This is an entirely new chapter of Attraction, enjoy :)

The house was stirring in the early hours, the walls resounding with carefree laughter. I recalled how I'd always lain awake on my birthdays, waiting for Mom and Dad to visit my room with a tray of breakfast, a slice of cake and presents. My sister would jump up on the bed, bouncing around with joy. She'd never been a jealous person. She'd never demanded presents when I got them. Instead, she'd waited patiently for her own birthday.

When she'd turned six, Mom and Dad had given her a new bike. I had a feeling she'd already known because she'd snuck into the garage to peek beneath the blanket they'd used as cover. Or at least that was my suspicion, since she'd exited the garage with a big smile on her face. I wondered if Anath was getting a bike.

Tom grunted behind me. It had been too warm to spoon throughout the night, but I'd scooted closer the second I woke up.

"What time is it?"

I reached for my phone that I'd thrown on the floor beside the sofa last night. "Eight am. I guess we better get up."

"Is this what you get with children?" he asked. "Early mornings on weekends.

"It's her birthday. What did you expect?"

"I don't know. More hours of sleep maybe."

I tried to remember what the party invite on Instagram had said. When I couldn't recall the time, I checked the photo again. "The invite is for one o'clock. Do you think the family will arrive before then?"

"I hope not."

"Are you ready for this?"

"No. But that doesn't change anything."

I admired his determination. Facing Luke had been hard enough for him, and according to him, Luke had never been a part of the verbal abuse he'd encountered as a teen. Meeting his family, confronting them after more than a decade of silence, could potentially become a disaster. But I was here to hold his hand if he needed it. I would even go as far as staying away to make it easier.

"But Luke and Lizzy is on your side, right?"

"Yes, but it's hard to say what they will do if things get complicated. They live here. They need to be on good terms with the family. I would never ask them to risk anything for me. Not after I left like I did."

"You know, that's their choice, not yours."

"I won't let them."

I sighed, knowing it was unlikely that he would change his mind. He had a protective streak that was hard to break.

"Let's see if we can use their shower," I suggested. We had to get out of bed eventually, and the heat had me soaked in sweat.

Tom sighed for what must have been the tenth time since we arrived in Smithfield. "Whatever happens today, remember that we're going home together. You and me."

I smiled, warmed by the reassurance. "I know."

* * * *

Anath was running around the house together with the dog, both of them equally excited. We'd helped to prepare for the buffet, and the sense of doom had stayed moderately under wraps. I could tell that everyone apart from Anath was on edge, though.

Lizzy slapped a wet dish towel against the sink. "I hope no one will be early. I don't know how we'll get this ready in time. I'm not even dressed yet."

"Why don't I take care of this?" I eased over to her side, taking the towel from her hands. We'd made a right mess in the kitchen.

"Are you sure?" She eyed me with a badly hidden plea.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. I've got this."

She nodded, wiped her forehead and exited the room. I could hear her jog up the stairs while I continued to dry the dishes.

Luke entered not a minute later, rifling through the cupboards. He whistled a tune, and I wondered if maybe Tom had been wrong when he said that Luke hadn't appreciated the times around their grandparents' house. I recognized the old tune, but I couldn't name it. Definitely jazz, though.

"So, Joah, how did you meet my brother?" Small talk. He had no way of knowing that this particular question opened up a mine field.

"Ah, I caught him looking at me at a bar." It wasn't a lie. We should have talked about this at some stage. Not least because the USCIS would ask the same question when we went in for the interview.

"The regular way then, none of this internet dating." Luke smiled, piling up a set of plates on the counter.

"True. We're old school like that."

"Well, Lizzy is my high school sweetheart. I guess it can't be more old school than that."

I laughed because it felt like the right time to laugh. Hopefully, he would continue to talk about Lizzy if I helped him along. "So, how long have you been married?"

"Seven years now. It's soon time for our anniversary. When did you and Tom marry?"

I should have known that question was coming. "Actually not that long. Earlier this summer." I hoped that was vague enough. Old school had been the wrong thing to say. We'd married before we'd known much of anything about the other, and if truth be told, we still didn't know enough. We had passion and a fragile sense of something, but the solid foundation for a marriage was still lacking. The thought made me slightly nauseous. Questioning what we shared didn't help me in the least.

"Congratulations. You seem happy together."

The smile came automatically and without a single doubt. "We are."

Luke dashed away with the plates, allowing me to take a deep breath. I hoped the next person to walk into the kitchen was Tom. Or else, someone from our crowd back home. It would have been great to have them here. Lara would have known how to deal with everything. Chris could have calmed me down, and Dante would have said a few words of wisdom.

I had suggested calling them yesterday, but Tom had pointed out that only one day had passed. It had been a long day, though.

I wiped the last pan and leaned back against the counter. It was approaching party time. Soon, the house would be filled with people I'd never met, people who would wonder what I was doing there.

I decided to find Tom. We had to talk and set our story straight before everyone arrived. I discovered he'd been tasked to set up the balloons in the garden. He was tying a bunch of them to a tree while I stepped across the green grass.

"Baby, we need to talk."

He fiddled with the knot, dropping the entire set of balloons on the ground. I would have said he was blushing, but I couldn't exactly tell.

He cleared his throat. "About?"

"How we met. Luke asked me. He also asked how long we'd been married."

"Damn."

It would have been hilarious if we'd been anywhere else. "I told him I caught you looking at me in a bar and that we wed earlier this summer."

"Okay, good. I don't want to lie to them. But we might want to wait telling them about the green card."

"Sounds good."

A squeal of laughter sounded from the house. Murmurs of greetings. The first guests had arrived. Too early.

Tom didn't say a word but made a second attempt to fasten the balloons. His mouth was set in a thin line, and I thought it best to wait. He had to figure this out on his own.

"There you are," Lizzy called from the porch. "Tom, your cousin wants to meet you."

A woman stepped around Lizzy, and more or less ran across the lawn. Tom finished his task just in time to wrap her up in a hug.

"Bea," was all he said.

"You bloody fool. Took you long enough to find your way back," she said, fondly.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you're here." She leaned back, her hands still on his shoulders. "You could have picked up a phone, too. But you're here now, that's all that counts. And damn, you definitely grew out of that awkward teenage phase." She hugged him again.

They eventually let go, and she turned her attention to me. "And you're the husband." She kissed my cheeks, smiling, before she glanced over her shoulder. "This is gonna cause some drama." It wasn't said with either worry or malice. In fact, she sounded amused.

She addressed me again, "Welcome to the madhouse, and don't listen to anything you don't want to hear, all right? It's great to meet you. What's your name?"

I liked her. A whirlwind cousin. I was surprised Tom hadn't mentioned her because it sounded as though they'd been close in the past. "I'm Joah, and it's lovely to meet you too."

We'd been wrapped up in the moment, unaware of the other two who had entered the garden. The settling silence curled my insides with worry. The woman, who appeared just the right age to be Tom's mother, pursed her lips. A moment later, the man who had stood beside her turned and walked back inside the house. Tom's dad perhaps.

The silence held until Anath sprinted out the house. "Momma, look what daddy's brother got me." She showed the necklace that dangled around her neck, all smiles.

The woman, who I finally could say was Tom's mother, leaned down and had a closer look. Anath took the opportunity to hug her grandmother.

"That is a very fine necklace, dear." Her voice was shaky.

Tom came to my side, reached for my hand and nudged me to follow. This was another kind of fear to battle, but I did my best. We approached as Anath allowed her grandmother to rise.

"Mother," Tom said, offering his hand.

"Thomas." She didn't take it.

Tom inched back, clenching his fist before he withdrew his hand. "Mother, I'd like to introduce my husband. This is Joachim Carlsson."

I wouldn't go down without a fight. I offered my hand as well, and it appeared she couldn't refuse a proper introduction. She took it, hesitantly.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Carson."

She let go of my hand and glanced at Tom. "What are you doing here? Today of all days. The entire family will be here." She didn't sound angry—she sounded worried. "Thomas, after all this time."

Tom took charge, embracing her with no hint of fear. "I've missed you."

I could see how tension left her shoulders only to return. She returned the hug briefly before she eased out of his hold. "This is Anath's day," she said, nodded once and made her way back into the house.

We all stared after her until she disappeared behind a corner.

"That went better than I expected," Bea said, chuckling.

Tom didn't say a word.

I got Lizzy's attention. She'd stepped into the garden after her daughter.

"We'll be out here for a bit. Let us know if you need any help in there."

"I will." She approached Tom, placing a hand on his arm. "It will be all right. I know they have missed you. You might have to give them some time, but they are good people. You know that."

Tom took her hand, kissed it, and let her go.

Bea eased into a chair, crossing her legs. Her hair bounced on her shoulders in a mass of curls. "So, what have you been up to all these years, cousin?"

I couldn't thank her enough for the distraction. Tom sat beside her, placed his elbows on the garden table and began the story of how he'd met Lara at the shelter. He told her of lonely nights in the cold dark before he'd found anywhere to go, stories that I'd never heard before. Bea listened with rapt attention, offering encouraging words now and then to keep him going.

He chuckled eventually. "I had a stable life, then this guy here came and scrambled it up."

"Oh, do tell," she exclaimed.

Tom fastened his gaze on me. "He wouldn't give up. Kept burrowing inside although I tried to shut him out. I thought he would be nothing but complications. Young, too happy to have a grump like me in his life."

She laughed. "Admit it, you liked him from the start."

"I did. When he wasn't pushing my buttons to rile me up."

"Nonsense, if he hadn't pushed those buttons I bet you wouldn't have opened up." She smiled at me.

Tom grazed my hand with his fingers. "Perhaps you're right, Bea."

* * * *

The garden slowly filled with guests, some of them pleasant enough to greet us briefly. Others stayed away, pointedly ignoring us or sending me looks I could have lived without. It was strange to feel like the wrong center of attention, the odd one out who should have known better than to come at all.

Eventually, one of the disapproving guests approached. It was a woman, mid-fifties perhaps. Her mouth pinched while she surveyed Tom from head to toe. "So, you are gay."

"Yes, Mrs Baker," Tom replied.

"I heard you married this," she gestured at me. This, as though she believed me to be less than a person. "Well, your mother can't be proud."

Tom tensed from head to toe. Words had the power to wound, and no one could be expected to brush away something like that.

Another came by not long after. The guy was Tom's age, maybe a few years older. He took one of the garden chairs and placed it not far from us, sitting down with crossed arms. Eventually, he stared at us, sneering. "Never thought this day would come. You back here. Thought we made it clear you weren't welcome anymore." He chewed on something and spat. It was hard not to notice.

"And bringing back some white trash as well. It's lucky you can't have children."

Mrs Baker approached again. I had a feeling she'd overheard the rant and wanted to offer her support to the guy who forced us to listen or move away, both which would grant him a victory.

I set my shoulders, angry, and all too aware of the danger we'd faced only yesterday. I didn't trust people in this city. The slurs were getting to me, but I was tired of listening and not doing anything about it. This was a birthday party for a child, damn it.

I zoomed in on Mrs Baker. "Excuse me ma'am, do you happen to know where Mrs Carson is at the moment?"

Tom squeezed my hand, but I gave no other response than a squeeze back. Perhaps it wasn't my place, but I was done playing this game of hide and seek, where seek hadn't been an option until now.

Mrs Baker eyed me with contempt, chin raised. "She's in the house."

"Thank you, ma'am." I stalked off before Tom had a chance to stop me.

It wasn't a pleasant walk.

A man barred the doorway, refusing to let me pass. Everyone around us must have been either blind or deaf, since no one came to my rescue. He was huge, and stood on higher ground to boot.

"Please, sir. Let me through." I couldn't afford to be aggressive.

"You don't belong here. We don't want your kind."

I counted to five, stepped back and decided to walk around the house. Only, Bea intercepted me, walking straight up to the man with me in tow.

"Get out of the way, Sean," she said.

"You take his side, do you? Always knew you were the sort," Sean replied, shaking his head. "Can't trust women, these days. All feminist propaganda."

I was about to rip him a new one when Bea took matters in hand. She pushed his shoulder, deliberately stepped on his toes with her heel, and got us inside.

"He's always been a jerk," she said, pulling me further into the house. I didn't know if it made it better that he'd been an asshole to her as well, thereby showing it wasn't just me he disliked.

My nerves were shot, but I'd started this mission, and I was determined to complete it. Bea left me when I finally had my luck restored. Mrs Carson was alone in the kitchen, adjusting some decorations on the cake.

I approached slowly, placing myself in a position where I could help. There was silence at first, and I thought it appropriate. This needed timing. I became focused enough on the task of sorting flowers and giving her the right ones that the voices from around the house became muffled noises.

"I lost my family when I was twelve. Mom, Dad, my sister." I gave her another flower. "It's been twelve years since, and I still miss them every day. I know what it's like to live with loss and regret."

Mrs Carson met my gaze briefly, not saying a word.

"I never got another chance to have them back in my life." I paused, trying to calm my trembling voice. "I miss them every day." I gave her the last flower and retreated with a smile. I'd said my part and wouldn't press.

My steps were lighter on the way back, and I even stalled long enough to help Anath with a knot in her hair. People watched us, but didn't say a word. Then Lizzy wanted some help with a table. A few others pitched in as well, lifting it to the right position in the living room. I fetched one of the white linen table cloths I'd folded earlier and joined Lizzy to organize the silverware. She let me go with a wave when we were done, ushering me back into the garden. I felt bad for leaving Tom alone for so long, but I was also slightly worried that I would be met with anger.

The first thing I saw startled my heart. Mrs Carson stood beside her son beneath the tall oak, smiling and talking to the other guests. Tom waved for me.

It seemed everyone had migrated outside because the lawn was packed. The sun had settled behind a cloud, making the warmth slightly more tolerable. I carefully avoided to step on anyone's toes and finally emerged by Tom's side. He took my hand right away.

"Jonas, I'd like to meet Joah, my husband." The man, finely dressed with skin almost darker than Tom's, greeted me with cheer.

"It's a pleasure. Welcome to Smithfield. Have you been here before?"

"No sir, I've never been to Virginia before this."

"Oh, no need for sir, Jonas is fine. Well, you have plenty to see then."

Small talk. After all this time being slighted by almost everyone, or threatened, it was a strange feeling. And Jonas wasn't the only one. The guests would talk to Mrs Carson first. She would introduce Tom, and occasionally me. The difference was striking. Her presence had given him a place in the family again.

Luke approached, carrying a tray with several pitchers of lemonade that looked ready to topple.

Tom waved him in. "Lukey."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that ages ago." The smile on Luke's face revealed that he wasn't too bothered.

"Well, I'm an old man now. I forget promises."

"You're not an old man. What are you, 32?"

"Well compared to this guy here I feel pretty old." Tom nodded in my direction, but his smile was so warm that it was hard to take offense.

"I'm not that young, you know. Just eight years younger."

"You're born in the nineties," Tom replied, as if that was explanation enough. Luke seemed to agree, nodding for no good reason other than to taunt me.

"Well, I'll keep you young, then." I stuck out my tongue to emphasize the point.

Luke laughed, and so did several others who had listened to the exchange. Tom's mom had a secret smile on her lips as well, and I suddenly had the feeling that everything would work out perfectly fine.

Over the course of the afternoon, we had lunch, cake, and enough conversation to last us a lifetime. Those who had glared at us before appeared to simply ignore us. It was as lovely as could be expected, and I could tell how it affected Tom. He appeared both tired and overwhelmed, but most of all happy.

It wasn't until later that I realized that his dad hadn't talked to us.

A/N As you can see, this version is very different from the original. I'm super happy that so many of you seem to like the changes :) You're all wonderful, and thank you for your continued encouragement. It means a lot <3

Don't forget that Magnetic goes live tomorrow on Amazon. Woop!!