Irritation flashed through her. That wasn’t going tohappen. Emmeline clutched the handlebars tighter. She would beat him. And then she’d never have to see him again. She could go back to pretending he didn’t exist.
Though she had a sinking feeling that it would be easier said than done after these six weeks in each other’s company...
Thankfully, Emmeline shortly arrived at Millie’s, and she didn’t have to think about Luke or the bookshop or work or anything.
“I’m here!” Emmeline called, entering through the front door. Noah and Ira ran to attack her with cuddles, and she hugged them tight.
“Motu!” Noah cried with glee. Emmeline was promptly forgotten in favor of the baby dragon. Motu’s eyes widened as the four- and two-year-olds reached for him. With a hiss, he flapped up, latching onto Emmeline’s shoulders.
“Tch, Motu, don’t be a baby,” she said, plucking him out of the air and setting him down on the floor. “These are your friends!” She turned to her nephew and niece, then. “Be nice, okay.”
Closing the door, Emmeline went in, first going into the kitchen, where Samreen was washing the dishes.
“Hi, Ammi,” Emmeline said, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek. Her mother was neatly dressed in trousers and a gray sweater, her dark hair in a fuss-free twist.
“Hello,” Samreen replied. “How was the flight?”
“Not bad,” Emmeline replied, walking past her to head into the living room, where Millie was sitting on the couch next to her husband. Millie’s dark hair was pulled up in a high knot, and she was wearing one of her husband’sT-shirts. They were both watching baby Eve, who was asleep in a bundle of blankets in Millie’s arms.
“Hey,” Emmeline said, leaning forward to kiss her sister’s cheek, then bop Eve’s nose. At the contact, Eve twitched a little, and Millie hushed her.
“Hey,” Millie said, giving Emmeline a tired smile.
“How are you guys holding up?” Emmeline asked. Millie opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Motu flew into the room, chased by Noah and Ira, who were laughing with glee.
“Guys, shhh,” Liam said gently. “Eve’s asleep.”
Noah made a face. “She’s always asleep. She’s soboring.”
Emmeline snorted, turning to her nephew, who was pouting. “When you were a teeny tiny baby, all you used to do was sleep, too, you know,” Emmeline said.
“No way.” Noah shook his head.
“Yes, way,” she replied.
“Noah, catch him!” Ira ordered, jumping up to reach for Motu.
The baby dragon looked thoroughly harassed by the two toddlers. He landed on top of the couch, then hid behind his wings.
Ira tried climbing over her father to reach him, and Millie quickly pulled Eve out of the way before the baby got kicked in the head.
“Millie, are you still holding that baby?” Samreen asked from the kitchen. “I told you not to spoil her with too much lap-time.”
Millie turned to Emmeline and made a face of distress. “Save me,” she mouthed.
Emmeline stood. “Hey, Millie, can you show me that thing in your room?”
Millie stood as well. “Ohmygosh, yes, thanks for reminding me,” she said.
“What thing?” Samreen asked from the kitchen.
“Oh, just something!” Emmeline replied breezily, as Millie deposited Eve into Liam’s arms. “We’ll be back in a second!”
“Liam, hold the fort,” Millie whispered, voice an order. Liam’s eyes widened, but he nodded.
“You got it, babe,” he whispered back, shielding the baby as the toddlers and Motu wreaked havoc. Taking the opportunity, Emmeline and Millie ran upstairs, making a beeline for her bedroom.
Two seconds later, they heard Ira ask, “Hey, where’s Mama?”
