He takes my hand, then leads me to Nora before dropping it to kneel in front of her. Her eyes shoot up when he’s in front of her, and he taps his ear to ask her to take her headphones off.
She does, then hands the phone back to Arlo. He shakes his head. “You can keep it for now. We’re going to go out here and wait for Salem.”
Her eyes light up. “I miss Salem. I haven’t seen him in, like, forever. Not as long as you, though.”
Those words hurt Arlo. It’s easy to see. It’s about time for these three to be home together. They need each other, and I’m finding that I might just need them too. I didn’t realize how dull my life had become until I met Arlo, and I definitely didn’t realize how much I was longing for this right here. A family of my own.
It might not have been what I pictured for myself, but with each second that passes by, the image gets more and more clear. Until it’s all I can think about. All I can see. All I want.
I’m going to love the fuck out of these three. I’m going to support them and take care of them and show them that life can be better than they ever dreamed of.
I can’t wait to get started.
Chapter 22
Jasper
“Whyishetakingso long?”
Arlo’s been tapping his foot against the carpeted floor of the waiting area for the last—I glance down at my phone—six minutes.
“It’s only been six minutes, baby boy,” I say softly.
Nora is sitting beside Arlo on the couch, her head resting against his shoulder. The time has flown by for me. Mostly because I’ve been staring at the two of them. It feels kind of like a blink-and-you-miss-it type of moment.
If I look away, it’s not real. I’m not sitting in a room with Arlo and Nora, waiting on Salem. Waiting on the rest of my instant family to show up and for us to be together.
I’m almost giddy, my heart thrumming unsteadily as we wait. Arlo’s irritation is fair. I can’t wait for Salem to get here either.
Arlo’s head snaps up when a car pulls into the parking lot, and I hold my breath as we wait for them to get out.
A long-limbed teen climbs from the front seat, his shaggy brown hair hanging over his eyes and most of his face. I exhale deeply, and Arlo jumps to his feet. “Nor, Salem’s here.”
Nora rips her headphones off, jumping up with her brother.
I stand back, watching as Salem glances toward the building, flipping his hair out of his face. I’m not sure why it surprises me, but he’s still got a baby face. He did in the photos that Arlo showed me, but… for some reason I pictured him more grown-up. Like he was separated from that round-faced kid in the photos. But he’s not. He’s still so young-looking.
And all this time he’s been alone. Just a kid stuck in the system with no one to care for him.
Well, no one but Arlo. And now me.
He reaches into the back seat of the car, pulling out a black trash bag, and flings it over his shoulder.
Something about that makes my eyes burn. I should have bought them suitcases. I should have thought of that. They don’t deserve to have their stuff carried around like trash.
Arlo’s edging toward the door, getting closer and closer as Salem does the same on the other side.
When it finally opens, all the air gets sucked out of the room.
Everything happens so fast. Arlo makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat. Salem glances from Nora to Arlo, and the two of them just… collide with each other.
There’s no other word for it.
For a second, there’s ragged breathing, then pained, choked-off sobs. Arlo kisses Salem’s head, then wraps him in his arms.
A whimper echoes from beside me, and then Nora’s rushing toward them.
Without even looking, Arlo pulls back, hooking his arm around her, and drags her into their hug.
