Page 104 of Sloane

“Yeah, I just wanted to say hi before I brought stuff in.” I gestured to Tammy, standing next to me. “This is my best friend, Tammy. Tam, Crash and Stu.”

“Hi,” she said with a little wave.

Both men smiled and told her hello.

I lifted Millie’s infant carrier a little higher. “And this is my daughter, Amelia, but we call her Millie.”

Crash looked down at my little girl who was fast asleep.

“She’s beautiful.”

“How old is she?” Stu asked.

“She just turned a month two days ago.”

“She’s so little,” Stu commented thoughtfully as he leaned down to peer closer at her. “It’s going to be nice watching her grow.”

“Yeah. I’m glad you have a kid. We’re really going to miss Sandy’s boy, Oliver,” Crash said wistfully.

“And Sandy, too, of course,” Stu quickly added with a grin.

That made me smile.

“Of course.”

Tammy murmured to me, “I’m going to get started unloading my car,” then offered a bright smile to the men. “It was nice meeting you.”

Crash quickly called after her, “Do you need help?” then backtracked when he gestured to his artificial limbs. “I mean, I don’t know how much I could do right now, but I could try.”

Her smile was genuine when she told him, “I appreciate that, but I got it. There’s really not that much.”

I added, “The movers are bringing the bigger pieces later.”

“We can watch Millie while you bring things in,” Stu offered.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Of course not.”

I looked down the hall toward the living room with the spectacular ocean views. “Is Scotty here?”

Crash replied. “No, he’s at his support group. Never misses a meeting. He’s actually moving next week into the guest house of one of the guys from the group.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that! Well, I’m disappointed that I’m not going to be able to work with him more, but I’m happy he’s doing well enough to be on his own.”

Stu seemed wise beyond his years when he stated, “That’s the goal, right? And he’s ready. He’s been here for five months. My social worker said the longest anyone has been here is six months.”

“How long have you guys been here?”

Crash replied, “Two months,” and Stu said, “Three weeks.”

“So, we’ve got some time to get to know each other while you prepare for greener pastures,” I said with a smile.

“Looking forward to it,” Stu said with a solemn nod, while Crash gave me a mischievous grin and said, “Feel free to have your friend over anytime.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ashley

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