Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Serenity
“You’re not packed,” Big Dan says, standing in the doorway of the room that’s been mine for the past two weeks.
“I am.” I point to the backpack sitting on the vanity chair with the quilt carefully folded on top.
“That’s all you’re taking?”
“Yep.”
He sighs but grabs the bag and leaves the room. I know his wife will be up next. They work as a team.
“Why aren’t you taking your things?” she asks.
“I took what I needed.”
“I saw what Dan brought down. You couldn’t have packed more than a few days’ worth of clothes.”
“Well, I’ll be back in a few days so …”
Her face softens, and she joins me in the window seat. “You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like, but you know your heart is calling you home. Home is not here.”
“I want it to be.”
She places her hand against my cheek. “You know my boys think of you as a sister, and now my daughter has claimed you as one too. You were meant to come into our lives, and Dan and I will forever be here for you. But we wouldn’t be very good parents if we didn’t give you a little nudge out of the nest, would we?
Staying here isn’t what’s best for you.”
“I’m scared.”
“Can I show you something?” she asks.
“I suppose.”
She pulls up a video on her phone. I hear Mila’s little giggle before she even hands it to me. My heart begins to ache.
“Sometimes big broody men can be a little hardheaded, but if you get past the gruff exterior, you’ll find something inside them that is golden.”
I let out a half-sob, half-chuckle as Rage and Mila spin in circles with their arms over their heads like ballerinas. They’re mimicking the little duck that twirls on top of the music box.
“Again! Again!” Mila squeals when the music stops.
“I told him the music box would work,” I whisper, holding the phone out to her. “They look happy.”
“But they’re missing someone,” Lily says, gently pushing it back.
Rage winds the box up again and sets it on the table. Mila drops to her knees, resting her chin on her hands to watch it. She points to the duck in the middle. “This Mila.”
Rage laughs and then smiles. He smiled! My heart skips a beat.
“No way. You’re a duck?!” He places his hands over his chest like he just can’t believe it.
She nods, giving him an ornery but shy grin. She points at the little boy. “This Daddy.” And then her tiny finger pats the girl on the head. “And this is Mommy.”
Everything after that becomes blurry.
“We’ll pack you a few more things, just in case you decide to stay,” Lily says, helping me to my feet.