Bodie’s face was full of anguish.
Right then and there, my heart shattered for the two angels who had lost their mother. I had gotten my mother for six years I thought, but they would never get a second with theirs. I wanted to weep and when Peyton spoke up again, directing her statement at me, I almost let the tears fall.
“Our mommy died when she had us.” The sweet girl's voice wobbled and her lips quivered. “Daddy says she loves us very much.”
“Your Mother will always love and watch over you,” their father’s sorrow-filled voice told them.
It was almost too much.
Somehow, I managed to shove my own emotions down and I found myself sinking to my knees as Bodie had before taking one of each of the girl’s hands in mine.
“A mother’s love will never go away, I promise,” I said.
“How do you know?” Peyton asked, tilting her head to the side.
I took a deep breath before saying the words that broke my heart whenever I thought about the hole that was left in it from losing my parents. “Because I lost my mother when I was about your age and I know she watches over me every day just like your dad said your mother watches you two princesses.”
A small shiver went through me and I knew Bodie’s eyes were on me, but I didn’t look away from the girls. He didn’t know anything about me and the sympathy I’d probably find in his eyes might allow the tears I was holding back to break free.
“I’m sorry you lost your mommy,” Piper said, shocking me since she usually didn’t say as much.
And when she dropped my hand and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck to hug me, her sister following suit, a few of those tears spilled over. That was also when I made the mistake of meeting Bodie’s gaze over their small shoulders.
The lone tear that fell down his tanned cheek would be a sight that stayed with me forever.
“What’s wrong?” Embry’s voice called out breaking up the somber, but also sweet, moment.
Bodie was an amazing father. I had witnessed that a few times, but the way he handled his girls then and the empathy they possessed for someone else at their age spoke volumes to the kind of dad he was.
When Embry approached us with Dexter in tow, the girls let go of me and answered Embry’s question. It was interesting to watch four young kids interact on such a sensitive subject. It solidified why I wanted to be a teacher and how much I enjoyed children. Most of the time, unless it was my group of friends, I liked them a hell of a lot more than adults.
As I listened to them talk for a minute, I thought about the two older kids' pasts and realized I tended to forget they’d lost parents too. When both kids continued telling Peyton and Piper their stories, the four of them wandered off together holding hands.
Embry was a mother hen and she always took everyone under her wing. One day she would make a good teacher herself. And if her father Braxton ever allowed her to date in her life, she may also make a good mother. If you asked Embry herself, she would tell you exactly who her boyfriend was.
Dexter, however, always disagreed.
Kids.
“What’s so funny?”
I jumped up and turned toward Bodie. He was already standing and I hadn’t even realized he’d gotten up as I watched the kids.
“Funny?” I questioned.
“That was a very serious moment but somehow there at the end, you laughed a little.”
I hadn’t realized I’d laughed out loud. While I was caught up in the thoughts going through my mind, I didn’t know the noise had escaped me. Not wanting him to think I was being insensitive over everything that was said, I decided to tell him what I was thinking about Embry and Dexter.
That got a chuckle out of Bodie and a smile. It transformed his face and something fluttered in my belly.
Oblivious to the feelings racing through me, he took a step forward, and this timeheplaced a hand onmyarm. The fluttering increased in my stomach as if a thousand butterflies were taking flight.
“I’m sorry about your mother.” He rubbed his hand gently up and down my arm a couple of times.
“Thank you. She and my father died in a car accident.” I didn’t know why I offered more information. Maybe it was the soft look in his eyes or his strong but gentle hand that caused goosebumps to pop out along my skin.
That sympathy I tried to avoid earlier was clear in his eyes now and I glanced toward the kids playing to calm my emotions.
