Jamie helped Reece set the table, gently setting down the plates and napkins.

"Thank god you bought that extension." Vivian laughed, walking into the dining room.
"No kidding." Reece said, putting Jamie down.
"Heard through the grapevine that you and Shibby are together." Reece smirked.
"Yeah." Vivian blushed.
"Writing was on the wall with that one." Reece laughed.
"Excuse me?" Vivian asked, cocking her head.
"It was very obvious from the start you two were madly in love. Both of you tried to hide it, but it was so fucking obvious. I'm very happy for the two of you." Reece said, lighting a candle.

Vivian laughed as she watched her son run back into the living room, crashing straight into Marjorie's arms. Marjorie scooped him up, carrying him into the kitchen. She saw Reece and Vivian talking just off to the side, smiling.

"Hey gorgeous." Reece said, crossing his arms.
"Hey darling." Marjorie smiled, walking next to him. "You alright Viv?"
"Yeah, I'm good." Vivian said, walking close to Marjorie. "Come here bubby."
"Mama!" Jamie said, leaping into Vivian's arms.

Marjorie laughed as she watched Vivian carry him back into the family room. She looked up at Reece, seeing his expression change.

"You alright?" Marjorie asked.
"I'm fine gorgeous." Reece smiled.
"Reece." Marjorie said, raising an eyebrow.
"It's just... so weird. I never thought I would get family like this. Family to love, to come together, to share laughter, it's just wild to me. This is what I dreamed of." Reece sighed.
"Yeah." Marjorie nodded. "Same here. All lights turned off, can be turned on."

"I never thought those lights would come back on." Reece said, kissing her lips.

Marjorie wrapped her arms around him, swaying gently. Reece tightly wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on hers.

"The way he looks at her is so......" Charlotte trailed off, watching the couple from the family room.
"Disgusting?" Mia butted in.
"Gross?" Autumn laughed.
"They need a sign that says "sexual content"?" Sorscha chimed in.
"Oh my god." Charlotte shook her head. "No. Just look."

Charlotte pointed to Marjorie and Reece in the kitchen, who were no longer hugging, just talking. Reece was tucking a hair behind her ear, gently twirling it.

"Eyes full of stars." Vivian said.
"Exactly." Charlotte sighed.
"I'm gonna go see if dinner is ready. These two idiots are taking too fucking long." Mia said, scoffing.

Mia walked into the kitchen, punching Reeces arm. Marjorie covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh, turning her head the other way.

"What the hell was that for??" Reece yelled, cradling his arm.
"Is dinner ready yet? We're starving. We didn't exactly come over here to watch you two lovebirds have lovey dovey time." Mia said, crossing her arms.
"It's cooling off right now. Go tell everyone it's ready." Reece said, taking off his apron.

Mia huffed as she walked back into the living room and told everyone. Everyone walked into the dining room, sitting at the table. Reece places the different pastas in the middle, everyone immediately digging in.

"Thank you Reece." Clodagh said.
"Seriously. Thank you." Winter said, squeezing Autumns hand underneath the table.
"Of course." Reece smiled, looking over at Marjorie.
"Wow Reece. I see why you're dating him Marjorie." Carly snickered.
"That's the first thing you say all night? Seriously?" Reece rolled his eyes, turning his head towards Carly.
"Welllllll yeah. The targets that easy......" Carly trailed off.

"Nice." Mia nodded.

The rest of the dinner went well. Everyone talking, laughing, sharing stories from their childhoods, and overall just enjoying each other's company. During the dinner, Marjorie had this one song playing in her head, over and over again.

I'll hold you, I'll know you
I'll never leave out the back door
And I'd love to complete you
Hope you get all you could ask for

'Cause I swear that I wasn't looking for much
But that's just when you happened
That's right when you happened
Got so damn close to packing it up
But that's right when you happened
Mm, then you happened

And I swear that I wasn't looking for someone
But then you happened
Mm, then you happened

Got so damn close to packing it up

But that's when you happened
And then you happened

Marjorie would never admit this to anyone, hell, even herself. Before she met Reece, she was seriously considering 'packing it up.' She had friends, but she was considering leaving it all behind. Reece changed something in her—- made her a new person, for the better. Her relationship with her best friend, Autumn, got stronger. Her work life got better. Her confidence skyrocketed. She was blossoming.

"Thank you guys for coming." Marjorie said, being brought back to reality. "I do love you all. You're my family."
"And because you all are her family, you're my family too." Reece said, smiling.

Everyone started chatting again, getting up from the table and exchanging hugs, gentle squeezing of hands, any type of platonic affection. Marjorie and Reece shared the same goal—- a huge loving family, blood or not. Blood may run thicker than water, but nothing compares to true love and feeling wanted. The pair finally felt wanted in life.

"Be safe!!" Marjorie shouted, shutting the front door.
"These need to become a normal thing." Reece sighed.
"I agree." Marjorie smiled. "Family dinners."
"Family dinners." Reece repeated.

Reece headed into the kitchen, and started cleaning everything up. Marjorie helped him, stacking plates and putting them in the sink, to be washed later. Marjorie silently watched Reece, deciding to break the comfortable silence.

"Darling?" Marjorie asked.
"Yeah babe?" Reece said, blowing out the candles.
"I would never admit this to you, or to anyone, hell, I can't even admit this." Marjorie said, nervously laughing. "I sound silly. Never mind."
"Nothing you say is silly, gorgeous." Reece smiled. "What is it?"
"I got so damn close to packing it up." Marjorie started. "I had a great life here, but before you I was seriously considering leaving. I don't know if I meant it in a 'leaving town' way or.... another way. That all changed when I met you. You bettered me as a person Reece. I gained a new sense of confidence. Meeting you was like coming up for air."

Reece was shocked. He never heard Marjorie say anything like that, she was so well composed, most of the time. He walked up to her and pulled her in for a bruising kiss.

"I love you." Reece said, pulling back for air. "I love you so much and I genuinely don't know what I would do without you. You're life's best part, gorgeous. The reason I get up in the morning."
"You seriously mean that?" Marjorie asked, getting teary-eyed.
"Of course I do." Reece smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

"I couldn't do life without you."