“I wouldn’t do that.”My brows pinched and his left one rose slowly.
“I wouldn’t,”I signed in argument.
“And you’ll request leave so you can come with her?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it will be approved.”
I had no idea how that would work. I would figure it all out because after getting Rylee situated with her brother, I would ultimately have to return to my life, which meant needing a job to pay my bills.
His eyes left me and moved toward the living room where Marlee, his mother, and Rylee were smiling and engaging. I followed his line of sight and watched as Rylee signed simple phrases and Miranda did her best to emulate them. Marlee provided additional advice to assist and my heart swelled.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement and turned my head toward Ryland who wore a pinched expression before his hands were in motion.“We have to tell her why I’m here.”
Oh yeah, I conveniently left that off when he broke protocol and decided to tell Rylee who he was.
“I will…”
“No, I’ll tell her,”he responded. I decided to choose my battles and simply signed okay.
Ryland and I moved to the living room and began the process of upending this beautiful girl’s life. After Ryland explained to his sister that he was here because they were family and family was supposed to live together, Rylee tucked her small body into my side. She was only six years old but Rylee was smart. By the time his hands completed the sentence that confirmed Rylee would have to leave me to live with him, her little body was filled with tension.
“Do you understand why you have to come with me?”
Rylee nodded and Ryland asked,“Would you like to come stay with me?”
“No,”she signed, then glanced at me.“I want to stay here with Somee.”
I sensed the tension in his shoulders when he signed.“You can’t stay, Rylee.”
Rylee’s tiny brows pinched.“Yes, I can. Somee will let me.”
Well, fuck. This was harder than I assumed.
I turned to Rylee.“You’re always welcome here but Ryland is your brother, and since your mom is gone, the courts say you have to be with him. Ryland doesn’t live here so you have to go with him.”
“But I don’t want to.”She pouted and my heart broke.
“What if I come with you?”
She frowned.“Are you going to stay with me?”
“For a little while. Would you like that?”
I had no idea how I would make this happen, but I would for her.
“Yes.”She nodded and glanced at Ryland before her eyes were on me again.
“Then I’ll come too,”I assured her and she smiled.
“Okay.”
And just like that, everything in my life and hers was changing.
Ryland and I exchanged numbers.He delivered firm warnings that I was to answer all of his texts when it came to checking on Rylee. I agreed but only because I wanted him out of my house so I could fully process what was happening.
Miranda was sweet and kind as always, promising me that everything would be fine. I had no guarantee of whether or not that would truly be the case but what could I do about any of this besides make it work.
After they were gone, Marlee and I had wine and I vented, filling her in on the conversation I had with Ryland and how much I loathed him for disrupting the happy bubble Rylee and I existed in. We were fine, she was fine. We didn’t need him.
