“What do you mean by that, sweetie?” Vickie asks, her brows just as pinched as everyone else’s.
Tati looks up, then around at everyone in the room, finally landing on Taryn. She shrugs. “Your mom isn’t here, but you got two sistersinstead,” she says matter-of-factly. “If my daddy and your daddy love each other, that makes us family too, right?”
The corner of Taryn’s frown tips upward. “I guess so,” he notes, albeit a little bewildered.
Tati finishes off her braid and she rounds the table to stand in front of my son. She tugs his hand, encouraging him to scooch down to her level. “We’rehere,” she simply states, launching into him for a hug.
He scoops her up, and she wraps herself around him, clinging to him like a koala. Tears well in his eyes. “Thank you,” he murmurs, squeezing her.
“Oh my goooood,” Morgan huffs, fanning her face. “Why did I not think I needed waterproof mascara?!”
“Girl,same,” Colton agrees with a little laugh, which in turn gets the whole table chuckling. “Noodles and I are going to have matching eye makeup here shortly.”
Suddenly, the bell over the door tinkles, alerting us of a newcomer. Sarah looks wide-eyed at the sight of us as she steps in, her and Steve hand-in-hand. “Are we—too early? I can come back and pick up the girls later, if you need more time for, uh, you know…”
Taryn sets Tati down so she can go run to her mother, just like Terra.
Gannett looks down at his phone, checking the time. “No, you’re right on schedule,” he notes. “Do, uh, you and Steve want to grab some brunch before you take off with the girls?”
“Yeah, Mumma!” Terra exclaims. “Our brother, Taryn, maded really good French Toast.”
Sarah’s brows zip together. “Your brother?”
“Yeah,” Tati chirps. “Mr. Gordy’s son.”
Sarah shoots a look at me. “We didn’t—she came up with that all on her own…” I start to protest.
“It’s fine. It was just—unexpected. That’s all,” she says, popping a shoulder.
Steve grins, squeezing her hand. “We’d love to try some of thisreally goodFrench Toast, Terra. Why don’t you show me and your mom where we can find it?” Tati and Terra both bound off to show them the buffet line.
“You invited them to stay?” I ask Gannett, quirking an eyebrow up at him.
Gannett shrugs. “From what Steve tells me, they’ve worked their shit out. She wasn’t so much jealous ofusas she was that you’re getting the attention she craved but never got when we were together. When he reminded her that she’s now getting an equal partnership with him, she softened. He wants to show her that we can co-parent like civil adults, which honestly? I can respect that.”
“Impressive, little bro,” Evan notes, amused.
“I know, right?” Gannett snorts, pretending to brush off his shoulders. “It’s all a part of theMoving Forward with Maturity™ plan.”
Wagner scoffs. “Thewhat?”
Gannett looks like he’s about to launch into a whole spiel, but is stopped when the bell tinkles again.
“Sorry I’m late!” Trista-Lynn huffs as soon as she’s inside, her voice distinctly lacking a true apologeticness. I spin in my seat to find her entering, looking all done up as if she had all the time in the world to get here but she just didn’t care to. Hair extensions, false lashes, long, gaudy fingernails—the works. All of it fake, fake, fake.
“Who is that?” Brooks asks.
“Taryn’s mother,” I grumble.
“Congratulations, my baby boy!” Trista coos dramatically. “Momma issoproudof you!”
Given the look on his face, even he isn’t buying the bullshit she’s selling here. “Thanks for coming, Mom,” he says flatly, giving her a weak pat on the back.
“Oh, of course!” she drawls, sickly sweet. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Hey, y’all!” She beams, posing as if she’s on a parade float.
The whole table gives her a little wave back.
“Oh, hey there, Gordy…” she says, a hint of snideness lacing her tone.
