One glorious week had passed. Norman stared out of his office window, and couldn't keep the smile from his face. He was married, and slowly, he was moving Sasha into his place. Their wedding hadn't been a big deal.No white dress, no flowers, no guests. Like Sasha wanted, they'd gone down to the courtrooms during a break, and simply gotten married, signed the paperwork, sealed it all up, and he'd placed a ring on her finger. It had to be one of the coldest moments of his life. Then he recalled Sasha's smile, and nothing had been cold about that day. They all had to make sacrifices, and she was giving up her life to be with him.There had been a few minor setbacks. She didn't want anyone to know that he was married in the office, so the ring he wore was around his neck attached to a necklace. Sasha wouldn't wear her ring either, which pissed him the fuck off.She belonged to him. They were in the process of making a baby together, and they were husband and wife. It would only be a matt
"Please tell me he's a meat eater?" her mother, Emma, asked."Yes, Norman likes meat."Sasha sat outside of the office building, eating a sandwich. Norman was on a very important conference call. She made sure he had some lunch and decided to eat hers outside on one of the walls, watching the hustle and bustle of the city life go by."Good, good. I have no problem with people being vegetarian, or whatever they want to call it. Just not for me. A meal is not a meal without some meat.""There are a lot of people who will disagree. I like vegetarian food. You should make the lasagna. Amazing."She heard her mother's scoff. "Can you imagine me feeding Harold a vegetarian lasagna?""Nope. Dad wouldn't talk to you for weeks.""Now that you say that, I may just make it for him."Sasha started laughing. Her mother and father loved each other very much. "How much does he know of... my arrangement?""He knows everything, sweetie. You know I don't keep things like that from your father."Sasha g
Later that night, Norman was waiting for Sasha to finish in the shower. He would join her, but he had plans with her, and he intended to carry them out. After he'd escorted her to the human resources department for the two of them to change their marital status, and also her name, his building was humming with gossip.Martha and Lottie took the time to stop by her desk to ask about the details of what was going on. When she had looked toward him, he'd gone to help her, letting them know that they couldn't stop love.Norman stared at his reflection in one of the mirrors, and then stared down at his wedding band.Love.He'd never felt it before in his life. The people in his world didn't deserve love, and he didn't really believe in it either. At least, he hadn't.No, he didn't love Sasha.Love was just an element of control that people used.He believed in sex.Sasha came out of the bathroom dressed in a towel."Why did you take my nightshirt?""Why would I want you dressed?" He ran hi
That Saturday, Sasha stayed beside Norman, holding onto his arm as they were surrounded by congratulations. She didn't miss the questioning looks that some were throwing their way. There was no mistaking their confused thoughts. They were all wondering why he was with her.Norman, though, he was so different. The kids from over ten different foster homes in the area had turned up at the school for a day of fun. Every year Norman would donate money to the school so that he could host these events. The previous four years she had stayed in the background, playing her part but never really getting too close.This year was different. Norman grabbed her arm, holding up their hands, and announcing to the whole event that they were husband and wife. He didn't address anyone but the kids."Kids, listen up. Something is a little different this year. You see this beautiful lady by my side?""She's your PA," one kid said."Now she's my wife. Sasha accepted my proposal.""Does that mean you're in
"Norman, this is my mom and dad, Emma and Harold Miller," Sasha said.The two people were a lot older than Norman imagined, but he saw that they were loving, caring people. The kindness in their eyes showed through. While he'd been participating in this yearly event of torture, "taste the food", he'd noticed her parents arrive. The care they gave to each child was something he admired."Hello, it's great to meet you," he said."It's about damn time we met you. Been married for what? A month or so, and we're only getting to meet you now. It's a disgrace.""Dad, stop it," Sasha said, chuckling. "We've been busy, and we both know you'd have needed to calm down before you could even accept him into your life.""Yeah, well, a father is still allowed to be ... annoyed."Norman smiled as he noticed Harold hesitated before saying something, making sure kids didn't hear any cussing words.According to Shannon, the event was a roaring success. Norman would double, maybe even triple, his donatio
Sasha watched as Norman spoke with his clients. It had been a week since he'd asked her about Logan. Things were moving slowly with Logan, but Shannon was reassured that they would be able to have him by next week. Until then, they both went and visited, getting Logan used to them.The boys with Logan weren't angry or upset that he was coming home with them. In fact, they were damn happy. She was shocked by the love the boys showed Logan, and she was proud.The workplace gossip had died down now. No one was whispering behind their hands, looking at them, and laughing. It was the laughter she'd hated more than anything. Norman wouldn't let them hide their relationship anymore, and for that she was glad. She'd never enjoyed hiding that part of herself, and it never felt natural for her to."Here you go," Lottie said, interrupting her."So sorry, I was away in a different land there," she said, taking the mail from her."Marriage must really suit you.""Why do you say that?""You're pract
Norman watched as Sasha kissed Logan's cheek, wrapping him up in his new jacket. Each time they brought him back to the foster home, the harder it was to leave him behind.There had been a snag with the adoption, but Shannon was dealing with it.There had to be an assessment done on Logan to make sure he wanted to live with them.Their backgrounds had come back fine, and Shannon assured him it was just down to paperwork. One department needing to talk to another, and rather than phone calls, they had to do it in paper. He was used to problems like this.Logan threw his arms around Sasha, holding her close.She was so beautiful, and she took his breath away. They had been together for a little over a month now. A month of being married, and he loved her ever more.Shannon nodded at him, taking hold of Logan's hand as Sasha came back to him."I hate this. I hate leaving him.""We'll have him soon. I've already got my lawyers working on speeding up the process." He handed her some leafle
Two weeks after purchasing the house, they had Logan officially adopted. Norman took as much time away from the office as he could. Sasha went to the office between school hours, completing his work for him. He didn't want her to hire anyone else. Another two weeks after they had Logan, their house was available, and they moved in on that weekend. Her parents came to help as much as they could.They looked after Logan while she and Norman organized movers. They had her mother's slow-cooked pulled pork for dinner rather than have takeout.For an entire weekend, they got the house exactly as they wanted, starting with the bedrooms, and bathroom. Time seemed to move quickly but smoothly where life just played out.Logan came out of his shell, and completely animated their lives. She loved him like he was her own son. He talked constantly about what he loved, which bands he enjoyed listening to. It was fun getting to find out what food he liked as well. He didn't like broccoli, which was