me blush slightly. Okay now I really wish I could hide my face in the top of Persephone's hair.

"Christian, you told both Casey and Bailey that if they hurt anyone, you'd legitimately kill them, because your loyalty lies with us girls. Am I exempt from this ruling?"

"No, of course not. Homegals before pals." Everyone snorts, and Lera takes the opportunity to punch her now-husbands shoulder playfully. "But... as much as I love you Pers... I'm not going to attack Morin on your behalf."

"And why not, tough guy?"

"Because, unlike these two twats," Christin's thumb zeros in on Casey and Bailey, who scoff respectively. "I don't think I could actually take Max on, and still be alive. I'm a dad, for fucks sake, not a professional hockey player. I need to start acting the part."

"Thanks man." I reach forward, connecting mine and Christian's knuckles in a fist bump. It's Persephone's turn to scoff

"So what will you do if Max upsets me, if you're too old to break his kneecaps or whatever it is that you'd normally do."

"Hmmm... probably home robbery. I'll swindle your address from Pers, and sneak attack in the middle of the night with the knife set I bought from Target minutes earlier with Lera's card, so it couldn't be traced back to me. I mean, I told Kat that's what I'd do if Noah ever fucked up." Snorts circle around the group once more, as everyone tries to comprehend whatever the fuck Christian just said. "Oh, speak. Of. The. Devil." 

I swivel my body around, smiling as I lock eyes with Noah and Kat, Lera brother and friend that I met earlier today. They both greet me, and before I know it, I'm pulled into my thousandth hug of the day.

Because practically everyone here is a Bruins fan, I've been pretty popular with the crowd. Earlier, Noah told me himself and Christian always dreamt of playing for the team, and catch a game together whenever they can. I can't say it's an altogether bad feeling, being accepted in a group of strangers, even if it is because of what I do for work.

Noah and Kat make their way around the group, saying hello to everyone again. It's getting later in the night, and more and more people are beginning to head home.