Not Luke Greene’s version of love.
Everyone is looking at Richter, and I reach over to rest my hand on his shoulder. A fatherly gesture that he doesn’t immediately shrug off, but I acknowledge that has more to do with his concerns over Casey and Skylar spending time together than his acceptance of me or my family. “Richter was just telling me how he has a computer with the internet, and that he taught himself how to use it to find Cleo.”
“Yeah,” Richter mumbles, finally shifting his shoulder out from under my hand. “I noticed you guys don’t even have a TV.”
“A TV?” Casey repeats, looking at me, and I smile at him.
“Something that other families have to entertain them. From what I understand, it’s the same with a computer.” I smile as I tuck my thumbs into my pockets. “We just don’t need those things.”
“Your kids might disagree,” Richter says, side-eyeing me, and I fight the urge to grab him by the back of the neck and shake him for questioning me. That is what Luke would have done. Instead, I simply shrug my shoulders.
“Maybe.” I lean against the doorframe, smiling at the pretty pair my son makes with Richter’s sister. “Skylar, what do you think of the computer?”
Her eyes widen slightly, looking between me and Richter with a vague sheen of panic. “I… um…”
“Skylar doesn’t use the computer,” Richter answers, and I chuckle.
“Well, then I guess it’s not that necessary.” I turn to face him as I glance back at the kids getting their outside clothes on. “But I am glad you used it to find us.”
“Daddy! Up!” Embry says, running over to me, and I scoop her into my arms, settling her onto my hip as I adjust the puffy coat on her shoulders. “Play in snow?” she asks, pointing outside, and I nod.
“Absolutely! We just need to wait for your brothers and sisters.”
“Nooooo!” she whines, squirming as she reaches for the doorway. “Ou’side!”
“Patience, baby girl,” I say, bouncing her a little as I look at Skylar. She’s curious about the girl in my arms, and I go with my gut as I walk onto the porch and hand her Embry. “Here. Go with Skylar, she’s your sister. She’ll take you outside with Casey.”
“I—” Skylar stumbles over her words as she grabs onto Embry, shifting my daughter to her hip instinctively.
“Will you and Casey take her to play in the snow? The others will be out in just a minute.”
“RACE YOU!” Gavin shouts, charging past us with Owen on his heels.
“Not fair!” Owen whines as Gavin runs full speed and leaps off the porch.
Chuckling, I tilt my chin toward the backyard. “Go on, I think you’ll enjoy having a little fun.”
“Snooow!” Embry whines, leaning toward the backyard while she tugs at Skylar’s shirt.
“Richter, if you wouldn’t mind staying inside with me so we can keep talking?” I smile at him, but I can tell he’s anxious. He doesn’t like being separated from Skylar, but he needs to learn to trust us.
We’re family. Skylar couldn’t be safer.
“About what?” he asks, and Casey reads my mind as he guides Skylar and Embry off the porch as Heather and Moira head out past us. I nod at them and then turn inside, blocking Richter’s line of sight as I close the door behind me.
“I want you to give us a chance, Richter. I understand what you want… for Cleo to return to your house with you and Skylar.” A clatter comes from the hallway, followed by a round of raucous giggles, and I chuckle as Sierra and Cleo leave their fortress to join the family for outside time. They race each other to the remaining shoes and coats by the backdoor, hopping as they pull on their boots quickly.
“Cleo, I was looking for you,” Richter says, reaching for his sister, but she’s too wound up to stay still for him. “Can you stay here for a minute?”
“It’s outside time!” Cleo says, shoving her arms into her coat, and there’s no ignoring the round of her belly in the shirt she has on now. She must have grown too warm playing in her room. “Sierra and me are going to have a snowball fight with the boys. You can’t be on our team because you’re a boy, but you can play with Gavin and Owen.”
“Maybe in a bit, sweetheart,” I answer her, and she just shrugs, pushing Sierra toward the door, and they’re gone in a flash.
“Why do you keep trying to separate us?” Richter snaps, facing off with me, and I sigh, pointing out the window.
“Come here and watch them.” Looking out, I can see the kids already starting their snowball fight. Running and playing. Skylar has put Embry down in the snow, but she’s hovering near her, watching, and I can tell she’d be a wonderful mother.
One of the boys lands a snowball on her back, and Skylar turns, surprised, but then she smiles… and it’s radiant. She laughs, reaching down to make a snowball to toss back at them, and even though she misses, I feel warm inside as I see her laugh. Glancing at Richter, his furrowed brow and pinched mouth, I can tell he hasn’t seen her like this in a long time.
“I’m not trying to separate you two, Richter,” I continue. “In fact, what I’m trying to do is show you how welcome you and Skylar would be here. How happy you could be here… just like Cleo is.”
“Cleo would be happier at home with me and Skylar.”
“Really?” I ask, turning my gaze out the window again. “Here she has brothers and sisters to play with, a big family who love and care for her. And Sierra is her best friend. They’ve been inseparable since Luke left her here with me.” I point out at them, the two girls bent
