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On the other side of the backyard, Dash throws his toy turtle. He’s got a pretty good arm. It lands in the pool. Haven scampers over and fishes it out. She wrinkles her nose, making a funny face as she hands the turtle back to him.
He’s delighted. Throws it in the pool again. Definitely his father’s son.
Lita decides that she wants to be part of Dash’s fan club so she leaves me with my thoughts on the patio and joins her sister on the picnic blanket. Haven smiles at her twin and makes room.
She doesn’t understand the things she does to my heart.
How could I have ever forgotten her?
Yet when she told me the whole story in the hospital, I knew. Couldn’t remember. Couldn’t picture it all clearly, but Iknew.
I’ve always belonged with her.
Footsteps crunch and Micah stalks into view. He searches for his wife and son, then sniffs out a laugh when he sees Dash hamming it up for his audience. Charlotte parades around the yard with Total in her arms. She points out the sights and talks to him like he’s a person.
Meanwhile, Gage is currently trapped by Matilda over by the gazebo. Gage is clearly not listening to a word my aunt is saying as she carries on, flapping one arm in the air for emphasis while the other arm holds tightly to her eternally confused husband. Gage sends a scowl of disgust this way.
Micah snickers and claims a chair. “Better him than me.”
“What’s your mother harassing him about anyway?”
“Pestering him to sit on the board again. She’ll be pestering you too so stay alert.”
“Thought she gave up on turning us into corporate minions.”
“Nah. She might have given up on me. But she figures you two can still be beaten down.”
“Well, I am looking for a new career. Maybe I’ll listen to her pitch.”
He shoots me a quick look, then faces away again. I could almost detect anxiety in his face, which isn’t likely. Micah is as anxious as your typical lion.
“I chased those fuckers off,” he finally says.
“Why didn’t you invite me? I was unaware that there were fuckers to chase.”
“Damn reporters skulking like rats.”
“Do rats skulk?” Honestly, I don’t know.
He kicks my leg with the toe of his shoe. Sometimes he’s like a gigantic, ornery toddler.
Micah glances at his wife to see if she’s paying attention. “Don’t tell Tessie that I kicked you. I promised to be extra nice.”
“All right. But that sounds kind of dull. Anyhow, did the fuckers leave in peace?”
“Sure. At first they refused to move and kept shouting football questions but once I started waving my handless arm they got scared and ran off.”
“Good. But I’ll have to answer the football questions sooner or later.”
Aside from a ten minute press conference at the hospital yesterday afternoon, I haven’t made a public statement. I turned my phone off because my agent kept calling every five minutes with offers. I could appear on Good Morning America. Or I could get interviewed by Oprah. There was even an idea pitched to star in a reality television show, like I’m a Real Housewife of Kardashian Whatever.
No thanks.
All I want to do is love my girl and maybe find a hobby or two.
Micah’s watching me. “I’m really sorry about football. I know how much it means to you.”
“Meh, I choose to look on the bright side. Now I’ll have plenty of time for landscaping projects.”
