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“Oh, Kin.”
“There are far worse stories out there. She never hurt me. Not physically. She was just not there. I’m not sure why she even had me, to be honest. Then finally, she got tired of me.” I looked down at the folds of my skirt. The echoing click of her heels was the last thing I remembered. Not her voice, not her perfume, not even her face.
“Anyway, she left me with a priest in Syracuse. He was kind to me. Gave me my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I’ll never forget how lovely he was. After, I bounced around between a few foster homes.”
“How old were you?”
August’s deep voice brought me back. “Thirteen, I think. My birthday wasn’t really a thing. Just another day. In those years, everything sort of blurred together.”
“Piece of crap.”
I tightened my fingers around Ivy’s. “She was just…a void. I didn’t look back on it. I just tried to do things on my own. I found a way around the system. I started sewing the hand-me-down clothes I got from the other foster kids. At first, I did alterations so they fit, then I made a few bucks because I used the material to make other things. Hair ties, book covers—whatever I could to make a few dollars so I could buy more and make more.”
“And Kinleigh’s Trunk was born,” Ivy said between sniffles.
I patted her hand. “Yeah, thank the goddess for free apps. The more business I did, the more things I could buy at the Salvation Army or swap meets. I made friends where I could, couch-surfed and then met some art students in college. They didn’t care how old I was. All they cared about was how quick I was with a needle. I helped with costume alterations and mending in exchange for crashing in a spare room. I didn’t care where.” I ignored Ivy’s gasp and how August stiffened behind me. “Eventually, I saved enough for a shitty apartment, and I got my GED so I could get a job.”
August rubbed his thumb along the back of my neck in soothing circles.
“Oh, Kin.” Ivy’s voice cracked. “I can’t believe I didn’t ask you more questions.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t want you to. It’s easier to be the hardworking girl with her own business than to see those pitying looks when people find out I’m a foster kid.”
“But I’m not just anyone. And I don’t care. I mean, I care.” Ivy swiped away tears. “But it doesn’t matter where you came from. You’re just my sister, my bestie, my person. Well, Rory is my person too now, but you’ll always be the first.”
I leaned forward and hugged her. “That day you came to my trunk party was the first time I’d ever felt like I met someone who mattered. Then you gave me a family. Annie loves me more than any dream mom I could ever make up.”
“She does love you. We all do.”
“It was just easier starting over. When I saw that window in my building, I knew it had to be mine.” I turned to August and cupped his face. “And you were the annoying older brother who was so bossy. When we both wanted a storefront—well, it was just perfect. I could have everything I ever wanted.”
He caught my wrist and brought the palm of my hand up to his lips. “You were everything I ever wanted. I was just too blind to see it at first.”
“I’m really good at making people not notice me.”
“Oh, I noticed.” He hauled me in close. “I always noticed.”
I laughed into his neck. “Liar.”
“I’m not supposed to look at my sister’s friends. It’s just asking for drama, but I always noticed, Kin.”
I sniffed and tipped my head back. “I hate crying.”
Ivy giggled an
d threw herself into our little circle. “I hate it too, but now I get a sister for real. Not that it wasn’t—”
I hugged her back. “I get it.”
“But you see why I was so scared, right?” I tucked my chin on Ivy’s shoulder. “I just have a really bad track record with guys.”
“I’m not some guy,” August said gruffly.
“No, you’re way worse. You’re Ivy’s and I couldn’t hope for you to be mine too.”
He hauled me back onto his lap. “I am yours though. I am.”
“I know.” I hung onto him because as much as it scared me, I wanted it to be true. So very much. Hope was terrifying, but there was a little bit of it growing inside of me—I just knew it. And my little baby would be so blessed to be a part of this family.
