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APRIL
April sat in Bo’s favorite chair the next morning, trying to remain calm and stop nervously smoothing her skirt down.
Khall sat opposite her, between the girls. So far, he had cleared his throat twice like he was about to speak, and then gotten up to pace the room before sitting down to try again.
“Is something wrong?” Bo asked, her eyes widening with worry.
April and Khall had managed to make it through a very lavish breakfast at Mrs. Ginger’s with the girls, without giving themselves away.
But April already felt horrifyingly duplicitous.
And Khall had seemed relieved when she told him they needed to tell the girls today.
“They’ll be so happy,” he had assured her.
But it was one thing to like your babysitter and another to think of her replacing your mother. Especially when your mother was a hero angel who had saved the world. Those shoes were so big that April couldn’t even try to fill them. No one could.
“Should we guess?” Minerva asked, winking at April.
She knew. Sun gods, she knew.
April studied Minerva’s face. She looked actually happy. But that could be a trick of the light…
“I’m in love with April,” Khall said suddenly, completely skipping over the thoughtful preamble they had planned.
Minerva’s hand went to her mouth to cover her smile.
April felt her cheeks go hot.
“Like Prince Demetrius and Princess Jessamine?” Bo asked suspiciously, referencing one of her favorite fairytale books.
In the book, Prince Demetrius was so wildly in love with Jessamine, a girl from the town, that he willingly took on a series of impossible tasks to win her hand from her wicked father. With Jessamine’s help behind the scenes, he managed to accomplish them all. The story ended with a beautiful color illustration of Demetrius and Jessamine locked in a passionate kiss, against the backdrop of a cheering town and her frowning father.
“Yes,” Khall said, endearing himself further to April. “Exactly like them.”
“Wow,” Bo breathed. “You should be really nice to her dad, so he doesn’t make you do all those tasks before you can get married.”
“Oh, Bo,” April said quickly, “your dad and I are just beginning to—”
“That’s a damned good idea,” Khall said decidedly. “April, we should call your family after this.”
She blinked at him, wondering if he remembered that her family didn’t speak to her.
“Anyway, kids, we wanted you to know,” he finished.
April looked back and forth between the girls.
“How do you feel about this?” she asked. “Do you have any questions?”
“I think it’s awesome,” Minerva said, smiling warmly at April.
April felt grateful tears prickle her eyes.
“Does this mean you’ll be my mommy?” Bo demanded suddenly.
“Your mom will always be your mom,” April said. “But I’ll be one of your grown-ups who loves you. And I’ll always have your back.”
“Even if we ask you to jump off the balcony again?” Minerva asked.
