“I suppose we have two options,” Alexander sighed as we sat on a blanket in the backyard at his parents, watching Ezekiel play with Scout, “we could stay in my old bedroom. It’s still set up and the bed is large enough for us both. Just means we’d have no privacy for two weeks. Or we could go to my house and stay there, it’s not too far but we’d have to drive here to see my parents and eat dinner with them when we wanted. I didn’t plan for us to spend the entirety of our time here with them, they have work and Zeke has school.”

“It’d be better if we weren’t here. We’ll interrupt their daily lives if we’re in the house and the last thing I want is to be in the way,” I laid my head in his lap, letting the crisp air and warmth of the sun run over my skin, “where is your house?”

“About fifteen minutes from here. The house is set way off the road just like this one, surrounded by trees and fields. We have to go past the neighbors to get there but there are gates so we don’t ever see each other and I can close our path from the road so no one can surprise us. Um… let’s see,” he laid back as well, lacing his hand into my hair, “three bedrooms. One is the master with its own bathroom, one is my office, and the other is empty. We can do whatever you want with it. Hobbes’ room or something. The living areas are open and there’s a deck off of the living room. It’s beautiful, the backdoors are entirely made of glass and slide open so you can get the breeze even sitting in the living room. To get into the house, you come from the driveway onto a deck that leads to the front door and foyer. Off the left of the foyer is the master and we’ll have our own deck that way. It faces out to the backyard. It’s a bit weird of a layout but it fits. The foyer leads to the living area and continues to the other two bedrooms and a spare bathroom. Oh! There’s also a family room, similar to your sunroom and it has another opening to the back deck as well. We have water tanks off the side of the house as well as solar panels. We’ll mostly be off the grid minus the internet and television. There’s also a large area to the left of the home, tucked back in the yard that’s meant for animals but I want to build a pool and pool house out that way. I don’t have the need for goats and horses. The best feature is the small river that runs between the trees at the very back of the property.”

“Reminds me of my grandparent's house except on their river bank they built two guest houses,” I smiled, closing my eyes, “what color?”

“The outside is a soft gray-blue with white accents. Interior is gray and white with pops of light wood. Even the furniture is gray, white, or soft blue if it’s not wood. The appliances are stainless steel as is the sink. The countertops are white in the kitchen and bathrooms. But I got bored just before I moved to Indiana and put gray marble on the walls and floors of the bathrooms. We have a separate shower and bathtub in the master. Are you okay with carpet?”

“I’ll have to vacuum constantly because of Hobbes but I’d love that.”

“Oh… he’s fixed right?”

“Absolutely. Why?”

“Can’t bring him here if he’s not. The country got overpopulated by cats. You also need to ensure all of his vaccines are up to date or you’ll need to surrender him at the airport. I would never want you to do that. It would hurt me.”

“He’s already good to go. Thank you for worrying about Hobbes though.”

“I have to,” he laughed quietly, “he’s your son.”

“Mhm. Well. We should go stay in our house while we’re here. Doesn’t make sense not to.”

“Our house,” he sat up quickly as Ezekiel went running inside, Scout right behind him, “Caelan, did you say ours?”

“Yes,” I nodded, giggling when Alexander leaned down to kiss me, his hand resting on my throat as he rubbed my pulse point with his thumb, “it is our home, isn’t it?”

“God yes,” he laughed against my lips, “it’s all ours. We’ll need to get you a new vehicle and adjusted to driving here though. It’ll be so much more to send yours here.”

“Ah yeah. I know. I’m selling it to Cruz. He’s gonna come to Indiana with my parents and get it before we move. I also decided to sell my house to one of the doctors at my office. I guess she and her husband want to start a family and my house is big enough for that. I told you, I’m ready when you are.”

“I know, baby. Delaney is going to take mine. She’s not moving back to Sydney. So I’ll just sell it to her far under what it’s worth. I never needed the money after all. We won’t have a lavish life,” he smiled, “but we’ll be happy.”

“I hate lavishness. Have you seen my parents' house? It’s too much. I don’t want to travel all over the world, spend tons of money, have fancy cars and clothes. I want to hike wherever we can here, go rock climbing, fishing, and camping. The things that we love to do.”

“Well… I thought… tomorrow morning we could head to Kitekite Falls. It’s a closed-track hike. You stay on a wooden path to admire the kauri trees and you get to see multiple waterfalls. It’s beautiful and green everywhere. It does rain a bit, we’ll need to dress for that and make sure to clean our shoes before and after but it’ll be really fun. We can also do the connection and climb to the very top of the falls. We’ll just need to be extra careful but as we’re both rock climbers, I think we can handle a tourist area. Then we can go to supper and come home.”

“Our first little excursion. We never did go hiking.”

“Just too busy. I’m sorry,” he kissed me softly and I smiled, “consider this my way of making that up to you.”

“I’d love nothing more.”

“Good.”

We sat there for a bit longer before it started to get cold. Once we were inside, I was hit with a wonderful smell of something cooking and immediately went into the kitchen where I found Ruthie and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was standing at one of the counters, carefully cutting up a few potatoes as Ruthie checked on something in the oven.

“What are you making? It smells incredible in here,” I smiled, taking a seat on one of the stools.

“Roast. It’s Sunday. I always make a roast and some sort of dessert. Do you like meringue?”

“I’ve only had it on pie but yes. It’s really light.”

“Here in New Zealand, we have a national dessert called pavlova. It’s a pile of meringue with fruit and whipped cream on top. I’m planning to use strawberries and blueberries.”

“I can’t wait. I feel so spoiled,” I laughed, taking a sip of water after Alexander brought it to me, “when I still lived at home, we had dinner as a family every Sunday. But it was never so nice. With the amount of people, we always had to grill or make casseroles to feed everyone and my parents only made cake or cookies. I don’t particularly like cake. I’m more of a pie person. Which annoyed my siblings to no end because I only wanted key lime pie on my birthday.”

“When is your birthday?”

“Oh uh… well,” I cleared my throat, “in a few days. May 27th. I’ll be 27.”

“Really? Oh my gosh!” Ruthie gasped, turning to look at me, “Why didn’t you say anything sooner? We have to do something!”

“I already planned for it,” Alexander kissed the back of my head and I leaned my head to look at him, “it’s a surprise, baby. I can’t tell you yet. We’re going to Auckland though. My ute is at my house so we won’t need to rely on my parents after tonight. Mum,” he went over to Ruthie and kissed the side of her head, “can you take us to my house after dinner? We decided to stay there so we aren’t in your way. Don’t argue that point, I know how much we will be with your work schedule.”

“True. Yes, I’ll take you after we eat. But, Cae, can we still do something for you? Next weekend since you’ll still be here. Our anniversary party is Saturday but I figured we could do it Sunday. If you would like.”

“All I’d want is this,” I gestured to the oven, making her smile, “and maybe a pie. I just want to spend time with all of you. It’s important to me.”

“Why?”

“Helps me to know I belong being here with you. That’s all. I feel welcome and it makes me happy.”

“Of course you are,” she laughed, coming over to hug me as Alexander pulled the roast from the oven, “you’re Alexi’s partner. We like you already. So much more than Brian.”

There was a sudden clattering sound and we all looked over to find Alexander frozen. The sound had been him dropping the roast onto the counter, the tray crashing into the tile.

“Alexi?” I called and he shook his hands out, grabbing the tray again and moving it where it was needed.

“I’m sorry,” Ruthie sighed, “I forgot.”

“It’s fine, Mum. I just don’t enjoy hearing his name anymore,” Alexander whispered, wiping his face on his sweater, “it doesn’t hurt.”

“Liar,” Ezekiel suddenly jumped in and I shushed him, “he’s lying, Caelan! I was there! When Brian stomped all over his heart. It really hurt him. He said mean things to Alexi, made him cry. Broke his promises. All of them!”

“Zeke,” I quickly cradled his face, making Ezekiel look into my eyes, “I understand kiddo. I really do. But we don’t need to drag out Alexi’s pain. I can’t say I relate, Alexander is my first boyfriend, but I don’t enjoy seeing him hurt. People say mean things when they’re hurting or they’re cruel.”

“Brian was cruel,” Alexander called over his shoulder, “a mean-spirited bastard. I didn’t see it when I was with him. We’d been together for a long time. I thought we were happy. I told him I was moving for college and he promised to be here waiting until I was done. But the day I left… he called me a lot of really mean stuff. A mama’s boy, a… well old fashioned name for a cat. He called me a bitch, told me no one loved me the way he did and I should just stay here, finish school in Auckland. All so I could take care of him. Brian never wanted to be a responsible adult. He was immature. I’m all for being silly and childish at times, we both are, but he was at another level. No life skills, couldn’t even boil water for tea correctly. It’s easy as fuck,” he sighed, tossing his hands in the air, “I was miserable and in love with that misery. But I had to follow my heart and dream of working with cancer patients. So I did. He tore up a lot of my stuff before I left. Broke a few things. But it was worth it,” Alexander came over and wrapped me in a tight hug, burying his face into the side of my neck, “I met you,” he muttered and I gently rubbed his back, “I’m finally a whole person again and in that healing, I gained you. I’m sorry I panicked. I hate hearing his name. He ruined me for a while.”

“It’s okay,” I kissed his hair gently, “it’s totally okay. I was always wondering but I never wanted to push you to share with me. I’m sorry he treated you like that. You didn’t deserve it. You’re a wonderful man, Alexander. One I am more than grateful to share a life with. I told you, if it was anyone else, we wouldn’t be together. I didn’t date for a reason. Mostly the coldness in my heart. But your natural warmth melted that. I’m still trying to fight the rest of it away but I know you accept me for who I am as I accept you. I would never hurt you that way because we’re both mature enough to have an actual conversation if things take a turn for the worst.”

“They won’t,” he whispered, making me laugh.

“You can’t say that. We can’t see the future. But I don’t plan for anything to drive us apart.”

“I know.”

“Alexander?” Ruthie called softly and he lifted his head to look at her, “I…”

“Mum, it’s fine. Caelan needed to know after all. It’s just hard to share.”

“I know,” she sighed softly, “he’s not in Taupaki anymore, by the way. I ran into his mum at the store. He moved to Italy with his fiancee last year. So…”

“So it won’t be as hard to be home. Thank God,” Alexander let out a relieved laugh.

“Agreed,” I smiled, hugging Alexander around the waist, “I hate seeing you upset.”

“I know but life was weird before you.”

“It always is, isn’t it? Before you meet someone who makes you happy.”

“Absolutely.”

We finally settled into dinner, Jacob and Harvey joining us, and as they started to drink, Ruthie agreed to take us to Alexander’s house, Ezekiel throwing a small fit that he wasn’t coming with us. After calming him with promises to see him tomorrow or the day after we were free to leave, Ruthie continually apologizing to me about Ezekiel’s attitude.

“It’s fine, Ruthie,” I laughed from the backseat of the truck, “I have little siblings and other small family members. It was honestly expected. He misses his brother. With us moving here, he won’t need to miss Alexi as often. Or well I’m moving here. Alexi is simply coming home.”

“Have you told your parents?” she smiled at me in the mirror and I nodded, “Oh good. How do they feel about it?”

“Fine honestly. They knew I was never moving back to Montana and dreamed of living here. Even before Alexi, I was planning to move to New Zealand. It has everything I want from life. But meeting him, entering into my first relationship I absolutely don’t want to lose, it gave me a real excuse to move here. He wants desperately to be home with you three. Talks about it all the time.”

“Really?” Ruthie gasped as we reached the house, a smile gracing my face as it was exactly what Alexander had described to me.

“Yeah,” Alexander laughed, “all the time. I miss you, mum. I’ve missed a lot of Zeke growing up. I was old enough to be his Matua after all. So it was like having a son of my own.”

“Ah, does Matua mean father?” I poked Alexander and he shrugged.

“In Maori it means parents. Most people say Papa or matua tāne. I just like Matua. Simple.”

“Why do you know so much Maori?”

“My koroua. Grandparents. Kuia is grandma and Koroua is also grandfather.”

“That’s so beautiful. All of my grandparents are just Papa except for Hyacinth. We call them Abba. It was something a friend of my dad’s started when he was a baby and they decided to use it for us.”

“I like it. Well… we’ll see you tomorrow?” he smiled at Ruthie and she nodded, “When are you done with work?”

“I’ll be home around five. You can come to dinner if you’re okay with whatever I throw together or your dad makes.”

“We’ll be there after our small trip to Kitekite Falls.”

“Just be careful. If it rains too much you won’t be able to skip the rocks to get to the top.”

“I know. I’ve gone there a million times. Night, Mum,” he kissed her cheek and we both climbed out of the truck, grabbing our suitcases for the unknown time.

“Goodnight, Ruthie,” I poked my head into her window and she gently patted my cheek, “and thank you. For everything.”

“We’re family now, Caelan. No need to thank me. I do it because you care for Alexi and that means the world to me.”

“I will do my best to always take care of him.”

“I believe you.”

We watched Ruthie leave before heading inside and Alexander immediately picked me up, making me scream before I laughed.

“Welcome home, baby. Even if we don’t officially move in for six months.”

“I’m so happy to be here,” I whispered before kissing him roughly, his cheeks cradled in my hands.

“I’m happy you are too. This house feels complete now.”

“Good.”