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“I think,” Cole says, “that when Mom saw she had to go, she sent Tati to be with us. Tati won’t leave us. She’s our mom now.”
That’s it. These kids will break my heart to pieces. I get up shakily and kneel down at Matt’s feet so that I can put my arms around them. “I’m not leaving you. You have no idea how much I love you. And I’ll be your mom from now on, if you want me.”
When they say yes, I cry so hard I can’t see, and all that keeps me from drowning in the floor of happiness is their arms around me, and Matt’s voice saying my name.
It took us a while to get here, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I may have lost Ross, may have never been able to save him, but I have this family, and I should count my blessings.
I’m so incredibly lucky.
Chapter Seventeen
Matt
It’s a rough day. First Evan, then Ross, then Mary. I feel like I’ve been through the wringer, and yet I feel lighter than before. At least now I know what ate at Mary all these months, and although talking about their mom felt like slicing open my own heart, I think it made a difference.
It feels like it, as we curl on the sofa all four of us, in front of the TV, even if Mary and Cole don’t fight about the show we’re watching, which is damn unusual. But Mary’s curled up against my side, sandwiched between me and Octavia, Cole sitting at our feet, and the defensive walls guarding her gaze seem to be down.
She giggles when Octavia tickles her arm. She sticks her tongue out at me when I ask her about school. All said and done, she’s her old self.
I just hope it lasts, and that we’ve convinced her things will turn out all right.
The droning of the TV, combined with the day I’ve had, makes me drowsy. At first the ringing of the bell is like an echo from a dream—until Cole jumps up as if he has springs in his ass and runs to the door.
What the fuck? Can’t a guy have a quiet evening with his family, after the emotional clusterfuck we just lived through?
“Gigi!” Cole yells, and I sigh, rubbing at my eyes.
“Want me to send her away?” Octavia whispers. “You look beat.”
“You too,” I whisper back, “and I love you.”
Shooting me a small grin, she ruffles Mary’s hair and gets up. “Not sending her away, then?”
“Have you ever tried to send Gigi away?” I snort. “She’s here to see you, and she’ll get her way one way or another. Better treat it like a Band-Aid. Tear it off in one go.”
“You comparing me to a Band-aid?” Gigi demands, entering the living room, led by Cole who’s determinedly tugging on her hand.
Damn the girl’s super hearing. “Who me? Nah. What’s up, G?”
She laughs as she grabs Octavia’s arm and pulls her close for a peck on the cheek. “Just popped in to see how your trip was. Was Destiny still where we left it?”
“Why not?” Cole asks, looking worried.
“Destiny will always be there,” Octavia says, smiling. “Just like we left it.”
“Why ring the bell?” I mutter as I straighten on the sofa, Mary still clutched to my side. “You have keys to the house.”
“Yeah, but I knew you guys were in. I couldn’t come in without knocking.” She perches on the armrest of the sofa, pulling Cole along. “Now tell me all about it! Did you find Evan? How is he? Did you see anybody else? Did you visit our old house
?”
“We didn’t find the time,” Octavia says. “To visit the house, I mean. Besides, the couple who moved in painted it a garish green color, and I wasn’t so keen on seeing it that way.”
I hadn’t even thought to ask her if she’d wanted to visit. I hope she’s telling the truth.
The smile she sends my way reassures me, though.
“Evan is okay,” I say. “He had a small accident, but he’s recovering fine. I have plans to see him more often from now on.” I stroke Mary’s hair. “You may see him, too.”
