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“Me? Yes. I can be nice. What I can’t believe is that you’re the one asking that question.”
“Cora,” I moan, purposely first naming her.
She hands over Lulabelle who wiggles in my arms. “I can’t help it. I swear, you’ve rubbed off on me.”
“You go back to work tomorrow?” I ask, changing the subject. I know this will be difficult for her. I need to ask, to make sure she’s okay.
She swallows, her eyes on her baby daughter. Lulabelle smacks her full lips and reaches out, snatching a handful of my hair. “Yeah. Half day,” she says.
“That’ll be good. A good way to start.”
Coco nods, opening Lulabelle’s fisted fingers and freeing me. She gives the baby her finger to hold instead. “You move out tomorrow?”
“Yep.”
My sister slips a hand behind my back and gives me a side hug. “She’ll be okay,” she says, referring to our mother. “We all will. Time for Levi to live his life.”
“I can still live my life and help out my family,” I say, bouncing in a stationary sidestep for Lulabelle.
“Sure you can. You will forever be my favorite babysitter.”
“Did I hear that right?” Mom calls from the kitchen.
“After Mom, of course!” Coco says, loud and clear.
A knock at the door ends our conversation. It must be Meredith, the boys would just walk right in.
“I’ll take her,” Coco says, retrieving her baby daughter from my arms.
I hop over to the front door, and open it up, anxious to see if she’s wearing pants tonight…
Meredith stands there—in her first pair of jeans—and Bob stands next to her. Not in a robe, not in sweatpants, but khaki slacks and a polo top.
He’s out of the house.
He’s in real, actual clothes.
Sure, he isn’t exactly smiling, but he’s here. Meredith wanted him here. She told him if he had to put on pants to come, then so would she.
“Hello, Levi.” Bob gives me a little acknowledgment nod.
I hope my brothers aren’t too overwhelming for him. Right now, it’s the three of us. That isn’t too abnormal. The only thing off is Bob out of his bathrobe and in Mom’s living room.
That is until Miles and Owen walk up the porch steps and step through the open door.
“Hey!” Owen calls.
I nod at Meredith and she leads Bob farther inside, her arm linked through his. Turning him around, she offers introductions. “Bob, this is Owen and Miles, Levi’s brothers.”
Bob folds his lips in on one another until he doesn’t have lips at all.
“Nice to meet you,” Owen says, holding out a hand. Bob doesn’t take it though.
“Hello,” Miles says, almost as quiet as Bob.
We’re pretty chill until Cooper comes, then Jude and Alice. And then we are our loud and rowdy, usual Bailey selves.
I’m not sure how much more Bob will be able to stand when Mom says it’s time for dinner.
