“It’s beautiful.”
“Oh, good.” Relief flowed through her scent. “I had the children’s table set up as well. I’m so glad we could accommodate those last-minute changes.”
Shit.
“We have one more addition. I’d like him to sit with my mother. We can move them if needed. I’m so sorry,” I apologized.
Looking a little frazzled, she tapped on her tablet. “One more. If I can move them, I can absolutely do that. Can I move some of the other children to the children’s table? That would help.”
“Of course.”
She set off.
“I’m guessing the children’s table and bouncy castle are for her siblings?” I told Evan as I spied my friend, who’d flown in to grill for us tonight. He was with some chefs and massive grills.
“Yes. Her siblings arrived right after your father did, while Grace was talking to Agent Ass-Face. Hale was talking about how nice his car was.” Evan sighed. “How are you? Your dad coming back is huge. While we knew it was a possibility, it being reality is a whole separate thing.”
“My heart broke last night when my mother said that she was lonely. Now she has him back. He’s no longer in prison. My father is back… I…” So many emotions overwhelmed me.
“I know, old friend.” Evan hugged me tightly. “I know.”
“Hopefully, we can keep him away from his research.” The idea of them coming back for him made me nervous.
“I’m pretty sure that your mom is going to make him stay retired. He’s got years of traveling with her ahead of him. If he gets bored, maybe he can teach again–not resume his qubit research but just teach, after all, his students loved him,” Evan responded.
“True. Maybe at some point he can tell us more. Perhaps we can even figure out what happened with Grace. It is curious that they let him remember all that. Why make him forget prison and the trials but let him recall what got him put there?” That, too, bothered me.
Evan thought for a moment. “I’m guessing it was deliberate, like Grace having all of her notes on her phone. Grace could also probably tell us more.”
“Spence, where do we set up?” Zoie held up her bouzouki case, some of my cousins trailing, all dressed colorfully and carrying instrument cases.
I was excited for them to play later when it was time for dancing. We had a DJ while everyone was eating, and string music for the reception. Grace and I had made the playlist together, which had been fun.
“Ah, your cousins.” Eunice came over to us. “Welcome, I’ll show you where to go. Spencer, I got the seating fixed. The reception is being set up. Also, I think your grill master wants a word.”
“Perfect. Thank you,” I said as she led my cousins off. Yes, I should go greet my friend. Today was already wonderful, and having my father here made it even better.
Chapter Forty-Four
Grace
“Are we ready?” I asked, surveying everyone dressed and ready in their finery in the living room. Well, everyone except me. I’d put my dress on at the club.
“Yeah, um, how are we getting there?” Wes looked at everyone.
Verity held Hope, who napped on her shoulder. Tru was braiding Jett’s hair.
“Hale, please don’t touch that,” Brennan said through gritted teeth as Hale picked up a small statue.
“Grace, I think Hale, Chance, and Dare should go with you, Mercy if there’s room,” Verity said.
There was something about the way she said it that made me think that perhaps some of my siblings needed to talk to me. Which was fair.
“Okay, we can’t fit all four of us in my truck legally. But Spencer already said that we could take his car…” Mentally I counted. How were we going to do this?
She started unfolding some rectangles that were with their luggage. “I have the car seats for Tru, Pax, and Hope.”
Oh. They would be in car seats. I loved how they just folded up like that. I suppose when Tru visited us, they’d be sending one for her.
