"That's my mom," Emma said, following Sandra's gaze with matter-of-fact honesty.
"It's a beautiful family picture," Sandra said, meaning every word. The four of them looked genuinely happy in the photo, which spoke well of Terry's ability to maintain a positive relationship with his ex-wife.
"I don't know if it's weird for you to be dating my dad and see a picture of my mom, but?—"
"It's not weird at all," Sandra rushed to assure her, touched by the twelve-year-old's consideration for her feelings. "That's your mom, your family. I would never want you to feel like you have to hide or explain that to me."
Emma nodded, then shrugged with what seemed like careful assessment. "They've been divorced for six years. I barely remember them actually living together."
"I'm sorry," Sandra murmured, not sure what else to say.
"Oh, don't be," Emma said quickly, but Sandra caught the way the girl's eyes sharpened slightly, as if testing Sandra's reaction. "They're much better as co-parents than they ever were as a couple. Mom and Dad have always been honest with Toby and me about everything. Mom never planned on kids, and I was a surprise. An 'oops' baby. Then it was even more of a surprise when she got pregnant with Toby so soon after."
Emma shrugged again, but Sandra could see the intelligence in her eyes, the way she was deliberately sharing this information. "We know Mom loves us, but she travels a lot with her job, and that's where she gets her happiness. Dad always said he gets happiness from his work too, but the biggest part comes from me and Toby."
The simple statement hit Sandra harder than she expected. This child had a clear understanding of her parents' strengths and limitations, but Sandra sensed that Emma was also communicating something important. Terry's priority was always his children.
"It sounds like your family has found a way to work that lets everyone be happy," Sandra said carefully.
Emma nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "Sometimes it sucks that Mom doesn't spend more time with us. But Dad always makes it better." She paused, then looked directly at Sandra with startling intensity. "You're the first person he's brought around. I mean, I know he's gone out before, but he's never introduced anyone to me and Toby."
The weight of that statement settled over Sandra like a blanket. Being the first woman Terry had introduced to his children felt like both an honor and a test she wasn't sure she was prepared for.
"Well, I'm really glad to meet you both," she said softly.
Emma yawned then, but Sandra noticed how the girl's eyes never left her face, still studying, still evaluating.
"I've enjoyed talking with you, Emma. I hope we can do this again. I'd love to hear about your writing class."
A soft smile slipped over Emma’s face. “I’d like that.”
As Sandra reached the doorway, Emma's voice called out to her, soft but clear in the darkness.
"My dad's a really good guy, Sandra. He deserves someone who understands all of him. I can tell he likes you."
"I like him too," she said with a smile.
She walked out, closing the door with a soft click before heading back down the hallway. The house felt different now. It was warmer, but also more complex. She'd just been given genuine warmth tempered by protective loyalty from Terry’s children.
In the living room, she gravitated toward the photographs displayed on various surfaces. The Christmas photo from Emma's room seemed to be the only picture of the whole family together. The other pictures told a different story—Terry and the kids on adventures that spoke of a father determined to fill his children's lives with experiences and memories.
Looking at those photos, Sandra understood the dynamics. This wasn't just about dating Terry. It was about potentially becoming part of something bigger, something that had taken years to build and would require care to maintain.
She settled onto the couch with a glass of wine, pulling the throw blanket over her legs as she processed the evening. The children’s reactions to her made Sandra feel more confident rather than less. Terry had raised kids who were secure enough to be themselves, smart enough to ask the right questions, and loving enough to want their father to be happy.
An hour later, as her eyes grew heavy, Sandra drifted off to sleep with the memory of Terry telling her he wanted more. She was being welcomed into something precious, and the responsibility of that felt both daunting and exactly right.
17
"What have you found out so far? And please tell me we've got some idea of where all this came from." Terry spoke low enough that the college students gathered in the other room couldn't overhear.
Jeremy flipped open his notebook, his expression grim. "Most of these kids?" He gestured toward the living room, where deputies were taking statements. "Like you heard, they're college students from ODU with just the one local teen. All claiming they have no idea who brought the drugs or that there would even be drugs here. They all claim they never saw them until the deputies were searching the rooms to make sure they had everyone accounted for.”
Pete stepped closer, lowering his voice even further. "We're talking cocaine and MDMA."
Terry's jaw clenched as he processed the implications. "Do we have college kids running a drug operation as part of the distribution chain?"
"Still wading through that," Jeremy confirmed. "The college kids are claiming they had no idea about the drugs and have locked down their stories. Giving convincing performances, but I call bullshit. Someone had to know.”
