Aim to Please

18 | Blended

Hand in hand, she and MacCready talked with Daisy near the back of Goodneighbor, where the trading caravans unload their supplies. MacCready kept glancing over at the doors Duncan was set to walk through any minute. His hand held Aurora's so tightly, like he was terrified and she gave him support. Daisy talked with them, trying to keep the nerves down, but it wasn't working so well.

Aurora couldn't imagine what emotions ran through MacCready's head—How would Duncan react to seeing his father after nine years? Would he be ecstatic, or would he resent him for leaving him behind? She could feel his hand shaking with nerves and excitement.

The main question swirling around in Aurora's head was how he would react to her. Lucy had died before Duncan could truly remember her, but how would he take it at seeing his father with a new wife? Would he be angry that MacCready moved on? Would he think that Aurora tried to replace his mom?

"Daddy?"

MacCready's head snapped around quicker than should've been possible; Aurora looked around him to see a little boy of about ten standing beside Mikael—he only came to the top of his thigh. He was definitely MacCready's son, looking like a clone except for darker brown hair—Lucy's.

"Duncan!" MacCready yelled as he ran to embrace him; Duncan left Mikael's side at the same time to meet his father. MacCready slid down to his knees to wrap up his son. The little boy laid his head on his father's shoulder, crying and saying how much he has missed him. Aurora could see the shaking in MacCready's back at restraining those same emotions.

Mikael silently walked around them to Daisy and Aurora. She looked at him with a watery smile. "Thank you, so much."

He gave her a smile. "You don't have to thank me; families should stay together."

"Go," Daisy quietly encouraged after a while.

With a shaking breath, Aurora headed out to the reuniting family; she stopped behind them wringing her fingers—she didn't know what to do. Should she say something? Did she even have a place in their lives to say something? MacCready now had Duncan standing in front of him, looking him over, remarking about how big he's grown, and wiping off the tears on his face.

He felt her presence behind him and looked—his eyes were red from him holding in tears, but some had slipped through; his face beamed with joy though.

"Duncan, there's someone I want you to meet." He stood, but kept his hands on Duncan's shoulders as he stepped to the side so he could see her. "This is Aurora. She's helped me through so many things and helped me get your medicine. She's my wife now."

Aurora gave him a nervous smile; he didn't seem angry or insulted at hearing what she was—he just looked her over.

"Hi, Duncan; I've heard so much about you."

"Hi, Aurora. You must be really strong."

MacCready chuckled. "She is."

She gave him a twist of her lips, but Duncan re-seized her attention. "Will you be living with us?"

Aurora couldn't hear any resentment in his question, just innocence. She nodded.

Duncan looked up at his father. "Do you have room for all of us?"

MacCready smiled as he nodded. "Of course; we've been preparing for you to get here."

"Well, let's go!" He turned to Aurora and held out his hand to her. "Come on, Aurora; let's go home."

She just stared at his little hand waiting for hers; her heart felt like exploding as her eyes brimmed with hot tears. No one had touched her this deep since Joshua, and Duncan's cheerfulness reminded her so much of her dead son's. She looked up to MacCready's watery gaze, understanding exactly what had her so frozen; he gave a small smile to encourage her.

Aurora looked back at Duncan and his awaiting hand. She swallowed back a hiccup as she took it; his hand clenched hers warmly as he looked up at MacCready to say they were ready. With him taking his son's other hand, the new family headed home.