Page 122 of It Must Be Fate

Rhys was told that Ivy was with Suki at Nera’s and Rogue was dispatched to the movies and then the park with our other children.

“Don’t hold out on me, B. What are they doing now?” Thayer asks.

I chuckle at her nosiness. It took firm negotiations on my part to keep Thayer at home instead of face glued to the windowsof my veranda, hand buried in a bag of popcorn watching this afternoon unfold as she’d originally intended.

But I didn’t want to make a show out of this, not when it was just a playdate and our husbands were already adding undue pressure. The children are young and they deserve the space to figure out what they mean to one another, whether that’s just being friends or eventually more.

From my position closer to the windows now, I have a better view and can see that Ivy appears to have a bloody knee. Her lips are twisted in a soft grimace but she’s not crying.

She’s tough as nails, always has been.

“Ivy fell off the bike.”

Thayer immediately shifts into protective mom mode. “What? Is she okay? Does she need me?”

“I think she’s okay. She’s— Oh.” I gasp. “Oh,wow.”

“What? What is it?”

“Hold on, let me take a picture. You are going to lose your mind.”

“You’re scaring me. Is she hurt?”

“That’s not it. Just look at your phone.”

“What—Oh.” She shrieks.

“My eardrum, Thayer!”

“Girl,swoon.”

“It’s even cuter in real life,” I tell her, watching as Rhodes marches towards the back of the house carrying a bemused Ivy cradled tightly in his arms.

He hasn’t hit puberty yet so he’s only a couple of inches taller than her. Carrying her must be costing him dearly, but he’s making it look easy. His face is set in a severe expression that only momentarily softens when his gaze sweeps over Ivy’s face, hardening once more when they catch on her bleeding knee.

His steps are determined as he makes the journey back to the house, never once flinching at the weight in his arms. Whenhe’s only a couple feet away from the back door, I say, “I have to go, Thayer. Ivy looks fine but I want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Thank you,” she answers with a relieved sigh. “Keep me updated.”

“I will,” I promise, hanging up.

Walking up to the back door just as they reach it, I open it for them. “Hey, guys.”

“Mum,” Rhodes calls, an underlying frenetic note in his voice. “I hurt Ivy.”

“You—”

“No, you didn’t,” Ivy cuts in, shaking her head firmly. “I fell off the bike, Aunt B. It’s my fault, Rhodes shouldn’t get in trouble.”

“It was me.” I hadn’t noticed it before but Rhodes looks a couple shades paler than usual. “I wasn’t careful.”

“No one is getting in trouble,” I assure them. “Is your leg okay, Ivy?”

“Perfectly fine.”

Rhodes shakes his head. “She’s not fine. She’s… she’sbleeding.”

I place a comforting hand on my son’s shoulder. “We’re going to get it disinfected and patched up, don’t worry, darling.” I start to reach for her. “I can take her, I’m sure you’re tire—”

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