“Perfect, you come with your girls and help him while I make breakfast. See how that all worked out?”
I sigh. “Are you alright, Dad?”
“He’ll be fine,” Mum insists.
“I’ll speak for myself, woman. I think I broke some bones!”
“What’d you say to me?” I hear Mum mutter, and Dad is markedly quiet.
This is the kind of relationship I grew up with. That filled me with so much comfort—my mum, so big and loud in everythingshe does, my dad quietly poking her with every chance he got. Bickering is their love language, and it ends the same every time, with Dad wrapping her up in his arms, loving her softly, and the biggest smile on Mum’s face. I think that’s why they’ve always worked so well; there’s no part of them that they changed for the other person. They love and cherish every single piece.
“Do you need me to meet you at the hospital?”
“No, sweetie. I was calling because I think in our rush to leave, I left the gate open. Probably the back door, too, after your father gave me a heart attack with his screaming.”
“Do you hear how much she loves me, son?”
“I hear it.” I chuckle. “Okay, I’ll just drop Maevyn home, then I’ll head over to yours and make sure everything’s locked up.”
“Such a good boy. So responsible, and tidy, you cook well—I made sure of that. So respectful and handsome.”
“Mum, are you trying to talk me up?”
“If you’re treating her right, she’d already know these things.”
“He is!” Maevyn calls with a grin.
“Good. I’ll talk to you later, loves.”
“Yep. I’ll call you in a bit.”
I hang up the call, clearing my throat. “So, those were my parents.”
“They sound nice.” She smiles, and I love the way I can hear the sincerity in her words.
“They are.” I nod. “Guess you’ll see for yourself soon enough. If you want to. My mum probably won’t stop until she meets you now.”
I glance over at Maevyn. She’s got her head turned to me, wearing a smile that looks calm and peaceful, and I wish I knew what put it there.
When we make it home, we see Callie and Aurora sitting on the deck chairs on my tiny front porch. I never use them; it’s something my mum insisted on having there, saying it made the place look more welcoming. The sight of my sister and Maevyn’sdaughter’s big smiles is definitely a homecoming I could get used to.
Aurora pulls my sister into a hug when they stand, then the second I have the car turned off she’s bounding over to her mum.
“I missed you,” Maevyn says, pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head, squeezing her tight before looking up at my sister. “Thanks so much for watching Aurora.”
Callie steps off the porch to join us. “Thank you for sharing her with me.” She smiles. “We had a great time.”
“Did you guys have fun?” Aurora looks up at Maevyn, arms still locked around her middle.
Maevyn takes a breath and sneaks a glance over at me. “We did.”
She’s right about that. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while, but the same could be said about most days since Maevyn and Aurora came into my life. Fun. Excitement. Anticipation. Something that roots itself in my chest and feels like a version of home. I feel the weight of attention on me and turn to find my sister staring at me, a speculating gleam in her eye.
“I gotta take off again,” I say, clearing my throat and avoiding her gaze. “Dad hurt his hand. Mum’s driving him to the hospital, but she thinks she left the house wide open, so I’m gonna do a check. I’ll take Patch with me.”
“Oh no! Is he okay?”
I open the back door of the ute, pulling out Maevyn’s bag. “Mum says he’s fine, Dad says his hand is broken.”
