“Good.” Cat’s smile widens to an excited grin. “The waterpark is ready to open any day now, and I was thinking we should all take a family trip over there. It will certainly be a much more enjoyable experience if they aren’t all at each other’s throats the entire time.”
Chuckling, Maxwell taps his glass to hers. “Cheers to that.”
We all raise our drinks in toast to our Little ones, and once we’ve drained our glasses, Maxwell rubs his hands together. “Shall we go bring our Little girls downstairs and get dinner started?”
Five sets of eyes swing my direction. The ball is firmly in my court as to whether or not I’m going to actually go through with this.
But there’s no hesitation on my part. I want a family for my sweet Camilla, so a family she will have.
“I believe we shall.”
Millie
We’re so deep in our game, we don’t even hear our Daddies footsteps before the door to Victoria’s nursery opens.
No. Not Victoria. Tori. She asked me to call her Tori, like all her friends do. Tori, and Juju, and Izzy, and Nelly.
My friends.
Myfamily.
“Look at my sweet little nieces, all playing together so nicely.”
Tori’s head jerks up, and with an excited squeal she jumps to her feet and races for the door. “Auntie Cat, Auntie Cat!”
The other girls follow suit, but I hang back, watching the scene unfold with fascination. Auntie Cat’s laughter rings out, bright and happy as she scoops them each up one by one, showering them with kisses before moving onto the next.
When she’s done, she looks over at me, one dark brow quirking upward. “What’s wrong, sweet girl? Don’t you want a hug?”
“Oh, um, yes. I just didn’t know if…”
“Don’t be silly. You’re family. Come here.”
Pushing up to my feet, I slowly make my way over to her, aware of all the eyes tracking my movements. Including my Daddy, who is hovering just behind Auntie Cat, an encouraging smile on his lips.
As soon as I reach her, Auntie Cat wraps me in her arms, hauling me up against her. Like my Daddy, she’s a lot stronger than she looks if she can pick me up so effortlessly. A giggle slips free as she covers my face with noisy kisses before giving me a hard squeeze and setting me down on my feet.
“Much better,” Auntie cat says with a dramatic sigh. “And now, I think it’s time for presents!”
Cheers erupt around me and my friends all race for the stairs, their Daddies calling after them not to run. Judging by the loud cries that follow, at least two of them weren’t quick enough to escape their Daddies’ punishing hands.
I look up at my own Daddy as he holds a hand out to me. “Let’s go, sunshine.”
Although part of me longs to do nothing but follow my friends down the stairs to see what kind of presents await, something in me holds back. “Daddy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Are we really part of their family now?”
Bending down, he picks me up with that same shocking ease as always and settles me on his hip. “We really are. The dinner we’re having tonight is part of their tradition to welcome new members. But I can tell you with absolute certainty, all of those people downstairs consider you one of theirs already. Especially Auntie Cat and your uncles.”
“I always wanted a big family,” I whisper, my voice thick with the feelings welling up inside me.
“Me too,” he admits, and though he’s trying to hide it, I can tell he’s feeling just as emotional as I am about our new family. “And now we both have one. Are you ready to go open your presents now?”
Now that my fears have been somewhat assuaged, excitement rushes in to fill the void. “Yes!”
Laughing, he carries me down the stairs to a pretty room Uncle Max called the parlor when we first arrived. All of my friends are there, bouncing excitedly on their toes as they wait. Well, except for Juliet who’s pouting and rubbing her bottom, making me wonder what kind of naughtiness we missed out on.
