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“I can take Seth and Ruby. Give you some time to take care of this without them.”
“Oh, Huggie, really? Now that I’ve started, I don’t want to drag this out. And honestly, I don’t want them to see what I’m doing. This is hard enough on me.”
“Mel. I get it. I’ll pick them up from school and take them to the station to help set up for tonight.”
“Oh my gosh. Seth will be happier than a pig in slop.” I actually giggle. The sound surprises me as it passes my lips.
“I’ve missed that,” he says, staring down at his hands.
“What?”
“Hearing you laugh.” Huggie wraps his large, warm hand over mine. He possesses a unique warmth I don’t feel from others. Probably because he’s still grieving too. “We’ll get through this, Melanie.”
Flipping my hand over, I give him a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know what I would’ve done… between planning the funeral and helping with the kids, I wouldn’t have survived without you.”
“Mel. You guys mean everything to me. After my mom died, and I became estranged from my dad… well, I think I adopted you guys as my family whether you liked it or not.” Lifting my hand to his mouth, he gently kisses my knuckles before rubbing the area with his left hand. An odd current remains, like a tiny synapse gathering energy beneath my skin. My eyes snap up to meet his, finding he’s still looking at my hand. Had he felt it too?
“Okay, I better head out if I’m going to get the kids. Good luck with this. Leave everything here once you’ve packed it. I’ll take it wherever you want it to go.”
“Thanks,” I respond, feeling a little off-kilter. I’m sure it’s the impending doom of what lies before me. This isn’t going to be easy.
“I should be back with the kids around eight.”
“Okay.”
And with that, he stands and gives me a kind smile before walking away.
Huggie
“Uncle Huggie, what’re you doing here?” Ruby shrieks as she charges at me from down the school hallway.
I’d decided to pick the kids up from school so Melanie could have as much time as needed. Nothing about packing away Jake’s things can be easy. Hell, planning the funeral was hard enough. I can’t imagine how difficult it’d be to sort through his belongings.
“I have a surprise for you. But let’s wait for Seth-”
I’ve no sooner uttered his name when I see him round the corner. He smiles wide as soon as he makes eye contact with Ruby and me. It softens my battered heart to know I can make these two happy. Even if only for a few hours.
“Hey, what’re you doing here?”
“Well, I wanted to see if you’d be interested in having pancakes for dinner.”
“Wow, really? And Mom’s okay with it?” Ruby blurts.
“Okay with it. It was partly her idea.”So it’s a little white lie. She was on board once I mentioned it.“It’s our annual pancake dinner fundraiser at the station.”
“We get to eat pancakes for dinner at the firehouse?” Seth beams. Melanie was right. Happier than a pig in slop.
“Yes.”
The two of them start jumping up and down, and I suddenly feel like Santa Claus.
“Is Mommy meeting us there?” Ruby asks.
“No, Rubs. Your mom’s doing some things at the house.” My heart squeezes as a look of disappointment crosses her previously happy face. I’m sure she’s worried her mom is regressing.
Melanie had a tough time pulling through after Jake’s death. I’ve never seen a case of clinical depression up close andpersonal, but that had to be it. It took some work shielding the kids from the worst moments of her despair. She still has a way to go, yet she’s getting better every day. A sense of pride fills my chest at the thought.
Bending down, I lift Ruby’s chin. “I told her you’d make a pancake stack for her to go.”
