My hands were moving. “I thought about that but he can also pay someone to do it.”
“Yeah.”
We both sat watching Rylee play and my heart hurt at the idea of having to let her go. Brother or not, she was happy…with me. I watched a little boy run over to Rylee and begin talking, waving his arms.
She signed that she was deaf and he frowned, not understanding. I was about to get out of my seat to intervene when Marlee shook her head and told me.
“She’s fine.”
My brows pinched as Rylee touched her ear and shook her head, lifted one of the ice cream scoops and handed it to him. His little face balled up, then he smiled and shrugged tossing the bright pink scoop at the cone. When it missed, Rylee lifted it from the bin and showed him how to do it. He nodded, smiled,and tried again. The two played together, bringing a smile to my face.
“She’s smart, Somee. Rylee’s going to be okay no matter where she is.”
“She is and I know,” I signed back.
The problem was, would I? Rylee had shifted things in my life and made me want more than just teaching. I didn’t know what to do with those feelings because wanting didn’t guaranteehaving. Like it or not, Rylee wasn’t mine and I had to let her go, no matter how much I would miss her.
When we pulledup to my house, there were two cars waiting in the driveway. I panicked because they weren’t supposed to be here until six. I had fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes I was going to utilize by ensuring my home was tidy. Not spotless because that would feel odd. Neat but lived in seemed like a good compromise. Deep down inside I felt like he would be judging me, because well, I was judging him.
One of the vehicles was the Tylers’ SUV I recognized, which meant the rental parked behind it had to belong to Ryland. Sure enough, as soon as I navigated into the spot at the top of my driveway beside them, I received my answer when I glanced to the left and caught sight of him watching me.
And shit… Pictures were good but the real thing was so much better.
Marlee parked behind me and my phone vibrated with a text the second after her car came to a stop at my bumper.
Marlee: They’re early.
I had explained what time Miranda and Ryland were arriving so she was aware that the timeline was off.
Me: They are. Can you come get Rylee and take her in? I want to talk to them first and I need you to make sure things look good in there.
Marlee:
I turned to Rylee and signed, “Go inside with Marlee. I’ll be there in a sec.”
She turned to look out the window then back at me. “I want to say hi to Miranda.”
“You will. They’re coming in.”
She beamed, signed okay, then got out of the car when Marlee opened her door on the opposite side. I watched as Rylee skipped beside Marlee, hand in hand, waved at Miranda, and disappeared inside the house.
The door to the rental behind Miranda opened and a large body unfolded from the driver's seat with a scowl on his handsome face and a pair of narrowed eyes directed at me.
He charged toward me, hands jerking.
“Where is she going?”
I blinked and frowned, not responding quickly enough, so he repeated the motion with more effort to make the movements not so choppy.
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand, but I was confused about him signing to me.
“You sign?”
His expression was condescending as if to say, duh, didn’t you just see me do it. A look that had my chin lifting defiantly, but instead of communicating his irritation at my question, heresponded with a statement explaining why he knew how to sign.
“Took ASL in college for my foreign language credits. It’s been a while since I had to use it, but I’m fluent. Just a little rusty.”
Well, shit. Didn’t see that coming.
