Love in the Limelight

Chapter Fifty Seven: One way or another

The rest of the week in London felt like it flew by and before we knew it we were back in Atlanta and three whole weeks had passed. Our little getaway ended up being probably one of the best weeks we have had together. Joseph showed me around all his favourite places to eat, and drink, he took me to see different sights and we even spent a day picking out furniture for my new flat. It felt so nice even just walking around the shops with him, getting his opinion, and talking about how it would look. It made it feel like it was going to be our home in a weird way. I mean who knows what will happen between now and then, so maybe it will be.

I ended up meeting the rest of Joseph's family at dinner on the last night. His parents hosted dinner at their house and can I just say, Joseph's mum knows how to cook. The one thing I had told Joseph I wanted while we were there was a roast dinner, and his mum delivered it. Everyone in his family was so warm and welcoming too which made me melt big time. It was a little overwhelming at first but after a glass of wine or two, I was able to relax a little. I even managed to take a moment between everyone wanting to know everything about me to just observe them all, especially Joseph. It was like he just lit up from within as he spoke to them all. Seeing him so happy and relaxed with his family was one of the best feelings. I even overheard the tail end of a conversation between him and his mum where she refer to me as "practically part of the family already".

I hadn't felt like part of a family in such a long tune that I think I had genuinely forgotten what it felt like. Not just any family but one that felt happy and free of drama. It reminded me of the 'happy days' with my own family, the days before the divorce and all the fighting. After that, it all went downhill quicker than I could have imagined. My dad fucked off to his new family and from then on it was just mum and me. When I lost her it felt like I had lost my whole world. I had to excuse myself from the table while I was still free from the loving interrogation to go to the bathroom. I could feel the lump swelling in my throat with velocity and crying at the table was not an option. I blinked away the few tears that had made it to my eyes and gave myself a minute to collect my thoughts.

I felt a solid balance of both sadness and happiness. The Sadness was riddled with guilt from thinking about being happy in a family situation again without my mum. But I knew deep down that she was looking down on me, happy I'd found someone who cared for me and that his family seemed to have welcomed me with open arms. I just wish that I had the opportunity for Joseph to have this experience with her. I know she would have loved him as much as I do...

His family had all added me on Facebook before we left the dinner and now being back in Atlanta, I would even chat with them sometimes. His sisters and I got on pretty much straight away, I felt like they were friends id known forever from how quickly we blended. I was still talking to his mum the most but even his dad would send me stuff about cars now and then. This always made my day and I knew it made Joseph's too.

"Bils you ok?" Joseph asked as we walked into the set on the sunny Monday morning. I returned to reality with the feeling of him putting his hand in my back pocket. My new favourite place for his hand and I knew it was his too.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine" I returned the squeeze and sent him a genuine smile. I honestly couldn't be happier. "Just thinking about stuff"

"Whatcha thinking about?" He said in a cute sing-song tone which made me giggle.

"Just about how I'm the Quinn family favourite now" I teased him. He shrugged with a smile.

"Look I know your joking but it's honestly true. I haven't gotten so many messages from my parents in my life and they are all about you" he chuckled.

"Really?"

"Really! But I don't think I'll ever get sick of it, they just see what I see I guess" he leaned over and kissed my cheek, making them redder than they already were.