Always and Forever || Evan Buckley || 9-1-1 (Book 3)

T-W-E-N-T-Y S-E-V-E-N

   I felt Evan's hand finding mine resting on my lap under the table, interlocking our fingers together, silently reminding me that I wasn't alone and he was here for me. In response, I gently squeezed his hand.

   "You don't have to apologize for anything, mija. We don't blame you for what happened or for keeping your distance. Losing her was hard on all of us." Maria replied. "Now, how about we catch up while we eat. If I am not mistaken, it is nine years of information we must share."

   And that is precisely what we did for the past hour, catching up on every good and bad thing that has happened in the past years in our lives.

   I shared the lovely things like how I found most of the things I wanted in life in LA, like the family I gained with the 118, the daughter I never thought I would be able to have, reconnecting with my father after years of being distant and of course, Evan.

    Maria and José did not waste time interrogating Evan, especially José. The poor expression on Buck's face as he answered questions my father never verbally asked him made half the trip here worth it.

   They also shared their ups and downs after Jose's loss and constantly gushed about their growing grandkids, who were embarrassed about the stories their grandparents seemed to share at the dinner table in front of people they had never met before.

   "Abuelo, can he play with us?" One of the smaller kids pulled on his grandfather's sleeve as he eyed Evan from across the table. "Now we won't be an odd number, and I want him on my team because he is big."

   "Manu, he didn't come here to play," José told his grandson disapprovingly.

   "No, no, it's okay. I would love to play whatever you guys are playing." Evan assured them, earning an excited smile from the little boy, who begged his grandfather with his adorable face.

   "Oh, you don't have to," Maria waved her hand.

   "Trust me; he doesn't mind at all." I added, knowing well enough that Evan loves to play with little kids considering he was literally one at heart.

   "Okay, then let's go." José said, making all the kids cheer before following their grandfather out the backdoor.

  "Hey, Buck, before you join them, thank you for bringing her back home." Maria told him, reaching out for my hand and squeezing it.

Evan nodded at her, then leaned over quickly to kiss me on the cheek before he went on to join them.

    I decided to help Maria wash the dishes and clean the kitchen while we watched José and Evan play with the kids a game of soccer in comfortable silence.

    "Es perfecto para ti. Lo apruebo."

    I looked away from the window above the sink. "Excuse me?"

    Maria smiled, nodding towards the window. "That I approve of him. How he talks and looks at you when you aren't looking at him shows how much he loves you. I also must admit that it does not hurt one bit to look at him." She winked, bumping my hip playfully with hers.

    I laughed, folding the drying cloth neatly on the counter. "Between you and me, I think that is really the only reason I am with him."

   "He seems like a wonderful guy. Jose would've liked him, but what I think she would've liked more would've been how happy you are with him. She loved you like the sister she never had, and your happiness meant the world to her."