That’s not entirely true. Avory and Ellory were close enough. But, like me at first, they misinterpreted what Malin was telling us. They simply didn’t understand. That’s not their fault. Ellory especially feels incredibly guilty, but like me, he’s completely overtaken by Malin’s new happiness.
“He’s an incredibly strong person,” I agree. “The more he confides in me, the more horrified I am. I’ll never understand how he could live through this for so long.”
“Evil thrives in death just as it did in life,” she says quietly.
“Time for presents,” Briar calls. “Come on, Emmy. Out of the water.”
“Coming, Dad,” Emerson calls.
All the kids come splashing toward shore. Jessica and I get to our feet, and I take her chair with mine. She smiles as she heads for the beach.
I set our chairs down, and Jessica takes her seat again. “Thank you.”
As soon as I’m sitting, Malin stands over me, dripping wet. I pull the towel from where I’ve had it hanging on the back of my chair and offer it to him. He doesn’t put it around him but brings it to his face.
I bring him onto my lap, and he grins. I’ll never stop loving that smile.
“I’m all wet,” he says.
“It’s hot as balls out here,” I say. “I appreciate your being wet.”
He laughs. “Hot as balls,” he repeats quietly, voice filled with amusement.
One of my favorite things to do is find words or phrases that make him laugh. Ever since the weenus incident, he’s gotten a kick out of anything that sounds funny.
“I can’t believe he’s eleven,” Jalon says.
Malin, Jessica, and I all shift to look at him. He’s sitting close by with Greylyn in his lap and Levis at his side.
“Your first grandbaby,” Levis says. “You feeling old, Daddy?”
“Mm,” Jalon agrees and kisses the top of Greylyn’s head.
“I still think it’s funny that my nephew is older than me,” Greylyn says, eyes shimmering. “I think that means you’re not old at all, Daddy.”
“Thanks, baby,” Jalon says. He meets my eyes, a smirk on his lips.
“Such a suck up,” Novan mutters as he scoots closer to Jessica.
“I remember when he was born,” Levis says. Jessica and Jalon nod absently.
I wasn’t on the Estate for that incident, but it’s a ripple that the entire Van Doren family felt. For the first time in our very long history, one of our most vulnerable members was nearly lost to some very bad people.
It shook the family.
Emerson holds a special place in all our hearts because we almost lost him before he was even brought home. He’s the prince of the Van Doren family.Everyoneknows his name. Everyone reveres it.
It reinforced the importance of family loyalty. No matter what, family comes first. We do anything to protect family.
I press my lips to the back of Malin’s shoulder as the words float through my head once more. We do anything to protect family. Whether that’s from an outside force, from themselves, or from a ghost that won’t stop tormenting them. If it means weneed to open our minds to something we don’t believe in to free someone we love from the darkness hanging over them, then that’s what we do.
“Uncle Kairo!” Emerson shouts as he holds up a family scrapbook. “This is the best. Thank you!”
“Such a damn softie under all that malice,” Jessica mutters.
As if we needed further proof that Emerson is special, even the bitter black sheep, Kairo, has a special place in his heart just for Emerson. Kairo scowls at all those who look in his direction. He’s standing off to the side with his partner in his arms, his chin on their shoulder as he watches Emerson open gifts. Their kid, Kos, is at their side in a chair with a video game in hand, though he’s watching his cousin open presents.
“You know, Uncle Noaz would look absolutely stunning with a baby bump,” Jessica muses.
