Chapter 9

It had been a few days since Hallie’s last visit and Harry had quickly become the darling of the department. Even the criminals couldn’t bring themselves to be evil to him if they passed him in the halls as they were being led to and from holding.

They had just finished another shift and were heading home when Eric waylaid them with a big grin. “I have been ordered to tell you that Momma has decided you’ve kept that sweet boy to yourself long enough, her words by the way. So I’m to make sure that you two show up at the Sunday barbeque so she and the rest of the family can meet the newest grandchild/nephew/cousin,” he announced as he ruffled Harry’s hair, causing the boy to scowl and try to flatten it back down again.

“And what happens if we don’t show up?” Speed asked teasingly as he shifted Harry a bit on his hip, the little boy’s favorite place to be if he couldn’t have a lap.

“You’ll have a hard time proving which one of my female relatives swatted me to death.” Eric assured him with an answering grin before shifting his expression to a nearly deadly puppy dog eyed pout. “Come on, Speed. Be a buddy and help me not show up with bruises on Monday. I’ve been bragging left, right and center about the kiddo and I think they’re about to storm the precinct to see him.”

Speed hummed as he thought and tilted his head to Harry, “What do you think? Think you’re ready to handle the mass insanity that is the Delko Clan?”

Harry tilted his head in mimicry and asked shyly, “Are they nice?”

Eric pulled Harry over onto his hip to reassure him, “Yeah. They’re all really nice. They’re also loud, opinionated, and rowdy but I’ll see if I can’t get them to calm down at least for the first little while you’re there. Momma’s just like Alexx and you like her don’t you?”

Harry nodded eagerly, “I love Grandma Alexx. She lets me have cookies every time I visit her.” He bubbled only to have his eyes go impossibly wide as he clapped his hands over his mouth. The two adults thought they heard a muffled, “Oops.” But they weren’t too sure.

“Uh-huh,” Speed hummed as he and Eric carefully avoided looking at each other in a valiant attempt to not cackle at the little boy.

“I didn’t get her in trouble, did I?” Harry mumbled behind his hands with his eyes still as wide as he could make them.

“Naw, little guy. It’s part of a Grandma’s job to spoil her grandkids rotten and then unleash them on their unsuspecting parents. I’ve seen Momma and Poppi do it enough times to my sisters,” Eric reassured him as he snickered.

Harry let out a huge sigh as he finally calmed down, “Oh good.” Finally breaking Speed and making him cackle hard enough he was wiping tears from his eyes.

Eric giggled at both their antics and then looked expectantly at Speed, “So? Are you coming to the barbeque on your own or am I sleeping on your couch for the rest of my very short life?”

Speed raised an eyebrow at Harry, telling him that it was up to him, while teasing, “Should just let you stew but it’s up to Harry here. If he thinks he’s up to meeting them it’s one less day I have to cook.”

Both adults turned questioning looks on the boy; Eric’s having a healthy dose of begging for good measure, “I guess we can go.” He said slowly. “But I can hide when I want to right?”

“Of course. You can come hide in either of our laps,” Eric reassured as he flipped open his cell phone and called his mother. “Momma? I finally managed to corner Speed and he and Harry said they’d be over Sunday, with the provision that Harry can hide if he gets to overwhelmed.”

* * * * * * * *

And that’s how Harry found himself in the middle of a bunch of adults being cooed over and petted like he was a new favorite pet. Of course any time the poor little guy managed to hide from the grown-ups he was found by the kids and dragged over to be peppered with questions on why he talked so funny and why he was with his new dad. Finally Harry had enough and after a bit of hunting, found his father, dragged him over to a chair, pushed him into it and climbed up in his lap to curl up in a little ball.

“Had enough, squirt?” Speed asked in amusement as he shared a laughing look with the rest of the adults. He chuckled as Harry just nodded and tried to borrow deeper into the embrace.

“Is the little one alright?” Mrs. Delko asked softly as she placed a glass of cold lemonade on the ground next to the chair.

“Yeah, he’s fine, Mrs. Delko. It’s just too many people at once I think. He’s been very……sheltered up until now,” Speed reassured her with a gentle smile as he stroked a calming hand down Harry’s back.

“My Eric says that the entire lab has adopted the boy as theirs so since that is my newest grandbaby, you are my son as well and will call me Mamma or Clorinda,” She announced imperialistically making sure her voice carried over the entire yard.

Speed’s grin grew as he replied meekly, “Yes, ma’am. I mean Mamma,” he quickly corrected as she narrowed her twinkling eyes at him.

As Clorinda bustled back to what she had been doing earlier one of the smaller children came up and gently patted Speed’s knee, “Unca Speed? Why’s Harry gots that funny mark on his head?” She lisped with a cute tilt of her head.

“Ummm,” Speed stalled as he frantically glanced around to see if anyone could help him field this one. When he realized he was on his own he cursed viciously mentally and replied, “Well, sweetie, there are bad people in the world and when Harry was smaller than you one of those people hurt him and his mamma and daddy. That’s why he has that scar and he lives with me now.”

The little girl blinked large brown eyes at him before drawling out a very wise, “Ooohhhh.” She tilted her head the other direction as she thought hard about something and then darted in and gave Harry a kiss on the arm, startling him. “I sorry you gots hurt but Unca Speed and Unca Eric and Granma and Granpa will stop the bad people now.” She assured him with a bright smile and a firm nod. And with that she gave a cheerful wave and skipped off to play with her cousins again.

“You okay, little guy?” Eric cooed quietly a few minutes later as he used the excuse to check on Harry as a way to hide from his pestering sisters. Harry lifted his head and nodded as he held up his arms to be cuddled by his other favorite Uncle. He spent the rest of the day like that, insisting on being passed back and forth between his father’s lap and his Uncle’s, much to the amusement of all the adults.