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“Hey!” Elena pointed at her aunt.

“You say you are married, but I don’t understand how that is possible. You said you only arrived here a few days ago. There couldn’t have been a ceremony,” her father grilled them.

“Papa!” She glared at him.

“Are you going to deprive your mother of a wedding? You are my only baby.” Her mother glared back.

Instead of looking offended or put-out, Payim smiled.

“It is my deepest desire to have a bonding ceremony to share with everyone how blessed I am to have found Elena. I will receive her mark so that everyone may know.” Payim patted his chest, right above his heart.

She smiled at her big sweet man, recalling the tradition he explained. Payim gripped her hand tighter and focused on her parents, his expression going from reverent to serious.

“I do not have a clan,” Payim admitted, the old loss and hurt tinging his voice.

“It’s okay.” She rubbed his arm.

“But if you would allow me the honor, I would have your lineage branded where I have none.” Payim touched the bare flesh on either side of his chest.

The room blurred as her eyes misted. He was asking to belong. Her gaze shifted to her parents, praying they understood the weight of what he said. There were tears in her mother’s eyes, her aunt’s, too, but her father looked serious as he often did when it came to her.

“Son, you were one of ours the instant Elena accepted you into her heart,” her father solemnly replied.

“Ohh.” Her mother’s hands fluttered as she rushed forward to hug them.

“It’s going to be good having another guy in this family. It was terrible being constantly outnumbered,” Anthony declared.

“You’re still outnumbered by girls.” Gabriela swatted him, making everyone laugh.

“It is a good plight, no?” Her father nudged Payim and grinned.

“Being surrounded by females?” Payim cocked his head and adopted a rotten grin as he considered the question.

“Hey! You better watch how you answer that.” Elena eyed him.

“See!” Anthony shouted, sounding vindicated.

“This has been the best day,” her mother yawned.

“It has been a long day. We should let you rest.” Elena stood.

Her parents stood, looking like they might object.

“We are right across the hall,” she reassured them with a hug.

“I look forward to tomorrow.” Payim gave them a deep bow.

“It has been the best day,” she sighed as they left the suite and crossed the corridor.

“We can stay with them if you want,” Payim offered.

“It’s okay. They are going to lapse into a food coma soon.” She smiled at how considerate he was.

“I think Anthony would have eaten that wholeparmaby himself if Gabriela had let him,” he laughed as they entered their quarters.

“I think so.” She nodded in amusement as she gripped Payim’s big hands and stared up at him.

Seeing him laugh and smile with her family as they shared stories was more satisfying than she could’ve imagined. It wasn’t that she merely had her family back, which filled a hole in her heart, it was seeing Payim with them, being able to share the people she loved with the man she loved. It made the miraculous emotion grow and multiply.