“The twins?” she asked.
“Michelle’s mother was kind enough to watch them along with Diego for the day. I thought they were too young to be here.”
She nodded. “I agree.”
“They’re always welcome to spend the night here so you and Aaron can have some private time.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Don’t thank me, it’s more my own selfishness. I love them and the house is so quiet now that all the boys are grown up.”
I laughed a little with her. We continued to talk some more until a few of the guests began to leave. Each one coming over and giving me their condolences. I grinned and beared it as best I could.
“We need to pick the kids up,” I told Aaron as he held the door open for me.
He frowned. “Michelle said they could stay the night with them.”
“I know, but I changed my mind. We need to get them.”
He shook his head. “No, you need ti–”
“I don’t!” I looked around to see a few stares my way, realizing I was yelling. “I don’t need time to rest or whatever you were going to suggest. I just need our kids. Under the same roof as us tonight.”
Aaron gave me the stare he often does when trying to decipher the meaning behind my words. He finally nodded. “Okay.”
I sighed my relief, grateful that I wouldn’t have to fight him on this. I didn’t have the energy.
Chapter Nineteen
Aaron
“Daddy, will you read to me?” Kennedy asked, jumping up and down on her bed, her curls and long nightgown flailing about as she did.
“Only if you stop jumping.”
She plopped down on the bed, grinning up at me. My entire chest warmed with just that look. She was so much her mother’s daughter. I was sure both had me wrapped around their pinky fingers.
“Which book is it tonight?”
“Where the Wild Things Are!” she shouted.
I plucked the book from her white wooden bookshelf and brought it with me to her bed, climbing in. She cozied up to me and I began reading, only for her to take over halfway through the story. She read for as long as she could, but eventually fell asleep against my chest. I waited until she was deep in sleep to ease out of the bed and pull the sheets and blanket up to cover her. I knew there was a good chance that somehow throughout the night that blanket would end up on the floor and the sheets would become all twisted up due to my little girl’s sleeping style.
I gave her one last look, before turning off the light and shutting the door. Checking on Kyle, I found him fast asleep in his bed. I started to make my way down to the kitchen but got the urge to head to the bedroom. When I opened the door, I found Patience staring at a piece of paper. She looked up at me and my heart squeezed. The tears in her eyes ripped at my soul.
“Kyle made this.” She turned the paper to me.
I could see his drawn images of Thiers, Kennedy, and himself, playing in a park. It had been a week since the funeral and Patience had barely mentioned her father. I hadn’t brought it up much either, not out of fear but something else stopped me.
“Did you know my father and yours went on annual fishing trips?”
I squinted, easing fully into the room and shutting the door behind me. “Yes.”
She gave a humorless laugh. “I didn’t. He wanted to be an astronaut all the way up through high school. Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Me either. Not until the funeral, at least. He and Wilhelmina really were just friends. She’s actually married. I didn’t know that either.”
