I’m not sure when things will ever go back to normal with us, but I hope they do someday. Today isn’t that day, though.
“I’ll get there,” Bailey answers, clearing his throat just asMirabelle walks in the room, glaring at JJ. “Um, so since everyone is in the same room, it might just be better to say it once than to repeat it to everyone individually. I’m not really okay, but I want to be. It’s going to take time, and probably some therapy, but I promise I’ll talk to the therapist this time,” he says, trying to make a joke as his cheeks flush. “Thanks for coming home, guys. I know how crazy things probably are for you, but I appreciate it.”
“Of course we showed up for you. It’s what we do,” Hunter says, tugging a hand through his blond hair, and Bailey smiles.
“You’re right, it is.”
Thalia looks so proud as she leans into Sebastian, and I’m sure it’s a wonderful feeling to see all their kids come together.
“Just do me a favor, and please don’t treat me like I’m made of glass?” Bailey asks, looking around the room, making eye contact with everyone, including me. I reach to squeeze his hand, and he gives me a glimpse of the sun when he smiles at me.
“We’ll do our best,” Thalia says, and JJ pats him on the back.
“Welcome to the club. They suck at treating you normal, but everyone means well. You get used to it after a while,” he says, and Hunter shakes his head.
“I want you to replay that in your head when you think about why I transferred, JJ,” Hunter says, and JJ holds his hand up, blocking him.
“No. We’re not getting into that today. Today is about Bailey, so why don’t we ask what he wants?”
Bailey knocks his leg against mine under the counter, and I already know what he’s going to say before he says it. “I want everyone to go surfing and play mermaids.”
“Wait, but I can’t yet,” Javi adds, frowning.
“We’ll build the coolest sandcastle with Luna, and maybeshe’ll let us make her a tail out of sand,” Mirabelle says, and Luna looks like she’s been told they’re going to make her eat sand instead.
An hour later, we’re all out on the water, minus our three shore bound friends.
With a gentle breeze kissing my cheeks, I look around at all the Walkers, and I smile, seeing how they showed up for Bailey when he needed them the most.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Kaitlyn
NOW
A month later,Bailey and I sat down to eat the lunch he’d brought me at the gallery when we got a frantic call from Henry.
“Mirabelle’s in active labor,” he yells into the phone, and I wince, moving it away from my ear.
“She is?” Bailey asks, raising his eyebrows in surprise. With Henry’s yelling, I didn’t even have to put it on speaker for Bailey to hear.
“Congratulations! Keep us updated,” I say, smiling at the thought of the twins finally being here.
“You’re not coming to be here with us?” he asks, and I look at Bailey. He looks just as confused as I am.
“I mean, won’t the waiting room be full enough? We’ll come as soon as you give us the all clear, but it’s probably not a good idea to overwhelm Mirabelle,” I explain, and Bailey nods, giving me a thumbs-up.
“Javi?” he whispers.
“Henry, who has Javi?” I ask, and I hear yelling in the background.
“He’s here with Dad. Can you please just come? I needyou,” Henry says, and I know that despite however many people are already in the waiting room, I’ll be one of them.
“We’ll be there soon,” I say, and Bailey’s eyes crinkle as he smiles at me.
“You’re going to be an auntie,” he says, and I put the lid on top of my mac ’n’ cheese.
“Rude, I’m already an auntie to Javi,” I remind him, and he chuckles, smiling.
