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“They’re not—”
“All here. Big family,” Tatum cut Sutton off. “The rest of them are waiting for us at home.”
“Good.” The nurse nodded as she handed a green folder to Tatum. “The discharge orders we went over earlier are in here. Give us a call if you have any questions. And be sure to follow up with your physician when you get home.”
She directed the last bit at Sutton, but she looked back at Tatum with a smile.
“Thank you.”
When they were alone, Tatum took the bag Adele and Everleigh had brought with them and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Sutton watched her pull the tags off.
“They’re not my family.”
“They might be mine, though,” Tatum answered quietly. “And if they’re mine, they’re yours. That’s just the kind of people they are, Sutton.”
Sutton scooted forward as Tatum moved around the bed to help her get dressed.
“Thank you.”
Sutton spoke the words as Tatum was helping her out of the hospital gown and into the t-shirt. Tatum froze, eyes on the cast on her sister’s wrist.
“The Murphys are um…well, they’re kind of clowns.” She laughed softly and nodded. “You’re gonna have some crazy messages on the casts.”
EPILOGUE
“…and I have to go to school.”
Tatum glanced at Charlie with a smile. He ducked to watch Bryony and his mom through his kitchen window. They had been playing Checkers on the screened-in patio for an hour. A soft rain fell outside, but storms were predicted for later.
“I think she’s kind of excited about starting school.”
“Maybe a little bit.” Charlie looped his arm around Tatum’s neck and pulled her close to kiss her. “How’s Sutton?”
Tatum answered with a little shrug. “One day at a time.”
Her sister’s bruises had faded. The cast on her wrist and her ankle were gone—though Bryony had insisted Tatum take a million pictures of both to showcase both her and Sev’s artwork. That surprised Tatum. Bryony liked Charlie’s whole family, especially Adele and Liam. But she and Sev had been two peas in a pod since the day Charlie and Tatum brought Sutton and Bryony home.
Sev had already taught her the words to “The Cover of the Rolling Stone.” His love of dill pickles and grape soda had rubbed off on her. And maybe best of all, Sev had been wearing the sloppy red and black friendship bracelet Bryony made him with the little kit Breena had given her on day two since Tatum tied it on his arm. Bryony had tried to do it, but she couldn’t get the small threads tight enough.
“Is she resting right now?”
They’d been staying at Charlie’s for several weeks now, though Tatum was still paying rent on her apartment at the Sage building. Within the next week, the plan was to move Sutton and Bryony into Tatum’s place, move Tatum into Charlie’s place, and get Bryony ready for school. Sutton, Tatum, and Everleigh planned to take her shopping on the weekend.
“Yeah. She was sleeping when I checked on her.”
Charlie quirked an eyebrow at her and tipped his head.
“No!” She swatted at him when he cupped her breast over her shirt.
“Why not?”
“Because your mom is right outside with my niece,” she reminded him.
“Mm-hmm.” He nodded. “Playing a thrilling game of Checkers. Remember that first time we made love, and I asked you about Bryony. You said you couldn’t talk about your niece when I had my face between your legs.”
Tatum snorted and shook her head. She knew what he was doing. The reminders, the kisses, the brush of his hands over her breasts. He was trying to seduce her, talk her into a quickie in the pantry. Odds were, he would succeed, but she had to keep him guessing, so she always put up a little fight.
“You don’t remember?” Charlie’s deep voice chased a chill up her spine.
