The Haven (Book 2 of The Claiming)

Chapter Nineteen

A/N: For those who were the first to read chapter eighteen, I added the baby's name: Grayson. 

"This looks wonderful, Riah," Mrs. Evans praises as she takes a seat beside her son and husband at the vast dinner table.

"Thank you, Clara," my friend says proudly. She sets down a steaming plate filled with sliced ham, covered in an unidentifiable sauce. I've never been one to cook in a kitchen. I'm more accustomed to cooking whatever Gus finds outside. I guess I can't do that anymore. It's apparently not socially acceptable here.

Riah has invited Alec, me, both our parents, my new-found brother and Chance's family over for a big dinner to celebrate Charlie's first birthday, or what they think it might be. No one is for sure, but Riah wants to give him something special.

This is especially hard to bear without my own son, but Alec keeps me from falling apart.

After a quick blessing, Riah nods to the food placed all the way down the table. "Help yourselves!"

She's quite proud of herself. I've never seen her so... domestic. I can't tell if it suits her yet.

Gus sniffs around under the grand dining table, bumping into feet mindlessly as he searches for food. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alec grab a slice of ham with his bare fingers and attempt to sneak it under the table for the dog.

"Alec!" I snap.

"What?" He holds up both hands—empty.

I shake my head, a smile tempting my lips. He knows I don't like Gus getting table scraps. He's been getting chunky lately under all that fur.

"Have you taken Gus to the vet?" my mother asks.

I look at her in surprise. Wait, why am I surprised? New Athens has everything. My face relaxes. "No, not yet. Is there a certain one we should take him to?"

She shrugs. "We've never had a pet here before, but I know there's a few veterinary clinics around her. I'm sure they're all decent."

Alec touches my arm. "We can't afford it yet," he says to everyone listening. "I haven't gotten paid yet."

Alec found a job shortly after arriving here as an assistant at a tech office. Not entirely sure what he does, but he seems to have found his niche. The first day he worked, he came home spouting off all kinds of techy information that just flew right over my head.

After the battle, he was given a week off to help me recover. He went back today, and it was dreadful without him.

I'll get a job eventually. Once I figure out what I'm even good at.

"Well, we can help you out there!" my father says enthusiastically. "Gus deserves to be checked up on! Maybe a little haircut, too..."

I shake my head with a laugh. "No, it's fine. I'll probably just take a razor to his fur and hope for the best."

Everyone smiles at me. A little weird.

"It's good to see you smile again, Belle," Riah says quietly.

My cheeks feel hot. "Thanks," I mutter, glancing down at my food. I'm not hungry all of a sudden.

Any indication that I've been grieving makes me tumble back into that mourning state. I think of my son, my little Grayson.

Clarissa stabs one of her ham slices and waves it at me. "You gonna have another one?"

Chance's mother glares at her niece and nudges her hard, making Clarissa drop her fork onto her plate. "What? It was just a question?"