PTE

AH'S

nvyl

ars ago. The city I had to leave behin

nged, yet it fel

s coming back so much dif

bit tired from being cooped up in the plane

, already shifting my attention to the next issue.

each other in perfect unison, each

huckled. It never failed to amuse me

eye roll. "Now

, Mommy." Waylen argu

minutes, accepted his brother's ha

time," I said, letting them take the

o pick us up still hadn't a

a quietly amused smile. Tr

re," I said, watching

hey loved riding in limos-so much that I even had to

as probably why she'd sen

ped out, I was shock

d over in my heels and threw my arms

ood look at you." She held me at arm's length, eyes

led, clearly unsure w

, and even that was only through one

an forward to pull them into a hug. "It'

asked first, his ton

me?" Waylen fol

bout me?" Natasha teased, n

." I said quiet

hen I was finally ready to face the world again, my best friends were the fir

about th

t friend, Natasha." Sh

sha," Casper g

a," Waylen waved

s at the hospital." She ushered u

hauffeur, or you offered?" I

o you t

earview mirror. "Knowing y

, madam." She tipped her b

kle from me. "I

sed you

t De

ia a huge hug." Delia opened he

ped around her head. Her left leg too had a hea

tly warned the boys as they ran to the be

ined about hugging being for girls. They usually hugged m

doing their best not to let any part o

u invited us,"

ly. "Yes. She said yo

was, my

e?" Waylen a

nned-that was unexpected. How had h

ed. "Do I look lik

ike eyes before shaking his head. "No. I hear peo

true, Mom." He seemed more interested in th

eeling, Delia?

hile Natasha frowned beside her. "I'm happy you'r

ha be

d, amused. She hadn't cha

old him?" N

er face, I knew exactly what

I'd had a one-night stand-and that it was t

es, was a reasonable guess, but a wrong one. Fynn wasn

it's been years since I heard from him

day I was humiliated in public. I couldn't bring myself to share it beca

ll call you girls later." She rose to leave, but not bef

ys' foreheads and

with her?"

ged. "Hell

e the boys played beside her on the bed

r, everyone." Her smile was polite and friendly, especially

to see her,"

e," Waylen added, his littl

o get ice cream cake. I'll

orite dessert, they needed no other

a." I waved goodbye and l

. She was my reason for returning, and when she asked, I

e to make something out of myself. I owed her that much,

ere you'r

e didn't see

used such an unwelcome tone on my babies and who

widened