Maddie landed on the bed with a squeal when I tossed her onto the mattress. Samuel, meanwhile, was released into the wild.
He shot off instantly, his little bottom wiggling furiously as he crawled toward our closet at full speed.
It wouldn’t be long before he was walking.
Maddie bounced on the bed, her red curls flying up and down while I shrugged out of my jacket and loosened my tie.
Home was chaotic.
And I loved it.
We both did.
Stella had tried to rebuild some sort of bridge with her parents, but the way Grace had looked at Maddie had filled me with a quiet rage I’d barely managed to contain. I stayed silent, though Stella hadn’t missed it.
After the hospital incident, she cut ties for good.
My mother might be… excitable.
But at least she loved us all.
“Catch me, Daddy!” Maddie shouted, already launching herself into the air.
My heart fluttered and I moved quickly into position, catching her mid-flight.
I held her close for a moment, kissing the top of her head while she giggled against my shoulder.
Then I heard Samuel chortling from inside the closet.
With a grin, I followed the sound.
He sat on the floor with the drawer wide open, triumphantly yanking socks and underwear out by the fistful. A small mountain of clothing had already formed around him.
“No, Sammy,” Maddie chided, wriggling out of my arms.
I lowered her to the floor and she immediately sat beside him, carefully picking things up and trying to put them back while he continued dragging more of his mother’s underwear out of the drawer with determined enthusiasm.
Samuel squealed with delight as another pair hit the floor.
Maddie sighed like a tiny exhausted adult.
While they were distracted, I quickly slipped into the bathroom to change.
Leaving them alone for too long was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Children could dismantle an entire room in under thirty seconds if properly motivated. And judging by the muffled giggles coming from the closet, Samuel was extremely motivated.
I pulled my sweatpants on and listened carefully.
Silence.
Then a delighted squeal.
Yeah… I should probably hurry.
Stella
