Page 229 of When Love Takes Root

“I’m warm.”

“You’re brown. We can still see it.”

“Leilani.”

“What?”

Josiah finally set his cup down. “Y’all done?”

Juice answered first. “No.”

Melody put a hand over his mouth. “Yes.”

Dr. Malcolm, who had arrived later with Renee and more coffee than anybody needed, looked over his glasses. “Let the man live long enough to make decisions in order.”

Renee smiled. “And let the woman enjoy her food before y’all start planning seating charts.”

Skye whispered loudly to Zuri, “Seating charts means wedding.”

Zuri whispered back, “Stay focused.”

I closed my eyes.

Lord, these children.

The sun started to sink behind the trees, turning the yard gold and soft. Someone turned on string lights. The kids chased bubbles across the grass. Kayden and Josiah stood near the basketball goal, talking now, no audience, no performance.

I couldn’t hear them, but I saw Kayden’s posture. Open. Relaxed. Still guarded in little ways because grief didn’t vanish just because joy entered the room, but he wasn’t standing like he had to protect everybody from Josiah anymore.

Josiah said something that made him laugh again, then he put a hand briefly on Kayden’s shoulder.

JJ came to stand beside me. “You good, Mama Cee?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He looked across the yard at Josiah and Kayden. “He’s solid.”

I turned to him.

JJ kept his eyes forward. “I’m not saying that because he got money, property, tools, and a grill setup that looks sponsored. I’m saying it because Kayden doesn’t laugh like that with people he doesn’t trust.”

My throat tightened. “I know.”

“And Maya showed him her sketchbook.”

“I saw.”

“And Zuri and Skye already included him in whatever conspiracy they got going.”

“That part scares me.”

“As it should.” He slipped an arm around my shoulders. “But you look happy.”

I looked up at my oldest son, my first baby, the child who had seen me become a mother before I knew how much motherhood would stretch me.

“I am.”

His smile was soft. “Good.”