Fink arched a brow, but before he could respond, he was swallowed in another hug from Cassidy.
Sydney accepted the offer of affection from her former foster mother while the other welcomed Fink.
Closing her eyes, she basked in the sense of safety.
“How have you been?”she asked.
“Lovely, and you?”
“Don’t let her lie to you,” Cassidy chirped with her arm looped around Fink.“Her blood pressure is through the roof.The cardiologist told her to cut back on her hours.”
Sydney eyed Hauwa.
The woman waved a hand dismissively.“I’m fine.Come.”She entangled her fingers with Sydney’s.“See the table.”
With a final look over her shoulder, she noted Cassidy was in deep conversation with Fink about something.With a hand in his pocket, he waved the other around in a relaxed gesture while he spoke.
Amazing.
In a matter of seconds, her foster mothers had put him at ease.Amazing.Syndey wasn’t able to accomplish that for nearly a month.They were truly miracle workers.
Fink
The house.The holiday.The people.None of this experience was what Fink had expected.Then again, he had no basis for comparison.His parents weren’t big on celebrating holidays, unless vodka or meth were involved.They’d never be described as devoted to family.
This was different.
Last year, if someone had told him he’d be eating turkey at a table full of smiling folks reveling in one another’s company, he would’ve laughed his ass off.Unless he was supposed to kill someone at the table, he’d never envisioned himself enjoying such a meal.
As he passed the large bowl of mashed potatoes down the line, he watched Sydney.There was a light within her, and it drew him to her.This is where it came from.He’d wondered how a woman with such potential for darkness could possess all that brightness.
Here.
These people gave it to her.
He couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened to her if she hadn’t found them.Perhaps they would’ve crossed paths sooner.Under different circumstances, for sure.Worse ones.
Sydney wouldn’t be the woman who had stolen his heart without them.That’s for damn sure.
As much as he wanted to stay in this haven of love and acceptance, they had to go.The dinner was over.His belly was full, and his heart was about to explode.They had a long drive ahead of them.
At the time they planned it, leaving directly after dinner sounded like a good idea.The apartment was empty.Another night on the air mattress appealed to him about as much as bamboo shoots under his fingernails.But now that the tryptophan had kicked in, he wasn’t so sure.
Hopefully, the espresso Hauwa had made would last.It sure as hell pepped him.
Saying goodbye was bittersweet.He could’ve spent days with them listening to stories about Sydney’s youth, Hauwa and Cassidy’s younger years, how they got together, and what got them into fostering, but he couldn’t.They’d have more to talk about at their next meeting.
And there would be one.
There was no way in hell he’d let Sydney lose touch with her family.They were far too precious.It’d be tricky, but he’d figure it out.
“You ready to go?”he asked as he pulled his napkin from his lap and placed it on the table.
A frown appeared on her face, but in the blink of an eye, it disappeared.Her chest puffed out, and she nodded.“We should.”
“Already?”Cassidy whined exaggeratedly.“You just got here.”
“Six hours ago,” Sydney reminded with a chuckle as she got to her feet.
