991 Large Family


    Andy wiped the steam off the mirror in the bathroom, her towel snug around her. Her hair hung wet and messy over her shoulders as she reached for the moisturizer on the sink.


    She hummed a soft tune, excited but nervous about lunch with her family and nned to tell Aaron and Harry about her marriage.


    Her thoughts spun as she tried to imagine their reactions. Would they be upset? Confused? Happy?


    After a few minutes, she pulled on her robe and stepped out into the bedroom. The sight of Alex caught her off guard. He stood by the closet, buttoning up a crisp white shirt.


    Her eyebrows shot up. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked, tilting her head.


    Alex looked at her and smirked. "Yes. I''m going with you."


    Andyughed. "You''re joking, right? Lunch with my family?" She asked, wondering how he nned to pull it off since he never stepped out of the house especially during the day.


    "No," Alex said with a shake of his head, his voice calm. "I''ve thought about it, and it doesn''t feel right for my wife to tell her family about our marriage without me there. I should be by your side."


    Andy''s smile faded. "In the middle of the day? Alex, how exactly do you n to do that?" Her tone was soft and concerned.


    Alex''s lips curved into a knowing smile. "I have a surprise for you," he said, walking back into the closet.


    Andy folded her arms and stared at the closet door. "A surprise? What kind of surprise?" she called out.


    "Give me a moment. You''ll see," Alex replied from inside, his voice teasing.


    When Alex stepped out a few momentster, Andy gasped. The man before her looked nothing like her husband. His face was younger, his features sharper, his skin smooth. He looked like someone straight out of a movie.


    "Who… who are you?" Andy stuttered, her hand flying to her mouth.


    Alex chuckled, his familiarugh breaking through the illusion. "Your husband. I had an ultra realistic mask made. I didn''t want to change my face surgically, but I thought this would let us live a normal life. I want to be there for you, for Mari, and for everything that matters in public."


    Andy blinked, then burst outughing. "You''re serious? And you picked this face? A young, handsome man? I didn''t realize you were so vain."


    "Vain? No, I''m not. But I''m married to a very vain person. So, I have to keep up with her," he said with a wink and Andy giggled.


    "Now that you mention it, I think I''m falling in love with this new look. When we make love you have to put it on," she said with a wink, and Alex chuckled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "That''s not happening. Never," Alex said with a mock frown. "Focus on the man behind the mask,"


    Andy stepped closer, herughter settling into a soft smile. "You went through all this trouble for us?"


    "It was no trouble," Alex said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.


    Andy sighed. "Thank you, Alex. This means a lot. But… how do we exin this to Mari?"


    "She''s smart," Alex said with a shrug. "She''ll understand."


    Andy nodded, "I''m sure she will. Now we can do much together. Thank you, Alex. This means so much to me," she said as she embraced him.


    "It means so much more to me, trust me," Alex said as he kissed her.


    Andy giggled, "I feel like I''m kissing someone else right now," she said and Alexughed.


    "Hurry up. I don''t want to bete for my first meeting with your family. I have to make a good first impression on your Dad," he said, and Andy nodded and quickly dressed up.


    A few minutester, they stepped out of the room, Alex carrying a casual confidence in his new disguise. In the living room, Mari, dressed in her bright yellow dress, was swinging her legs impatiently on the couch.


    "Finally!" Mari said, hopping down. She froze when she saw Alex. Her little nose scrunched up in confusion as she adjusted her sses.


    "What did you do to your face, Daddy?" she asked, crossing her arms.


    Andy looked between Mari and Alex, surprised. "How do you know it''s him?"


    Mari giggled. "He smells the same, walks the same, and wears the same clothes," she pointed out.


    Andyughed, shaking her head. "Alex, I think you need to work on that."


    "I''ll take notes," Alex said with a smirk, kneeling to Mari''s height. "Listen, sweetheart. This face is for the people who are not family. My real face is just for family. Can you keep my secret?"


    Mari nodded seriously, then grinned. "Can I have a different face too?"


    Andyughed. "We can pull that off with makeup when you''re older," Andy promised as the three of them headed for the door.


    Mari chattered in the backseat as Alex drove them to Harry''s ce while Andy stayed mostly silent, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement about the lunch ahead.


    She had not told them Alex wasing, and she couldn''t help wondering how they would react to it. She knew they were cool and wouldn''t make a fuss, but still she was anxious.


    At Harry''s house, Candace opened the door, her warm smile quickly fading into confusion as her eyesnded on Alex.


    "Andy, Mari, wee!" she said before pausing. "And… who is this?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.


    Andy rolled her eyes, "At least let use in first before you start with the questions," she said dryly as she pushed past Candace, and Candace smiled as she stepped aside to let them in.


    "Andy broughtpany," Candace called out to the others.


    "Wee, Andy," Jade, who was seated beside Harry in the living room watching him ying games with Matt greeted with a wide smile when she saw her, and her smile faltered when her eyes settled on Alex, since she had never met him.


    "Hey, Jade," she said, giving her a high five.


    "What''s up, Matt? Hey, Harry? Where is Dad and Jam?" She asked as she led Mari to a seat.


    "They''re inside," Harry said as they paused the game and then raised a brow when he saw Alex, but before he could ask any question, Alex responded.


    "It''s me, Alex," Alex said simply.


    Candace squinted. "Did you get surgery?" She asked in confusion.


    "No," Andy said with augh. "It''s a realistic mask."


    Harry''s eyes narrowed at Alex. "A realistic mask? Why didn''t Tom think of that instead of his ridiculous makeover?"


    Jade''sugh echoed through the living room. "Harry, is that really what''s on your mind right now? Do you ever not think of Tom?" She asked, amused.


    "This looks very real. Can I touch?" Candace asked with a polite smile and when Alex nodded, and grabbed both sides of his cheeks and pinched him yfully making Andy wince despite her amusement and Jade let out a loud guffaw.


    "What''s happening?" Aaron asked as he and Jamal joined them.


    "Andy brought a handsome man with her," Candace announced.


    "Dad, this is Alex. Alex, my Dad," Andy said, and Alex took off his mask.


    "Daddy, isn''t it supposed to be a secret?" Mari asked, her small voice full of concern and the others smiled as they turned to look at her.


    "Yes. But they''re family too," Alex assured her.


    "You''re wee," Aaron said to Alex and then Andy went on to introduce him to Matt and Jade who had never met him in person.


    Jade shook his hand. "Well, Alex, it''s nice to officially meet you," she said with a warm smile.


    "It''s nice to meet you too," Alex replied. "And thank you for not causing trouble for me."


    As they sat down for lunch, the room filled with chatter. Jamal pushed all his vegetables onto Mari''s te. "You need them to grow tall like me," he said, causing everyone tough.


    "And you need these to grow tall like me," Candace said as she reced the vegetables on Jamal''s te.


    As they ate, they all made small conversations as Aaron tried to get to know Alex better. After they had eaten for some time, Andy cleared her throat.


    "I have something to announce."


    "We," Alex corrected quietly.


    "Yeah. We have an announcement," she said, and Aaron gestured for her to go ahead, and Andy smiled nervously as she exchanged a look with Candace who urged her to go ahead.


    "Well… Alex and I… we''re married."


    Jade gasped, pping her hands in excitement. Matt exchanged a surprised look with Candace who was grinning, while Aaron and Harry exchanged knowing smiles.


    "We knew," Harry said and Andy raised a brow.


    "You told them?" She asked Candace.


    "No. We didn''t hear from her. We had someone keeping an eye on Alex. They told us about the wedding."


    Alex frowned. "Me? Who?"


    "Don''t worry," Harry said. "They don''t know your real identity. Just a precaution. You taught me to always be a step ahead of you, so I''m looking out for my sister in case you choose to disappear and leave her heartbroken," Harry said, and Andy grinned at him.


    "Have I ever told you I love you?" She asked, and Harry chuckled.


    "Yeah. Everyday," he said with a grin.


    Aaron smiled warmly. "Well, congrattions to you both. Although I wish I''d been there, but I understand the situation and I''m happy for you both. And now I have two grandkids," he said, looking from Jamal to Mari.


    Jamal puffed his chest. "I''m still your favorite!"


    The family erupted intoughter, the warmth of the moment washing over them all.


    Aaronughed, patting Jamal on the head. "Of course. You always will be," he said as he looked around the table with a wide smile, happy to have such arge family from having only Harry.


    It had indeed been a good year from him, and he had gotten more than double for all that Sara stole from him.