“I do,” my Gramps said matter of factly.
As another chorus of laughter went up from the men standing by the door talking, while Jett spoke with Patience quietly, I turned my attention back to Autumn.
“Sweetie, he might be too heavy for you. If it’s okay, maybe we can set Denver down on the floor with you and you can show him your teddy bear and pop-up book you got.”
Autumn shook her head up and down vigorously, dropping her arms, and raced to a spot on the floor by Gramps’ chair where she had set her stuff. She plopped down on her butt and patted a spot beside her. It was so cute.
Teal walked over and set her son down by Autumn who immediately scooted closer, book in hand, and started flipping pages showing him her new treasure.
“I’ll watch them,” Gramps said. “You two go check on the other new addition to the family.”
He was talking about Patience and her son. That was my grandpa, he was a hell of a man and sweet beyond his years.
With one last look at my sister, Teal and I wandered over to the other still close to the door. “Hi, Patience,” I said as I approached.
The girl dipped her head for a second and then looked back up at me with hesitant eyes. I know that Jett told her everything would be okay and that she was welcome to stay with us, but did she believe him?
“We are so happy to have you and Griffin here with us.” Her eyes opened wide and shimmered with the tears collecting in them. “If you want to stay we have a couple of rooms you can choose from. One on the main floor and a big one upstairs that used to be mine when I was young. Would you like to see?”
The tears broke free and dropped down her cheeks. Jett pulled her into his side. My heart went out to both of them as they stood together. A strong unit even at eighteen. I’d been learning about friendships, but it seems my brother had me beat to figuring them out. He knew long before me how to be one to a girl and her child who needed one most.
“I would like that,” Patience whispered. “But I don’t have much stuff so I won’t need a lot of space.”
My heart just kept on cracking as she spoke. Teal had told me that her parents didn’t let her take much with her and we’d seen her get out of the car. A young girl, a baby, and a few bags. We’d get her what she needed. And at that thought, my fabulous friend next to me piped up.
“About that,” Teal said, drawing my gaze to hers. “Everyone else wanted to help after we told them what was going on.”
“What do you mean?”
Teal laughed a little. “You must know by now how our group works. If you say yes they can be here in a minute.”
I looked at Lyric wondering if he knew what was going on and he shrugged his shoulders. Guess he was as clueless as me.
Teal carried on. “They wanted to help but didn’t want to barge in without your permission. What do you think?”
Hopefully Autumn and Patience would be okay. I glanced at my sister who was still happily playing quietly with Denver. She’d probably think more kids would be great. Or so I hoped. I looked at Patience.
“Would it be okay if a few friends came over?” I asked her.
She nodded, so I told Teal it would be fine.
When she pulled out her phone and sent off a text I wasn’t sure what she had said or what to expect but it was not the convoy rolling down the driveway within a minute of Teal’s signal.
I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up and burst free.
“The more the merrier,” Gramps yelled again from his chair.
And the laughter continued as every one of our friends and their children piled out of the vehicles they arrived in, the men’s arms filled with stuff.
One by one they trickled in with not only gifts but dinner too.
The calvary had arrived.
And our house was filled to the brim.
Withfamily.Withlove.
ChapterNineteen
