“Thankyou so much for having us.” Daisy kept the words quiet as she squeezed Emery’s hands.
We’d stayed for fucking ever. Darkness gathering at the windows and the night growing long.
After playing outside for hours, the kids had insisted on a movie, and now every single one of them was asleep in the family room.
Little slumbering bodies littered all over the place.
On the left side of the sectional, Addy and Maci were on the cushy couch under a blanket. Nolan was draped off the far-right side’s arm like he’d fallen asleep halfway crawling over the top of it, and Colin was splayed out in the middle with one leg hanging off.
Eva and Finn were snuggled on a blanket on the floor, both on their sides and lying so close to each other their little noses were almost touching.
My chest tightened. Tightened in a way I couldn’t let it.
The fact that Daisy was all wrapped up in the girls made it a hundred times worse. Their voices lowered as they whispered like they’d been friends all their lives.
“We love that you were here,” Emery returned.
“And know it will be on repeat a thousand times over because you are now one of us.” Even with the hushed words, there was no missing the sass that remained in Raven’s tone.
My spirit thrashed at the claim.
A violent beat of refusal and a vicious clawing for surrender.
All of them were getting so deep under my skin I couldn’t make sense of it. This feeling that swept through me every time I heard one of their little voices.
Daisy peeked at me then, where I stood off to the side. Shifting on my boots and not fucking knowing what to do with myself since I never did this. Hanging out all day like I was an intrinsic part of this family and not someone who was only meant to be hovering in the periphery.
Playing.
Participating.
Stepping into places where I didn’t belong.
It was brutal, knowing I was only committing a thousand more sins by enjoying it. Slipping into the comfort.
But fuck. That’s what it felt like.
Like I belonged here with Daisy and the kids.
So fucked up.
Charleigh stepped up and hugged Daisy tight. “We’ll see youreallysoon.”
Daisy nodded, though it looked like she wasn’t sure that she should commit to it.
Daisy shuffled over to Addy, and she softly nudged her arm. “Hey, sweet girl. It’s time to go home.”
Home.
Fuck.
Addy blinked her eyes open, groaning in confusion before she gave her mother a giant pout. “Already?”
Daisy laughed a soft sound. “We’ve been here the whole day. I’m sure we’ve outstayed our welcome.”
“There is no such thing,” Raven rushed.
“See, I can stay forever,” Addy said with a hopeful smile.
