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“All the more reason to be there!” Jade yells, swinging her hands out. “They won’t even be all together.” Scarlett wraps her arms around her, patting her back soothingly.
Holden shrugs as we both watch them, neither one of us knowing how to calm them down. At least Scarlett isn’t crying too. I sigh. “They’re going to be okay,” I promise.
Ian walks with his own beer in hand, his eyes immediately falling on the girls. He shakes his head, falling into the seat next to Holden. “We’re sending them to school, baby bird. Not war.”
Jade doesn’t even respond as she starts to cry more. Ian just chuckles under his breath. “She’s been like this all week,” he explains. “She hasn’t done a first day of school before.”
“Kindergarten is a big deal,” Scarlett defends. “Even for Trevor, it’s a big deal going to elementary school. More kids in the classroom, bigger playgrounds, interacting with older kids. It’s a lot. She’s allowed to be worried about them.”
I arch a brow at her. “We all want the kids to enjoy their first day,” I say. “Doesn’t mean we all need trench coats and large sunglasses to peer over fences and watch them.”
Holden lifts his beer in my direction. “It is creepy when you think about it.”
Jade huffs and wipes her tears away, turning her back on us. “Fine, we won’t use the trench coats.”
Ian sighs. “Or stake out the school?”
She growls under her breath and I don’t miss the way Scarlett’s lips twitch at the sound. She’s amused by Jade’s antics, but I know exactly where Jade learned it from. “Fine,” she agrees reluctantly.
“You already have the CCTV, right?” she whispers to Scarlett, who is already nodding.
“Of course. We can come back here after drop off,” she whispers back as if the rest of us can’t hear them. Not like I’m going to argue against watching the cameras though. I like knowing we can have eyes on our girl when she’s away from us. If Scarlett hadn’t done it, Noah would have.
I check my watch on my wrist and note it’s almost dinner time. “You two are going to have to get it together,” I start, but pause when they both glare at me. Ian and Holden chuckle and I roll my eyes. “The kids are going to be here with Charlene soon. If they see you two freaking out, they’re going to start freaking out.”
“Who’s freaking out?” Kade asks as he walks into the room with Noah and Ryder a step behind him.
“No one is freaking out,” Scarlett huffs.
“Sure, pretty girl,” I deadpan. She flips me off, making everyone chuckle.
Jade takes a moment to wipe up her remaining tears and takes a deep breath. “They’re just growing up so fast.”
No one argues against that. A lot has happened since I first met Rowan and the other kids. They’ve already gotten so much taller, and the way they all play together and even speak makes them seem so much older. They really are like little people now. The last traces of their babyhood fade a little more with each growth spurt.
Fuck.
Now I’m getting sentimental.
Based on how quiet the room is and the pointed looks at a lot of drinks, I’m not the only one. Just then, the front door is thrown open and the familiar pitter-patter of little feet can be heard. Kai is the first one around the corner, Roe right on his tail. His face lights up as he sees Jade and Ian.
“Dad!” he shouts as he throws himself into Ian’s arms. The room quickly becomes a cacophony of little yells and giggles as Roe snuggles in Scarlett’s arms, Cal wraps himself around Jade, and Holden scoops up Trev.
Ian is choked up and I swear I see tears in his eyes as he stares down at Kai. “You called me Dad.”
I bite my lip to suppress the laugh as Kai tilts his head in confusion. “You are my dad.”
Jade chuckles rather vindictively as she pulls Kai out of his arms and kisses his forehead. “Ignore your dad, he just has a lot of feelings about you two growing up so fast.”
Cal, who is now in Ian’s arms, kisses his dad’s forehead the way Jade always does for the twins. “Don’t be sad, Daddy.”
Kai still looks confused. “But why is he sad, J?” he whispers to Jade.
She’s got an evil smile on when she whispers back, “I don’t know, buddy. You’d think we were sending you off to war instead of Kindergarten with the way he’s acting.”
No wonder Ian always caves to her demands, girl knows how to get even. I cover my mouth with my hand to hide my smile, but Ian just glares at her.
“Grandma said it’s just for a few hours,” Kai consoles his dad.
