“TV makes everyone ugly,” Finn answered. “It’s science.”
“That’s twue?” Carter asked me, juice box forgotten.
“Completely true,” I fought to keep my expression serious. “That’s why I don’t let Uncle Dom visit very often. Can’t risk the contamination.”
“Are you gonna have babies?” One of the girls blurted out, apparently unable to contain herself any longer.
The question hit me like a cold splash of water. I opened my mouth, then closed it, completely unprepared for that level of directness.
“We’re still in the reconnaissance phase,” Finn shot me a sideways glance that was both reassuring and amused. “What do you think? Should I keep her?”
“YES!” They shouted in unison.
“She makes the best birthday cakes,” Madison added as evidence.
“And she lets us jump on her trampoline when we come over,” Rose contributed.
“I don’t have a trampoline,” I responded in confusion.
“The big bouncy couch thing,” Sadie clarified with exaggerated patience from having to explain something so obvious to a slow adult.
“My sectional is not a trampoline.”
“It bounces though,” Rose pointed out.
Before I could argue further, Finn crouched down again, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Can you keep a secret?”
Small heads nodded with all the seriousness of junior FBI agents.
“I think I should definitely keep her. But don’t tell her I said that. It might go to her head.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“We won’t tell,” Madison whispered back, then immediately turned to me. “He wants to keep you but don’t let it go to your head!”
Finn groaned dramatically. “You lasted exactly three seconds.”
“Why do you talk funny?” One of the visiting kids asked Finn.
“What do you mean funny?”
“Like cowboys on TV.”
I snorted.
“I’m from a ranch,” Finn explained. “All ranch people have to talk like cowboys. It’s the law.”
“Do you have horses?” Sadie’s eyes went wide.
“Lots of horses. And cows and buffalo. And some very judgmental chickens.”
“Can we visit?” Rose asked hopefully.
“Rosie, you can’t invite yourself places,” Madison scolded with authority that I recognized came from being the oldest.
“I didn’t invite myself. I asked if we could visit. That’s different.”
“It’s really not,” Sadie informed her.
