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"I'm not Glenna's real kid. Elly, Emmy, and Evey aren't my dad's real kids, either. I don't think that matters much." Patton started toward the stairs. He looked back at Noah. "And my niece Ivy? She started off as Perci and Nate's foster kid. Like you’re Nick’s. Not their real kid, either. But she sure feels like she is. She's my niece just the same as Poppy. I love them the same. I think...you and Nova got Nick at the same time, right? If he can learn to love her, I think he can learn to love you, too. Real kid, fake kid, I don't think it matters. You're a Tyler now. That means something around here."
Noah didn't have any clue what the guy was saying. "What does that even mean?"
Patton smiled. He had the same smile as Nova. "I think you'll figure it out. I've got a glove you can borrow until Uncle Nick gets back with yours. Let's go throw hard things at the twins' and Parker's heads. They deserve it."
He wasn't sure what Patton meant, but when he tossed him a baseball glove, he almost got it. Nerves hit him again. "I'm not that great a player."
"That's ok. Neither is Parker. We just let him think he is. Otherwise, his ego gets a bit bruised. He's such a spoiled baby. Evey is better than he is—and she's just seven."
Maybe this place wasn't so bad. He was starting to actually have a friend. His sister had little girls to play with. Nick didn't talk to him like he was stupid or in the way, or order him to clean the house and take care of Nova all the time.
He had real chores, but so did Nova. And Nick. They all did them at the same time, with Nick singing stupid old country songs.
Nick laughed a lot, too. Like he was constantly happy or something. The exact opposite of how Noah's mom had been. She had either been sleeping all the time, sad all the time, or mad. "Nick laughs a lot. It's totally not normal."
"Nick always laughs a lot."
Noah just nodded. These people—weren't like the people he knew before. Not even a little bit.
He followed Patton outside as all the little girls ran outside when a big truck pulled in. Patton reached down and grabbed the littlest blond girl. Noah grabbed Becky instinctively, and shifted between Nova and the driveway. Sometimes Nova didn't watch where she was going. Especially when cars were around.
"Ivy's here!" one of the blond girls yelled. He hadn't figured out which one was which yet. "She's my bestest friend and cousin ever!"
The other girl grabbed Nova's hand. She glared at her sister. "Nova's mine!"
He watched the people get out of the big truck for a moment. They'd been at the church, he thought. Maybe. The woman had, but he thought she'd had little boys with her or something and a baby. Another truck pulled in behind them, with Masterson Vet on the side. The woman got out first. She looked just like the other. More twins, or something?
The little girl Ivy came running up. She saw Phil and Glenna. "Grandpa! Nana Glenna! I'm here!"
Glenna scooped her close for a hug. Then Phil took her. Just like that.
And she wasn't their real kid, either.But they were hugging her really hard.
Noah didn't know what to think now.
