>>5280822You nod, and with that Sam rises from her chair as you do the same from the edge of your bed. Shoulder-to-shoulder you move to the door, and when you open a torrent of sights, sounds, and smells hit you all at once, and it’s through this haze of sensation you realize that Gina did one hell of a job everything-proofing the door to your room if she was able to keep all this under wraps.
The conference desk has been expanded to a lengthy dinner table, complete with a spread of food crafted in the form and smell of what could almost be a Thanksgiving-slash-breakfast feast. Dorian and Julia are putting the finishing touches as they dart back and forth from the Forge room, carrying freshly-minted dishes and placing them on the table while Gina arranges everything just-so. November pulls out the chairs for the rest of your family while Francine fusses with the napkin arrangements…and at the head of the table, Amara pushes back your chair before stepping to the side and patting the seat with a smile.
The scene before you swims as tears fill your vision, and a smile of your own involuntarily spreads from cheek to aching cheek.
And then, as if on cue, from out of the forge room emerges a dynamo of fiery hair and urgent muscle, a collection of freshly-forged plates balanced on one powerful arm as the other sweeps an indignant arc over the rest of your family.
“Hey, why the hell didn’t anyone tell me she was up?!” Rath demands, swiftly depositing the plates on the table before lunging over to throw her arms around your neck.
“You’re back.” You manage to say, choking back emotion as you return her warm hug.
“ ‘Course I am! You think I’d miss Dorian and Jules’ cooking?” Rath winks at you, the smile crinkling the corners of her eyes not fully hiding the concern that’s written all over her face. “Your hair’s a mess, but I guess that means the sleep was pretty solid, huh?”
Sam raises her fore- and index-fingers just behind Rath, her helmet tilting as if to say ‘two’ just before GG joins your side.
“Welcome home, sleepyhead. You’ve been out for several hours, so we had plenty of time to pull this together…and the world’s still turning, so be glad you got that rest, ‘kay?” Gina grins, threading her arm around the small of your back and drawing you into a hug so gentle that you almost break again, right then and there.
“Will you b-be staying?” Julia asks Sam from the bar, her practiced nonchalance rendering the question as neutral as she can make it.
Sam glances at the table, doing the same math that you are. Twelve seats. Four empty.
“I should probably head out.” She declares, the slit of her visor lingering on the seats for only a moment longer before she waves off Julia’s hospitality and turns to you, instead.
(Continued)
