Chapter 13 #2
There were a thousand different things tugging on Atlas, taking him away, and I would never stand before those and beg him to change.
That wasn’t fair to either one of us. But now, we needed to figure out who Atlas and Lizzie were in the face of this new reality, versus the path that we had taken before.
By the time we got out of the car and inside Summit Grill, I had successfully pushed those worrying thoughts from my mind, and now I could focus on this evening.
Rune had made sure that as many of our friends could be here as possible—including the ones that worked so many hours, that even though they were here, I knew they were still on call.
And he had specifically asked everybody to bring their kids with them, so it was a family affair. There might be a bar involved in this building, but it wasn’t the only part that was important.
Rune even had a kids’ menu for that reason.
“I have your sparkling water over here,” Rune said as he pointed towards the bar where a variety of drinks were already laid out. “Elizabeth, darling, what would you like?”
“Hey, hands off,” Atlas growled as he put an arm around my shoulder.
“He’s not touching me, Atlas.”
“Just marking my territory.”
“Next time, just pee around her,” Teagan said before she met my gaze. “Actually, don’t. That was disgusting.”
“Damn straight,” I said with a laugh. I squeezed Atlas’s hip and moved away. “Go, be with your friends. I am going to go annoy Felicity.”
“Tug on my sister’s ponytail for me,” Atlas ordered. I rolled my eyes, knowing that he would forever be the big brother who annoyed her.
Teagan and I went over to Felicity, who was having an animated conversation with Keely and Tess. I looked around for Tess’s daughter, and the other woman met my gaze.
“She’s in Rune’s office, taking a nap.” She pulled out her phone and the camera app. “She’ll be awake soon and hungry. But she didn’t get an afternoon nap earlier, so our schedule’s a little off.”
My heart tugged ever so slightly at the love in Tess’s voice.
Promise came over to us, one twin on her hip, and I knew the other was on Finnian’s.
I hadn’t realized how much I had wanted to be a mom until this moment.
No, that was a lie. It had always been in the back of my mind, something I didn’t want to think about because that meant I knew I was either behind or lacking.
In another life, I’d have been married and had babies by now.
I had always thought I would. But that wasn’t my life.
I had a job I loved, people that I cared about, and a future that was slightly murky at the moment.
But my life wasn’t over because I hadn’t had children.
I still might not. I looked over at Atlas, who was in an animated conversation with Finnian and Sterling.
Even if this worked out between Atlas and me, it didn’t mean that marriage and babies were on the way.
I didn’t know if I was even prepared to have a baby at this point in my life, let alone be a mother.
I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never be, and I didn’t know where I sat in this moment.
There was a slight kick to the gut as I realized that my parents would never meet those future babies.
They were gone, and I had no one left. No one to call true family.
Other than the people in this room, the family I had made along the way.
But no matter what happened next in life, my babies would never meet their grandparents. If I had those babies at all.
I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as Atlas gave me a worried look, and I smiled brightly before going back to talking with the girls.
We discussed future plans, the school year, and an upcoming town event because, of course, there was another parade on the way.
And as we ate the food that Sterling and Rune brought out together, somewhat bickering, I relaxed and settled.
Will served everybody, looking proud of himself for not spilling anything, and I reached out to him and paused. “Have you eaten?”
“I have. Rune made sure. Have fun, okay? You deserve it.”
I saw the worry in his gaze, and the unknown in his future as well. Because when Atlas left, we needed to have a plan. I knew that we were all working on it, and it wasn’t dire in this moment, but there was still a sense of unease.
By the time the dinner ran down, and Thatcher and Kellan’s teenagers were carrying around the younger babies, trying to make them laugh, I was ready to go home. I had too many emotions whirling within me, and frankly, I needed a moment or two. Because Atlas wouldn’t be here soon.
And I would have to be okay with that. Including any judgment this town may bring.
“I can ignore my brother and sister and come with you,” Atlas teased as he took my lips.
I pushed playfully at him and shook my head. “No. It’s fine. Will needs to go home, and I know you both need to have a talk.”
“We already did.”
I frowned. “What?”
“I know I can’t ask you to move in with me.
” I opened my mouth, alarmed, but he continued.
“That’s something we can discuss later. But Will will have a place under my roof for however long he needs it.
And that’s going to be forever because I’m not letting that kid just go away on his own.
It’s scary out there. He’s going to pay rent because he refused to live just on my so-called charity.
And that’s fine, and I’m going to take all of his rent and put it into a college fund so that any yields that come from that account can help him out. I’m diabolical that way.”
I went on my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him hard on the mouth. “You are amazing.”
“I know, right?”
“Okay, okay, stop pawing at her. You’re ours for the evening.” Rune tugged Atlas away, and I laughed.
“Have fun tonight. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Well, that precludes everything, doesn’t it?” Felicity teased. I waved her off and then followed Will to the SUV.
“Can I drive?” Will asked. I nodded and went to the passenger seat. “I hate driving, to be honest. But this is nice, like a chauffeur.”
“I think that’s what teenagers are for,” he teased.
It was odd how well he fit with us, like a little brother.
The town really hadn’t said a damn thing about Will.
I think mostly those who would gossip were embarrassed that they hadn’t thought twice about him after his parents had died.
No one had cared or checked on him, with his ridiculous foster parents.
And while I had tried my best, I hadn’t been enough. But now I would be.
So we had a new baby brother, and that warmed me. Maybe I did have family after all.
Will turned on the radio to some music that I knew was popular with kids his age, and I realized I was one of the old people, and I leaned back in my seat, feeling a little melancholy.
I didn’t want Atlas to go, but maybe some distance would help me realize that I wasn’t falling too quickly.
Because I had fallen years ago, as it was.