Two

"Oh my God," Elvina gets to her feet and wraps the still nervous woman in her arms. "Oh my God. You're back!"

Harmonee is next. Following his wife, he does not wait for his turn, he makes it a group hug and laughs joyously. "You're back! You're back!"

Just like the old days. Kaden smiles. People can and will surprise you. Apparently, his sister and her husband had given up their anger too. Harmonee is never one to hold grudges, and apparently, that had rubbed off on Elvina as well. And Kaden sees how some of the tension leaves Madora's shoulders under the weight of those hugs, he observes how she relaxes noticeably. It is nice. Beautiful. But he knows it won't last long, he knows the inevitable will happen and shatter this peaceful moment. He does not have to wait long.

"Long time no see? Really?" Jax scoffs, glaring at the poor shaking woman in their living room. That is enough to wipe the ghost of a smile from Madora's face. Hailey is watching her husband closely, keeping an eye on him worriedly. But she is also glancing at her friend every once in a while as if she cannot believe her eyes. 

"Jax, I'm sorry," Madora steps toward the couple on the couch. She then stops and looks at each and every one of them before repeating those words, "I am so sorry."

"Sorry?" Jax spits. "Sorry, my ass. That's why it took you ten years to freaking show up? Because you're so sorry? Forget about that, what are you so sorry for? For Harris' death? For disappearing so selfishly when we needed you? For doing whatever it takes to stay away from us because you... what? You hated us that much? What is it you're sorry for? So sorry that you decided to come back when we were over you."

That last sentence is a lie. All of them know that. Except for Madora, who takes a wobbly step back as if pushed by the force of those harsh words. 

Hailey's hand is on Jax's shoulder now, silently trying to calm her husband. 

Elvina is looking at Madora silently. Harmonee though steps forward to defend her, "It wasn't her fault Harris died, Jax. We know that."

"Stay out of it, H," Jax warns, not taking his eyes off Madora.

"I can't stay out of it though," Harmonee says. "She's my friend. Our friend. And she's back, shouldn't we be happy? Isn't that what we've always wanted? To find her. To have her with us again." 

"Friend?" Jax snaps at Harmonee. "What kind of friend leaves without a word? What kind of friend leaves you to worry to death, without a word or any news of their well being? Even Matilda had the balls to selfishly look us in the eyes and say goodbye; I'm leaving because of me'." Then he turns to Madora. "What are you doing here anyway? To apologize? Ten years too late. Apology not accepted. What else?"

Kaden knows he should say something. He knows he should intervene, but he cannot. Sure, Madora had told him the whole story, and he understands her. He does. However, he knows Jax's side of the story too, he had lived with the man for all the years he had been miserable because of the guilt he felt for Madora's disappearance. He's forgiven Madora, now it is Jax's turn to do it if he wants to. 

"I came here because I couldn't do it anymore," Madora finally snaps. "I'm not sorry for leaving ten years ago, but I am sorry for staying away for this long without ever getting in touch with any of you guys. You didn't deserve that."

"I can't believe you," Jax glares at her. "You're not sorry for leav-"

"No, I'm not," Madora's voice raises a little. "The man I loved was murdered right before my eyes. The man I loved died in my arms and the last thing he did as he was choking on his own blood was proposing to me. He died protecting me. And you know what I was thinking? That this group of people, these people I have come to call friends, are cursed. Accident after accident. Death. Chaos. I didn't need any of that back then, I needed time alone, I needed to heal before doing anything else. Yes, we were all in this; you have lost Harris too, but you weren't in love with him. And none of you could have understood me back then. So I left. Is that selfish? Of course, it is. But I needed to be selfish then. And then, when I found out that I was pregnant, I just could not imagine coming back into the mess I have left behind. What if this time an accident happened involving my child? The only thing I had from Harris was his baby. I couldn't even think of losing Harry. It'd drive me insane," she takes a deep breath and continues. "It was lonely. I was scared. And I was mourning my love's death. But I did what any mother would do, I stayed away to protect my baby. You wanna blame me for that? Fine, go ahead. Hate me even more if that's what you want, but don't hate my baby. Don't hate Harris' baby for the decisions I made."

Silence. 

Madora, busy defending herself, completely forgets that "Harry" is news to her friends or that her baby is also in the room with them. Everyone, even Madora, is shocked.

Kaden looks at the little boy who is sticking close to the door looking scared and tired. "And we're scaring the bejesus out of the little guy," he points out quietly. 

That piece of information has silenced everyone, even Jax is staring between Madora and Harry. "That's..." he stares at the boy so intensely that the boy fidgets more nervously. "He's-"

"Harry Stevenson," Madora approaches her son with newfound confidence and kneels down next to him. Cupping his face in her trembling hands lovingly she smiles, "These nice people are your aunts and uncles baby. Go say hi to them."

"Nice people"? What is so nice about anger and screaming?

The boy looks at the room from over his mother's shoulder. He looks at a fuming Jax, at Kaden, Harmonee, Elvina, and Hailey, then he looks back at his mother and shakes his head, asking, "Can we go? I really wanna go. Can we go home? Please?" 

"But baby, they're family," Madora smiles with difficulty. "They're your family."

The fear on the kid's face breaks Kaden's heart. He looks across the room at his best friend, who is still shocked and angry, and shakes his head as soon as Jax opens his mouth to talk. "Enough," his voice was calm yet determined. "They're family and that's enough reason to forget and forgive." They can give Madora the third degree if they want to but Harry must stay out of it all. The kid is innocent and does not deserve this treatment. 

Jax looks betrayed. Apparently, he has got so much to say, so much anger to let out, but Kaden's words silence him. He, therefore, gets into his wheelchair begrudgingly with Hailey's help and leaves the room, "Do whatever you want. They're not my family, not anymore." Hailey follows him out of the room without saying anything. Just before getting out of the room she looks at them once more, bites her lip, as if she wants to say something but at the last minute decides against it.

Madora is shocked. It is the first time she sees Jax in ten years. Last time, the young man was in a coma, now he is alive but wheelchair-bound. She looks at Kaden, "I didn't know. I-"

"There are lots of things you don't know," Kaden says grimly.

"You'll catch up, though," Harmonee remarks, smiling.

The boy is pulling on his mother's hand, imploring her to take him home, "Let's go home. I wanna go home, mum."

Madora looks miserable because her son is apparently terrified of the people she had expected he would call family soon. 

"Baby," Madora draws him close for a long and tight hug. "It's gonna be alright. This is your home now. This is your family. These are your daddy's friends. They love you. They're just angry with me for a few things. They love you though, okay?" she presses a kiss against the boy's forehead as he sniffles and looks down to hide his teary eyes and wet face. He nods. "That's my boy." 

Harmonee and Elvina, now kneeling next to the boy too, try to make him feel better. "I have two boys just about your age," Elvina smiles gently. "Do you want to meet them? You could be friends. Do you love games as much as they do?"

Harry only shakes his head. Elvina sighs, mussing the boy's hair and looking desperately at the others. "I like reading," the kid mumbles, still looking down, holding onto his mother's hand like a lifeline. 

Kaden smiles. "That's my area of expertise. Do you and your mum want to see my study, Harry?"

The boy looks up at Kaden suspiciously, "Study?"

"It's where I keep my books."

"Grown-up books are boring," Harry says with a pout.

"Who said anything about boring grown-up books?" Kaden grins, holding his hand out for the boy. 

The kid is now wide-eyed and intrigued. He looks at his mum, asking for permission. Madora, seeing that Harry is calmer, smiles and nods encouragingly at her son. Harry takes Kaden's hand hesitantly without letting go of his mother's and they walk towards Kaden's study. This is a silver lining and it is good enough for now. 

"Do you have The Twits?" Harry asks as he enters the room. All around the room are shelves stocked with books. There are even stacks on the floor and the desk and on one of the couches. Harry looks around at all the books with an open mouth.

It gives him a pause. It always does. Roald Dahl's books, Dahl's name. They always make his heart twist and soar at the same time. 

"You bet I do," Kaden manages to answer the kid who is still gaping at the walls made of books and completely ignoring Kaden and Madora. They are not all Kaden's. He had inherited a considerable number of them, the Dahl stories among them.

"Can I stay here? Can I read these books?" Harry excitedly asks looking up at the two grownups, amazed, just like a kid in a candy store.

Kaden gets down on one knee, tweaks the boy's nose gently and hugs him, "For as long as you want, kiddo."