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“Like fools.”
She smiled, releasing him. “I’ll get the boys up. I’m surprised—”
“Mama!” Theo raced into the room, crashed into her legs, and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Today’s my birthday party!”
“It is!” She kissed the top of his head. “Are you excited?”
“I’m so excited.” He turned to Joel. “Good morning, Daddy!”
“Good morning, Theo-potamus. Everything’s all set up for your party, baby boy.”
“Do you think my friends will come?”
Theo had made a few friends at school, and they were expecting a good deal of his classmates to attend based on their RSVPs. His entire soccer team was also supposed to be attending, and they’d invited friends of Thandie’s and Josiah’s, including Malia.
“They’ll come,” Joel said.
Joel’s parents entered the nursery.
Ayesha released Theo to give him a clear path to rush-hug his grandparents.
Jemma picked him up and squeezed, planting kisses all over his face that Theo ate up like candy. Next, they graced her with hugs and kisses on the cheek and forehead that made her skin flush with warmth.
She’d forgotten about this aspect of becoming part of another family. Archie and Jemma helped to provide a Band-Aid for the wound losing her parents had created, as well as Curtis’ family’s detachment. For Josiah’s sake, she recently started letting him talk to them via video chat, and the last time they spoke, she heard them ask if she was doing well.
“Grandma Jemma, Grandpa Archie, I missed you!”
Archie and Jemma had been there for nearly a week.
Jemma rubbed her cheek against his. “We missed you too, sweetheart.”
Theo, in full baby mode, set his head on Jemma’s shoulder. “I have a daddy and a grandma and a grandpa. I never had a daddy or a grandma or a grandpa.”
Archie tugged Theo’s cheek. “And we’ve never had a Theo. Might I add, you are the best Theo I have ever met.”
“Have you met a lot of Theos?” Theo asked, eyes wide.
“Dozens,” Archie said. “At least one hundred.”
“AndI’mthe best one?”
“The very best one.”
“Daddy,” Theo raised his head and turned to Joel, “I might be the best Theo in the world.”
“You’re certainly the best Theo in my world.”
Jemma kissed his cheek. “Come on, best Theo. We have a breakfast suitable for a birthday boy downstairs.”
“And son, if you don’t mind, I’ll just…” Archie scooped Tiare out of Joel’s arms. “Thanks, son.”
The four of them left, Theo asking if Josiah was awake yet as they disappeared down the hallway. Ayesha and Joel remained behind, brows wrinkled.
Joel looked down at his empty arms. “What just happened?”
“I’m not sure.” Ayesha looked around the room. “There were kids in here, weren’t there? It all happened so fast.”
He erased the gap between them, took both her hands, and kissed her palm. “Since my parents seem to have this handled, and we have some time before the party, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
