I went to Ellis and scooped her into my arms. She giggled as I kissed her cheek and tickled her.
“Hey, Trix,” I said, placing Ellis back on the floor with her dolls and Mr. Rufus. “Everything OK?”
“It’s good.” She smiled at me.
“Uh, if you want to take the evening off, you’re free to go. You can go hang out with the guys. Maybe Cas…?” I gave her a knowing look. Her cheeks flushed pink at my words. I’d caught them close to one another before we’d left on tour. Cas said it was nothing, but I saw the way he’d hugged her when he thought no one was looking.
“Oh, gosh.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I-I don’t think I should.”
“Why?” I asked, frowning.
“Vic.” She said his name so softly I had to lean in to hear her. “H-He doesn’t like it when I’m around too much.”
I scoffed. “He’s just a grouch. If you want to go, you definitely should. I know Cas misses you.”
“He does?” Her eyes widened.
I nodded. “He said he does. He told me a few days ago.”
“OK.” A tiny smile played across her lips. “Would it be weird if I just asked him to hang out in my room? I feel like that would be weird.”
I shrugged. “I don’t think it’s weird.”
A determined look crossed her pretty face. “OK. Well, maybe.”
“Just go,” I said with a laugh. “We’re fine here.”
She glanced at Ellis. “I can stay. You’ve been through a lot?—”
“Trix, go,” I said, grinning at her. “You’ll hate yourself if you don’t.”
She exhaled and stood. “You’re right. I’m going to go.”
“Go get ‘em,” I said, watching as she straightened her back before telling Ellis bye. She left a moment later, leaving me with the guys and Ellis.
It had been a long time since we’d all been in a room together as a family.
“Mommy, do you think Daddy misses me?” Ellis snuggled next to me on the couch.
“Honey, Daddy is right here. All of them,” I said, kissing the top of her head as she played with her teddy bear.
“No. Real Daddy. The one I look like.”
It happened in an instant. Evan, Anson, and Klaus all turned away from the computer and looked at us.
“Um, honey, I?—”
“I’m sure he does, nugget,” Evan said. “Someday we can talk about it more, OK?”
She was quiet for a moment as she fiddled with the bear. “Do you think he loves me?”
Evan stalked forward and went to his knees before her. I watched as he reached out and cradled her face.
“Nugget, your daddy loves you so very much. I know he does. I promise.”
She stared back at him with her big blue eyes. “Does he love Mommy, too?”
My heart clenched.
