When I turn back, I find my younger sister sitting in a chair surrounded by young kids as if they’re getting ready for story time. She’s looking a little harassed. Chuckling, I weave my way through the crowd until I’m standing over her. Her dark eyes meet mine, and she sighs in relief.
“You get tagged in as babysitter?” I tease.
“I don’t know. I sat down with Bethany, and suddenly, half a dozen kids are here.” Brielle leans in to whisper, “I don’t even know who that one is.”
I laugh. “This is Emric.”
Emric looks up at me and smiles. He raises a hand, and I lean forward to give him a high five.
“He speaks with hand gestures. Don’t you?” I give him my fist, and he hits his against mine, then laughs. “You here to hobnob with the greats, too?”
Brielle’s eyes find our father and brother immediately. She doesn’t hide her scowl well. “No. We’re traveling for John’s work and happened to be in Vegas. Since we were relatively close and had the weekend free, we thought we’d stop in for the party and visit with everyone.”
“I’m glad you have a legitimate reason,” I muse. “I’d be mortified if I weren’t used to it.”
Brielle huffs, nodding.
Jalon’s partner joins the small group of my brother, father, and Jalon with their daughter in his arms. Jalon wraps his arm around his waist and kisses the side of his head before kissing their baby girl’s nose.
By baby girl, I mean she’s six. She’s wearing this frilly dress with all the ruffles and bows. The girl is as brilliant as Voss was at her age. Voss says more so.
It’s crazy to see how much Jalon’s sons dote on their little sister. As if they’ve been waiting their entire lives for a sister, and finally, here she is. A couple decades late, sure, but she’s here and ready to take over the world.
First stop, first grade. Which I’m under the impression that she’s the one teaching the kids science. I didn’t know there was science in first grade. She’s going to blow up the classroom with a volcano or something. I can just see it.
Their arrival allows Jalon to break away from Dad and Cole. I can only imagine who they’re going to accost now. Jalon is far more polite than his kids are, though.
My attention is stolen the moment I spot Malin walking toward the party with the Van Doren triplets, Haze, and their kids. He looks just as distant as he always does. Even surrounded by family. By laughter. By a dozen bounce houses of various sizes and shapes.
I know it’s not my job to make him smile, but a pit forms in my stomach, as it does so often when I see Malin. I hate his misery. His pain. Those aren’t words that he tends to use, but I know he’s not happy. He hasn’t found happiness even a decade after being removed from the abusive situation he’d spent his entire life in.
“If you’re waiting for him to notice you, it’s never going to happen.”I decided it was Ellory that day at the docks. His words are constantly moving through my mind as I try to think of something reasonable to give Malin and me some common ground.
I’ve been here for a long time now. It’s not like I can just walk up to him and introduce myself. He knows who I am. He knows I watch him on the lake.
Then again, maybe he doesn’t realize he’s the reason I’m there. Perhaps he believes, like him, I visit the lake most days to relax.
They set gifts on the table and turn toward one of the bounce houses.
Five or so years ago, Jalon had a pavilion built a hundred yards from the south border of the pond. Currently, it’s filled with tables and chairs where we’ll all gather for a meal and cake. I’m guessing the cake is going to be as big as a wedding cake. Kairo would never allow a boring sheet cake to celebrate his kid’s birthday. Blasphemy.
Making a semicircle around the pavilion are half a dozen bounce houses. One is open-topped and has a ball pit for the younger kids. One has a water slide and waterspouts, and whatever.
Then there’s the giant one that feels like it’s a mile long and has more than a dozen obstacles for the kids to go through. Not going to lie, I’d love to take a turn at that. Just because it looks fun.
Malin joins his family at the littlest bounce house, where the youngest Van Dorens are set within the pit. One of the triplets joins them. I’m guessing that’s Ellory. It’s a very Ellory thing to climb into the ball pit.
I take a seat with Brielle and the littles as I covertly watch Malin. Not in a creepy way. I suppose it could be creepy, but then again, I’m going to remind myself that Ellory didn’t take offense to my watching Malin on the lake.
A squeal has my attention pulled away for a second. The bulk of the youngest generation was born between 2024 and 2026. Three kids in 2024, six in 2025, and two more in 2026. Since everyone lives right here, they’ve grown up like siblings, so it’s not unusual to find them wrestling or fighting or laughing together.
Now is no different. It looks as though Orev, Arek, and Daxton have shoved Novan down one of the slides and Paisley is screaming at them that Novan could have gotten hurt.
“It’s filled with air!” Daxton hollers back. “He’s just going to bounce.”
Meanwhile, Novan is laying sprawled out in a starfish with a grin on his face. Yeah, not at all hurt. He just likes Paisley fussing over him.
Brielle laughs under her breath. “This must be a chaotic place to live,” she muses.
