Griffin was practically vibrating next to me. “It’s not Willow’s job to replace Sage,” he hissed.
That right there.
On the opposite couch, Bowen’s eyes turned stormy, his shoulders stiff.Not happening,he mouthed.
Because he looked and sounded most like James, he’d quietly appointed himself Willow’s stand-in father—bottle-feeding, rocking, changing every diaper. Anytime he had to hand her over, he looked like he was being asked to do something unreasonable. If Scott and Heidi tried to leave with Willow, Bowen might actually wrestle her from Scott’s arms.
Maggie’s knee bounced as she clutched Bowen’s elbow, whispering calming words.
Sitting on the other side of Griffin, Sophie straightened, shoulders back. “Willow should stay with James,” she said, every syllable edged with restrained fury. “He’s her dad.”
“And we’re her mother’s parents,” Scott said. “And we’re not rejecting her.”
“He’s not rejecting her.” Bowen shot to his feet. “He almost died. He lost the love of his life. He can barely breathe through it. Can’t you see that? You need to give him a minute.”
I thought Griffin might join in. He looked tense enough to flip a table. Instead, he pulled out his phone and started texting… the Dupree family group chat.
“Bowen,” Lemon censured. “Calm down.”
“No.” He turned to face Scott and Heidi directly. “We’re sorry that you lost Sage. But James lost her, too. You still have each other. He has no one but Willow, and he’ll sink even lower if you take her from him.”
“We have to do what’s best for Willow,” Scott said.
“And we have to do what’s best for James and Willow,” Silas said. “She should stay here. She has to bond with James, or it’s going to cause problems later.”
“But he’s not bonding,” Heidi said. “He’s sitting there, zoned out.”
“Again!” Bowen’s voice was nearly a shout. “He just lost his?—”
Griffin stood. “What would Sage want us to do?” That brought everyone to a halt. He took a large, calming breath. “If Sage was looking down on us now—and knowing her, she probably is—who would she want Willow to be with?”
I’d never met Sage, but I knew if something ever happened to me, I’d want Future Weston to stay with Griffin.
“She’d want her here with James.” Heidi whimpered. “She loved that boy something fierce.”
“She did,” Lemon said. “She does.” Griffin’s mom, who I was learning had more grace than three average people combined, pulled Heidi into a tight hug. “Come and see Willow tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. Come every day if you want.”
“Okay,” Heidi whispered.
“We’re not going to withhold her from you,” Lemon said. “I think when she’s a little older, it would be more than appropriate for her to have a weekly sleepover at your house. I’m sure James will agree.”
The doorbell rang.
Lemon looked at Silas. It was nearly nine p.m.
Griffin jogged from the room, but he didn’t head to the front door. He went in the other direction, to his parents’ room.
Silas stood to answer the door but stopped when he heard it open.
“Knock, knock.” It sounded like Ford, but there were other muffled voices in the background.
“Come on in,” Silas called.
We heard a stampede of footsteps, and then the front door shut. Apparently, Ford brought an entourage.
Griffin reappeared with a blanket draped over his arm and a black plastic box with a handle that vaguely resembled my elementary school flute case. He dropped down in front of James and spread the blanket out. “All right, Jamsie.” He squeezed his brother’s knees. “It’s time to snap out of it, okay?”
James looked up. His forehead crinkled.
