The Darkness We Hide

Louise and Hugo sat on each side of Gareth, unable to do more than try and keep him calm. Several times since his initial outburst he’d tried to talk his way into Michelle’s room, so the staff had finally called security.

It was only with his parents’ promises to keep him sedate that he was even allowed to remain in the hospital at all.

Michelle had been moved to the maternity ward an hour ago and they were waiting, with happy expectant fathers and grandparents dreading to learn her fate.

Finally, Bella, William’s wife walked into the waiting room to deliver the news.

“Sit down,” she told Gareth when he tried to rise, her voice firm.

“What is it?” he demanded, his eyes wide with fear. “Is Michelle okay? Is the baby alright?”

“Michelle is stable,” she assured him, squatting down in front of him. “And the babies are alive.”

“Then what the hell was… What did you say?” he asked, the words finally hitting home.

“I said Michelle and the babies are stable,” she repeated, a broad smile lighting up her face. “She did have some bleeding, which is not uncommon. The real problem was her blood pressure, it was dangerously high. The stress of the trial, having to face Richard again, having to defend you, plus everything else that poor woman has been through in the past few weeks have taken a toll on her poor body. She’s going to need to stay here for at least a day or two to monitor her, but if she can keep her pressure down she’ll be able to go home.”

“You’ll be able to go in and see her about half an hour,” Bella finished, standing. “The doctor is just running a few more tests.”

“Thank you,” Gareth said, pulling his now favorite sister-in-law into a crushing embrace.

He waited, impatiently until he was finally given permission to enter Michelle’s room. He found her resting peacefully, a fetal monitor near her humming rhythmically with the beats of his children’s hearts. Gently, so as not to disturb her, Gareth reached out and placed his hand on her slightlyswollen stomach.

She stirred at his touch, eyes searching his face for assurance.

“Is the baby okay?” she asked, fear in her voice.

“The babies are fine,” he promised, taking her hand.

“Babies?” she asked. “More than one?”

“Bella was here when the doctor did the ultrasound,” Gareth explained, a punch drunk grin on his face. “She said it was twins.”

“Bella knows?” Michelle asked. “So I guess we don’t need to send any announcements.”

“Yeah,” he laughed, sinking into a chair next to the bed, keeping his hand on her belly. “She loves to talk doesn’t she?”

“I’m sorry,” Michelle said, tears rolling down her cheek.

“For what?” he asked, trying to think of what she could have to feel sorry about.

“For everything,” she sobbed.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he soothed, pushing a lock of stray hair behind her ear. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I don’t?” she sniffled, tears still rolling.

“No,” he said, smiling gently at her, “you don’t. Hush now and rest. When you wake up everything will be better.”

“Do you promise?” she asked, her eyes already getting heavy.

“Yes, I promise,” Gareth said, standing to kiss her forehead.

True to Bella’s word, Michelle was released from the hospital two days later with instructions to rest and stay away from stressful situations.

“I’m ready to get out of here,” she said to Gareth when he brought in her wheelchair. “The nurses around here have been acting weird all morning.”

“Uh,” he said, purposely avoiding her eyes.

“What?” she asked.

“I might have purchased them all a new, top of the line coffee machine for their break room,” he said guiltily.

“And that’s why they’re being so attentive?” she questioned, not believing that was the only reason.

“And I might have also bought them all gift cards for free massages too,” he admitted.

“Anything else?” she asked, sliding into the seat.

“Nope,” he said, unlocking the wheels to push her out into the hall.

The nurses lined both sides of the corridor, waving goodbye to Michelle and thanking Gareth for their massages. Michelle simply waved back, her face red from all of the attention.

Reaching his parents house, she was surprised to see all of the cars parked in front.

“What’s going on?” she asked, confused.

“Oh crap,” Gareth breathed, putting the car into park. “That’s a family reunion.”

“All of them?” she asked, looking at him in shock. “ All nine brothers and sisters?”

“Looks like it,” Gareth said, opening his door.

When Michelle stayed in the car, he walked around and opened her door for her.

“Come on,” he said, motioning for her to get out. “If I have to face them, so do you.”

Reluctantly, she took his offered hand and stepped out of the car, hearing laughing and shouting coming from behind the house.

A group of a dozen or more children and young teens came running around the side of the building, encircling them both.

“This way, this way” the children chanted, herding them physically forward.

Rounding the corner of the building, Michelle and Gareth were confronted by a crowd of people, all of them dressed for a celebration. Hugo and Lousie stood at the front of the group, each holding a long strip of cloth in their hands. The rest of Gareth’s family formed lines behind them, creating a path that led to an altar.

Still being propelled by little bodies, they inched forward until they reached his parents.

“What’s going on?” Gareth asked his father.

“We’ve decided that you two have had enough bad things happen to you to last a lifetime,” Hugo replied, draping his fabric over Michelle’s shoulders.

“So,” Louise, continued stepping forward and doing the same to her son. “We’ve decided it’s time to change that.”

One by one, Gareth’s brothers and sisters came forward and placed their strips alternately across Gareth’s and Michelle’s shoulders.

“What’s going on?” Michelle whispered to Gareth.

“It’s a mating ceremony,” he whispered in response.

When the last of the fabric had been placed, Gareth’s family encircled them joining hands.

“We come together on this day,” Hugo announced, silence falling over the other’s crowded outside of the circle. “To bind the two people in more than just marriage. We bind them by love, by blood, and by the power of our pack under the protection of Luna, the mother of us all.”

“The circle in which you stand is a symbol of protection,” Louise said, squeezing her husband’s hand, “the protection of the old gods and the new, the protection of your pack and the protection of our love for you. In this circle, any threat from the world can be left outside and all the love and joy we feel for you both is contained within.”

“Marriage is very much a sacred union,” Hugo continued, “for it is a union of souls in which you pledge to one another eternal love. It is not the love of a moment, or a decade, but a love that will last past the death of your bodies and will bind your souls forever.”

“We, the matriarch and patriarch of the Clawfoot Clan,” Lousie said, “stand here with our children, their wives and husbands, and our blessed grandchildren to welcome a new member to this pack. Though their path here has been long, arduous and at times life threatening, Michelle and Gareth have proven beyond all doubt that they are meant to be together.”

“We now ask that all members of the Clawfoot Clan, the young and the old, join hands to offer their strength to this binding,” Hugo announced, looking over his shoulder to see that his request was followed.

As one, the group outside of the circle joined hands and created ring after ring of protection.

“May the blessings of the old gods and the new be upon your life together,” Louise said as everyone in every circle raised their hands into the air. “May you bask in the sunshine of the love that radiates from each other’s hearts. May you always find comfort in the little things. May the love of your family and friends sustain you through hard times, and celebrate alongside you in good. And may you always know the miracle that is this love you share - a love that transcends time and enriches all who cross your path.”

Silence reigned in the circle as all eyes looked expectantly at the pair.

“This is that part where you kiss,” Nancy whispered loudly, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Suddenly realizing what everyone was waiting for, Gareth and Michelle turned to each other and kissed.

The group erupted into rockous cheers and shouting. The adults offered hugs and congratulations to the couple while the children took the opportunity to run wild, and get into whatever mischief they could.

After the well-wishing was over William enlisted a few of his brothers to help with grilling while Bella gathered the sisters into the kitchen to work on the rest of dinner. Anyone not engaged in cooking was assigned babysitting duty keeping the little ones out of everyone else’s way.

Over dinner, Michelle was introduced to the rest of Gareth’s siblings and their families. She soon understood why the house was so large. While the whole family didn’t live on the ranch full time, when they did visit there had to be places enough for all of them to stay.

In truth, the sheer number of people she’d been introduced to was staggering and she was hard pressed to remember even half their names. The party lasted long into the night, but finally exhausted, she and Gareth made their way upstairs.

“How did that just happen?” Michelle asked, leaning heavily on Gareth.

“I am not questioning it,” Gareth said, putting his arms around her tightly. “I have you in my arms and I have no intention of letting you go.”