F$&king Hallmark Holidays - Extend

No words were spoken, but her smile and her finger pointing out of the room, was enough to make him laugh.

"My Drew, what is so funny?" his mom asked.

"Nothing Mom. Just a couple learning to live together." He replied and she came over to him for a quiet hug.

"I am so glad," she paused as Naomi came out of the bedroom and froze like the preverbal deer in headlights

"For both of you," His mom finished.

*

Well before dinner could start and they lost the light, they went over and unlocked the house next to his mom's. Her house now, at least in theory. Drew was looking back at his mom on her porch when he heard Naomi's intake of breath and squeek. He looked over her shoulder and saw that the house had been ransacked.

Drew pulled her back from the door and turned back to his mom.

"Call the police mom. Someone turned this place upside down," stated Drew knowing the rest fof the afternoon was going to suck.

Multiple cruisers showed up including the drunk captain. Drew had sent Naomi back into his mom's house and now he stood there knowing he was going to take abuse.

The drunk captain was one of the first on scene and started making comments about Naomi's poor housekeeping skills. Of course, he did this, while stumbling through a potential crime scene. The Chief arrived a little while later and got the drunk captain squared away. His cruiser was moved out of the middle of the road, and he was sent home with another officer.

Drew stood stoic through all the comments, inuendo and 'accidental' shoving. When the chief showed up, things tightened up but when they asked him into the dead retired captain's home, he shook his head no.

"I have never been in that house and have no interest in contaminating the scene of an apparent burglary with my fingerprints or DNA." Drew commented and then took a deep breath.

"Then get the wife out here and have her go through the house with us," the Chief requested.

Drew again took a deep breath and shook his head no. He handed the lawyer card to the Chief, who immediately dropped it. Drew took out another one and the chief refused to take it.

"Sir, based on the advice of legal counsel, she will not be going into the house with you or anyone until her representation is present. Your captain has already been given the name of council and so now have you. You are being recorded since you or none of your officers are wearing body cams."

The chief looked around confused looking for someone with their phone up.

"I will leave you to your crime scene sir. Please call the number on the card when you are complete and let us know when we can relock the house. Not that seems to have done much good. Legal counsel will be contacting you for a copy of your investigation report." Drew stated and walked away. He walked the opposite direction from his mom's and worked his way in a spiral back to the back of her house along the walking pathway.

Mike and George had arrived, and they all watched the short 'Investigation" that lasted all of 20 minutes. Once they were clear, Drew unhooked his animal cam and gave it to his brothers.

Their own investigation of the house showed a certain aspect to the search, someone was looking for something. This was not a scene of the asshole throwing a fit. This was a methodical search for something. Drugs, money, and guns were the easiest guesses.

When they made it back to the master bedroom, all her clothes were cut to ribbons. They were in a relatively neat pile and Drew assumed was the work of the dead husband. She did not seem to care one bit but moved to a small dresser.

She pulled the drawers away from the small dresser that had been tossed aside and looked behind in the dead space where the drawers used to be. She started crying. Naomi had hid things behind the drawers in her dresser. All the family pictures were disheveled like they had been looked through but were not broken or smashed.

Naomi held them to her chest, dropped to her knees and just sobbed.

"Beautiful, what else do you want?" Drew asked.

'Nothing, nothing else matters. I just wanted these. I want to go...home, with you."

"We will have dinner with Mom and family and then scoot out of town and head home." Drew said helping her up and kissing her head.

Things settled down for dinner and there was actual smiles and laughter for a short period of time. Drew noticed George getting a bit edgy and he kept looking at his phone. He normally only did that during Green Bay games.

Drew looked him in the eye and twerked his head towards the back door.

They quietly let themselves out and then down the walk path to the small pond with the turtles.

"So how much do you have to do with today's drama?" Drew asked his brother.

"You really want to know? Really?" asked his brother in return.

"You bet, in spades." Drew responded.

George paused and looked at the stupid turtles that were poking their heads out of the water hoping to get a night snack.

"That same group that I told you about, popped back up on the radar screen. It was about the same time you did the 'rescue of the princess bride' act." George paused again, "Except this time, they caught one of the couriers, and a truck driver in mid-swap. So, they got both the money and drugs."

George just smiled into the last of the orange-haze of sunset.

"It seems 'someone' may have 'accidently' mentioned our dearly departed captain's name as the source of the information for the bust. The courier was recorded sharing this information with the sleaze criminal defense attorney, not a couple of days before the assholes disappearance."

George just continued to smile.

"No honor among thieves. But the trail of DNA evidence they left when the off'd the asshole is going to lead to more arrests." George finished.

"Maybe some of the same gentlemen you met and talked with today," stated his brother with and edge to his voice.

They both stood there staring at each other and Drew walked up to George and wrapped him in a huge hug.

There was nothing left to say. They turned and went back to mom's house.

***

Epilogue

Drew's mom had always said that 'love would come when you are least looking for it'. Drew's response to his mom was, he would find love and happiness when Tinkerbelle came down and spread fairy dust on him.

As an engagement gift, Naomi asked Drew to buy her a tattoo. It was a Tinkerbelle above her cute bubble butt at the Tramp-stamp location with golden fairy dust going down her right cheek.

Drew asked Naomi for a tattoo too. Her name above his heart. It was the first and last tattoos for either of them. But once a week, she was in the shower with Drew, shaving all the hair away from her name on his chest. That shower scene usually led to other more sensual activities.

They were married in a simple ceremony at Avila beach. It was done under a tent of linen. All guests, friends and participants were told to wear white. Shoes were a serious option since it was on the sand. Bride, groom, and the official were barefoot...so why not. Drew's mom was delighted but aghast at the barefoot thing until Naomi took her to a joint pedicure so they could get matching colors.

The reception was at a favorite local winery and the wedding night was at Sycamore Springs with a private dinner and a more private hot tub.

Hallmark could not even come close to writing this ending...well maybe.

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