Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
Where’s Tatum?” I ask as I place the food on the dining room table, looking at Kellan, who’s started to fix plates for the kids.
“He said he’s thrilled I have a boyfriend now and he doesn’t have to take care of my sad ass,” Kellan says, and I laugh but can’t resist leaning in to give him a quick peck on the mouth, which of course causes all four kids to groan about how gross it is.
I take a seat next to Kellan, unbothered. It’s been a hell of a week since we officially told them about our relationship. I actually haven’t been back to my apartment since then. I probably should, but it’s been so comfortable here. Like home.
Cason has been less prickly since his brother got him a gym membership, and I have to say that was a great call. Not that I get to write that on any forms. I just got to tell my boyfriend how proud of him I was in bed the other night.
And every night.
It’s incredible what he’s accomplished in these eight months, and I have no doubt the new social worker, Brooke, will be recommending he gets full and permanent custody of all four kids. She’s a friendly woman, who takes her job seriously but could see how much Kellan loved these kids from the first visit.
She also wasn’t all that surprised to see me here when she showed up—said Margie had given her a heads-up. I don’t know why Margie didn’t call me out, but Brooke told me she actually met her husband in a very similar situation, and they’re going on ten years’ married now.
I start to eat slowly, looking around the table at the kids and Kellan—wondering if we’ll get married someday, but not really needing that answer. I don’t even know if I want that, but I know I want him and them in my life forever.
“Do you think Brooke will be here next week?” Braylen asks, shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth.
“I don’t think she’ll be back for a few weeks. You guys are on the downhill part of this process. Don’t need much supervision,” I say with a smile and hand him a napkin when some of the potatoes escape his mouth. “Why? Don’t you like Brooke?”
He shrugs his little shoulders. “She’s fine, but I don’t want to clean my room.”
I meet Kellan’s eyes as he laughs. “God forbid you have to clean your room.”
“I know, right?” Braylen says happily. He looks over at me. “I do like having friend Phillip here, though, instead of you having your forms.”
I laugh, but it warms my heart to hear it. If the kids had a problem with me being here, it would hurt, but I’d have to respect that. They matter. And they spent so many years of their lives thinking they didn’t.
Thankfully, they’ve all expressed they’re fine with me being here, and I’ve spoken to each one of them individually to tell them they can still tell me anything. That if it ever becomes a problem, they can talk to me.
Cason is turning sixteen tomorrow, and we’re having a small party here for him. I already have all the stuff, and it was on the calendar a long time ago, so no one will forget. I’ve noticed so much growth in him since the very beginning. It seems he’s starting to heal. They all are.
There’s one last hurdle to jump through, and that’s the court date, but at this point, it feels like just a formality.
I can’t wait to see Kellan granted guardianship of the kids—the kids he felt like he left behind but could never possibly have. He carried them with him every single day, and now they’re all back together.
As I look around at them, I realize I got what I didn’t even know I was searching for. A man who’s strong enough to be vulnerable but who doesn’t need me to fix him. Didn’t even want me to try.
He just wanted me with all my flaws and uncertainty.
And honestly, that’s pretty damn great.