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I grinned. “I do.”
His hand wrapped around the back of my neck as his lips pressed against the mark he’d given me not so long ago, causing a shiver to run straight up my back.
“Not gonna lie, this is still not goin’ how I’d planned,” he whispered.
I laughed. “You need to make better plans.”
Seff turned toward the front door. “Wow, that old wolf is like a freaking ninja. Reminds me of my sister, Daelyn.”
A light knock came at the door before it opened. Einar stuck his head in, a grin on his face.
“Desarae, I’d like to share something with you.”
At the sound of Einar’s voice, the twins leaned over the railing and waved.
“Grandpa!” they shouted in unison, then raced down the spiral staircase.
“There are my granddaughters.” His grin turned into a wide smile. “I want you to see this.” Einar reached out a wrinkled hand to me. “May I have your hand?”
I placed mine in his firm grasp. He turned my palm up and set a small, intricately carved wolf figurine in the center, gently folding my fingers over it.
“I found this in Vera’s things. I want you to have it. I hope you’ll accept it and the love with which it is given.”
My heart filled with so much joy I felt like I might burst into a thousand little glittering pieces. I thought I had no tears left to cry, but I was wrong. I tried to speak and thank Einar for all he'd given me, but emotion had clogged my throat. So, I nodded, sniffled, and let the tears flow, again.
“Does that mean you’re Grandpa Einar’s granddaughter, too?” Arteisma asked.
Einar answered for me, his ice-blue eyes sparkling with happiness. “It means I feel she is part of my family, not by blood, but by choice.”
Nereida pushed forward between her sister and me. “Desarae and Seff get to be our mom and dad now?”
Einar’s smile never faded as he nodded. “That is their wish.”
Arteisma squealed again and danced in circles, her long hair twirling around her tiny shoulders. Without a word, Nereida looked up at Seff. Tears slid down her precious little face. Seff knelt and took her into his arms.
“You can call me Neri,” she whispered.
“You betcha,” he whispered back. “It would be my honor.”
Arteisma tugged at my hand. “Can we tell Poppo and Mimi?”
I grinned. “Absolutely.”
Arteisma looked up at Einar. “We call Albert and Evelyn, Poppo and Mimi, because they’re notreallyour grandparents.”
Einar grinned. “Well, since Desarae and Seff are your parents now, that makes Albert and Evelyn yourrealgrandparents.”
The twins’ eyes grew wide as they stared up at Einar.
“I’m so happy!” Arteisma cheered. She danced her way to the door. “Nereida, c’mon, we gotta go tell them!”
“You ready to spread the word, Neri?” Seff asked.
With a big smile, Nereida nodded. After Seff released her, she ran to the door on her tiptoes, more excited than I had seen her in such a long time.
Arteisma skipped to Einar and grabbed her grandfather’s hand. “Let’s go!”
Einar swooped down, picked both his great-granddaughters up in his arms, and headed toward the door.
