“It’s common sense,” I blushed.
“Come help me with lunch,” Julia called our way.
I gave Zach a shrug, knowing that this was a simple command that she wanted to talk.
Once Violet and I entered the kitchen, Julia didn’t waste time is wrapping her arms around us both.
“I can’t believe I’m a grandma!” she gushed.
“You’ve been one since the day we took Toby in,” Violet laughed.
“But it’s so official!” Julia said, pulling back to wipe at her eyes. “When will you have the documents?”
“We already do. Just have to have a judge sign them and we are all set,” Violet stated. Then turning to me, “We’ve been wanting to adopt Toby, to make him ours once and for all. We just had to wait until he was at the right place to tell him. We love him as though we’ve always had him.”
“That’s amazing,” I smiled. “You two are great parents.”
“Will you take in other kids?” Julia asked.
“Not for another year or more. Toby needs our attention the most right now. Later on down the road, we probably will,” Violet answered.
“Will you have any more kids?” Julia asked me. “Zach seems to be great with Josh.”
“Not for a while,” I answered. “I think one right now is plenty. If it does happen later on, years later, then yes. But right now, we are happy.”
“He didn’t give you too much of a hard time, did he?” Julia asked.
“Oh, he always does,” I smiled. “But nothing I can’t handle.”
“M…Vi?” Toby asked, entering the kitchen.
“What’s up, Toby?” Violet asked, turning around to face Toby.
“Vidie!” he said, spotting me. “I didn’t know you were here!”
“Hey, Toby,” I said.
A moment later, his arms wrapped around me. I returned his hug.
“You’re gonna be my aunt,” he said, looking up at me.
“I thought I already was,” I winked at him, causing him to roll his eyes at me.
“How do you figure that?” Julia asked.
“Well, she’s my aunt,” Toby said, fumbling over his words.
“Because you live with Violet and Melio?” I asked.
He nodded his answer.
Even though I knew Violet and Julia most likely could hear me, I whispered to him, “It’s okay to call them your parents, you know. They would love it if you did, and they’d never make you call them something they don’t want to be called.”
He nodded once more against my chest before making his way back out of the room.
“Maybe you should have adopted him instead,” Violet laughed.
“I would have if I’d had met Zachariah a year or two before I had. But he’s made amazing progress with the two of you,” I said. “He’ll be a wonderful young man when he grows up.”
