Chuckling at how the girls were all-in on this new life, I called my mom. “We’ll only talk to her right now. We can see her next weekend.”
Yarrow answered immediately. Her blue eyes lit up when I squatted next to the girls and pointed the phone at us. I introduced Skylar and Lyric, who immediately started talking over each other. Skylar mentioned Beef Jerky. Lyric talked about Ramen. Nova laughed at how they were rambling about swimming and basketballs.
“We ate grilled cheese,” Lyric finished off. “Where are you?”
“I live in Rawlins.”
“I don’t know what that is,” Skylar said. “Can we go there?”
“Soon,” I promised, winning a smile from my mom.
“You’re coming here,” Skylar said and leaned closer to the phone. “You’re Boone’s mom. That’s our mom.”
When Skylar pointed at her, Nova quickly ducked into frame and waved. “Hello, Yarrow. I look forward to meeting you. Well, we met really fast at the wedding, but I look forward to meeting for real, I mean.”
“Is she high?” Yarrow asked me.
“No, she’s excited.”
“That’s good. I can’t deal with fast talking. Once I make her feel less nervous, she’ll talk slower.”
I grinned at Nova, who was trying to decide if she had done something wrong.
“We’re hitting up an Italian place for dinner,” I told Yarrow. “Why don’t I have the girls take pictures with their food and send them to you? You can talk to them through the week, so it won’t be scary when you meet.”
“Why would it be scary?” Yarrow asked and frowned at my dad nearby. “No one is scared of tiny, little girls.”
“I meant the girls might be scared of you.”
“Why me?” Yarrow cried. “I’m harmless.”
My dad laughed in the background while I chuckled next to the girls.
Ignoring our laughter, Skylar said, “You’re going to be my grandma. Boone is my daddy now.”
My mother’s expression broke my heart. Tears filled her blue eyes as she nodded.
“Yes,” she said and gave the phone to Blackjack.
“Why is she sad?” Lyric asked me.
“She’s excited to come see you. She also misses me.”
Lyric nodded and looked at Blackjack. “I’m Boone’s dad.”
“I know,” Skylar said. “You look like him.”
“He looks like me.”
“What?” Lyric asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” Blackjack said and chuckled. “We’ll be in town next weekend. Beef Jerky is coming with us.”
My dad won the girls’ hearts as soon as he lifted the dog into view. Beef Jerky sniffed the phone, sending Skylar and Lyric into hysterics.
“I love him,” Lyric told me after the call. “He’s my friend.”
Heading out of the condo building, I said, “I know the dog is cute, but I hope you like my mom and dad, too.”
