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Trace wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “That’s my mate. So darn freaking smart and always amazing all of us.”
“Has she ever even had a birthday party?” Tavish asked.
Kier frowned. “I don’t know. What if asking upsets her?”
“She’s eight. If she’s never had a party before, that would be pretty upsetting. Has she said anything about the homes she was in?”
“I asked her last week, now that we’ve gotten to know each other a little better and she knows how supportive everyone is here, if she was hurt in any way in any home and she said no. I believe her. She did say that some of the other kids were mean, but mostly they stuck together. None of her foster parents were abusive. They were just overwhelmed, it sounds like, and didn’t make a lot of effort for any one child. They had too much going on, but it wasn’t anything like some of the stories you hear.”
They all let out a collective breath.
“Thank god,” Josephine whispered. “I’m just so glad that Sam had the idea to start a search.”
Tavish nodded. “It’s still ongoing. We might have more children, or even full-grown shifters join us in the next few years if the guy turns up anything.”
“Has Sam said anything?” Trace asked. He was probably Sam’s closest friend, but Tavish and Kier were his guards personally and for Greenacre, and they saw him just about every single day.
“Not to me,” Kier said. “But then, Lily is pretty much on his mind constantly. At least that’s all he wants to talk about, other than the boys. How she’s glowing and how the baby is going to be born in t-minus a hundred or so days. I guess no news means there really isn’t any news yet.”
“But the guy is still looking,” Tavish added. “If he wasn’t, Sam would have told us. He just hasn’t found anyone since Misty.”
“But back to the party,” Josephine said, focusing their attention like she was so used to doing. “What does Misty like? What’s she into?”
Kier was puzzled by that. “She likes pancakes.”
Josephine smiled at him encouragingly when Tavish and Trace snorted. “That’s a start. We could do a community thing, like a pancake breakfast, but have it in her honor as a welcome party, get the kids to add their own toppings.”
It was hard not to be floored by the suggestion. “That’s an excellent idea. I think she’d really like that. She’s so used to blending in and not being seen. Yeah. I think it would be something she remembered forever.”
“What else? Ponies? Magic? Unicorns?” Tavish prompted.
“Science. She really likes science. She talks about it all the time.”
“I’m a doctor and not a scientist, but maybe I could wear one of my old white coats and we could get some beakers and get Connor to help us with some experiments.”
Connor probably had enough on his plate as one of the only teachers at the Greenacre school, but he loved his job and he was good at it. The kids adored him.
“As long as they involve fire and things exploding just a little, I’m in.”
Trace elbowed Tavish. “You’re such a goober. How does January put up with you?”
“Very well, thank you.”
“If I talked to Connor, do you think it would be too much to ask?” Kier said.
“Not at all. He’d love that,” Trace responded.
“I think so too.” Tavish gave his vote of approval, and Rory nodded.
“If we make it on the weekend, I think everyone would come. There’s nothing like a good feast of pancakes and a reason to gather to get everyone excited. Maybe we could even do it at the school, in the gym or something, so there’s room for everyone. I’m sure the whole community would come out and everyone would be willing to help.”
“Would Taylee come?” Tavish asked cautiously.
The room went dead silent. Before last night, Kier honestly wouldn’t have been sure. She would have been uncomfortable. Overwhelmed. Shy. But now?
“I think that if it’s for Misty, she’d be happy to come.”
He didn’t want to get into the details about what happened the night before, when Misty asked Taylee if she wanted her there, and how both their hearts had broken at the little girl’s words, and how Taylee seemed to have shaken herself and made a new vow right then to try and accept what had happened, and carry on with life as best she could. He’d watched the anger evaporate like smoke clearing off a smoldering fire and saw some of the lightness come back into her.
