AllFreeNovel
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“Auntie Em? You okay?” Josh asks as he slows to a walk.
“Yeah, honey. Just got some good news.”
“What is it? What is it?” Reagan chirps as Josh helps her up onto one of the high chairs around the island.
“Well, for right now, I have guardianship of you guys.”
Rae wrinkles her nose up. “What does that mean?”
“It means that I get to look after you guys.”
She doesn’t look impressed. “But that’s what you do now.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I give Josh a wink. “But now, it’s officially official.”
“I don’t get it,” Reagan says with a shrug. “Caro, doyouget it?”
“Nuh-uh.”
“See, Auntie Em?No onegets it.”
Still giggling, I walk around to the stove where I’ve been shallow frying fish sticks for the kids. I spoon them on a flat plate and set it on the marble countertop.
“Fish sticks!” Reagan celebrates. “Yayyy!”
Caroline nods in enthusiastic agreement. “I love this place.”
I plop down beside Josh. “Listen, guys, I know you like it here—but it’s just temporary, okay? We can’t stay forever.”
“Why not?” Reagan asks. “Ruslan won’t mind.”
Where did all that certainty come from? How did he manage to convince them in such a short time that he is so utterly devoted to them?
“Ruslan lives in New York, honey,” I say gently. “And we need to leave it.”
“But why?”
“Because…”Breathe, Emma. You can do this.“Because I think it’s important that we make a fresh start somewhere new. Just the four of us.”
Caroline and Reagan exchange a confused glance. “But Auntie Em, what about Daddy?” Caroline asks.
I swallow. “Guys, your daddy… He’s going through something right now. He’s not really able to take care of you guys.”
Reagan frowns. “Is that why he’s so mad all the time?”
“That’s part of it, yes.”
Reagan’s little rosebud mouth turns down. “So… we’re not gonna see Daddy again?”
“I think probably not for a very long time, honey,” I admit. The honesty hurts even me to say, but we’ve had enough lies around here. I won’t raise them in the dark. They deserve to know as much as they’re capable of handling. And if I know anything, it’s that Sienna’s kids are strong.
Both girls look contemplative, unsure how to process that information. Ben’s always been around even if he wasn’t present. Even if he wasn’t always nice.
“I’m gonna draw Daddy a card,” Reagan pipes up abruptly. “Aget well sooncard. How’s that, Auntie Em?”
I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. “I think that’s a great idea, Rae. What about you, Caro? You wanna make a card for Daddy?”
She shakes her head. “No. He wasn’t always nice to Josh. Or Rae. Or me. I don’t wanna make him a card.”
