“What?”Peyton asked.
“She’s a natural teacher,” Dewi said.“I’m sure Trevor will ask her to step in.”
“Oh, no,” Peyton said.“The goal is to bring the older kids over here, with Callum and Bryn.Sorry.I did warn you I’m exhausted.That’s why they didn’t want to take on raising Moose here.Because they’re going to care for the oldest kids and move here for good once we have housing ready.We want to integrate them with our pack, see if there’s any place we might have to tweak their memories, and then they can go to school here, or work, or even move to Idaho, if they want.The psychologist said she’d prefer they have at least three full years of supervised living.The younger kids that Trevor and Elizabeth are adopting will be homeschooled for now, then sent to school at the beginning of the next school year, if they’re able to deal with it, once they know they’re acclimated and caught up to grade level.”
“Ah,” Dewi said.“So we get dibs on Tam?”she joked.
“Maybe,” he said.“It’s her decision.”
“I’m surprised Trevor and Elizabeth are taking on all the smaller kids.”
“Well, Trevor didn’t have a choice when Elizabeth visited and saw them and fell in love with them.She sort of played the ‘happy mate’ card and told him they’d be living with them.”He laughed.“If I hadn’t already called dibs on Moose, she likely would’ve taken him, too.”
“Is that… healthy?”Gillian asked.“Them taking the other kids, I mean.”
“Why?”he asked.
“I mean, replacing Rupert and Maisie?”
“They’re grown adults,” Peyton said.“I’ll admit that thought crossed my mind, too.But it’s not like they don’t have the resources to care for them.If it heals their hearts and helps them with their grief, I won’t fault them.And think of it this way, it might help Tamsin not feel as guilty if she does want to stay here with you guys.”
“True,” Dewi said.
They all turned when they heard a door close at the front of the house.
“Hello?”Ken called out.
Dewi left the pool house and walked over to the sliders, which she’d left open.“Out here.She’s back.”
He joined them, his hands full of large shopping bags.“Where do you want all of it?”
“Anywhere,” Peyton said.“Need help?”
“Yes, please.”
Peyton stood and followed Ken outside.
Dewi settled on the sofa next to Gillan.“Are you okay?”
“I’m overwhelmed,” she said.“And feeling a little murdery.”
“Over Peyton bringing him home?”
“No!Absolutely not.Murdery in that I wish I could’ve helped kill those fuc—udgers.”
Dewi grinned.“Hey, he said swears don’t count.Let’s enjoy it while we can.”
“True.”
The baby opened his eyes, and they were hazel-green, not that much different than her own.“Hey there, little guy.Nice to meet you.”
He stretched and gave her a half-gummy grin before jamming his fist in his mouth and sucking on it.
Gillian and Dewi both laughed.
“That’s mommy’s little Moose,” Gillian said, prompting the baby to smile even wider, with a little bit of a laugh, too.
“I see what Peyton means,” Dewi said.“He’s reacting to you as if he’s known you all his life.”
