Page 115 of Always Been Yours

“Don’t leave.” Brushing a stand of hair behind her ear, I give her a grateful smile. “Stay and eat with me.”

“Areyou sure?”

“Yes.” I give her a soft kiss on the lips and rest my forehead on hers. “I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t want to be alone… I’m so tired of being alone, Viv.” My voice is raw in a way I’ve never heard before.

Cupping my jaw, she pulls back to look me in the eye. “I don’t want to be alone anymore either, Grady. I want to be with you. Let me be here for you.” There is so much vulnerability in her eyes it hurts, but I don’t let myself look away.

I place another kiss on her lips but before I can deepen it in the way I am craving, my stomach grumbles. Laughing, she pulls out of my hold and grabs the to-go bag off the counter.

“I figured your stomach must be in a similar state to mine after last night,” she shamelessly gives me a long once over before turning back toward the counter. “I got breakfast sandwiches from Morning Munch and some coffee from Daily Drips… Don’t tell Calypso.” She shoots me a sly smile on her way to the small dining table.

“As long as you got me the sausage and hashbrown sandwich, your secret is safe with me,” I tease.

She plops down in the seat, rolling her eyes. “I know you. Of course, it’s the sausage and hashbrown.”

And isn’t that the goddamn truth? This woman knows me,seesme, even when I try my best to hide.

Two hours later, Vivi and I are playing our second round of Skip-Bo. It was one of our favorites growing up. In between checking onthe girls—still sleeping, thankfully—I pulled this out of the game cabinet. Most of what’s in there are board games but I’ve kept this one over the years because it reminds me of her. The spark of competition in her eye is nostalgic and sexy, all at once.

Vivi’s on a roll, working through her stockpile and kicking my ass again, when we hear shuffling down the stairs. She turns in her seat to peer around the corner as I stand up, walking to find Daisy in her pajamas with her blankie wrapped around her shoulders and Princess Pumpkin Pie tucked under her arm.

“Hi, darling.” I scoop her into my arms. She nuzzles closer into my neck. “How are you feeling?”

She is still too hot but some of the clamminess has subsided. “Better,” she whispers. “I’m hungry but I’m scared.”

“Let me go check on your sister and I can heat up some soup, okay?” She nods against my shoulder. “Vivi’s in the kitchen. She didn’t want to leave you guys without making sure you’re okay.”

Her head lifts up as she tries to see Vivi from here. “Really? Is she going to stay? I just woke up. She can’t leave yet.” Her lip starts to tremble—she’s always more emotional when she isn’t feeling well.

“Why don’t you go ask her if she wants to watch a movie? I can make you and Stell a bed in the living room, and you can eat your soup in there today.” Setting her down, I watch as she makes her way into the kitchen. I hear Vivi’s chair scoot back and her quiet words to Daisy I can’t make out.

Upstairs, I find Stella awake in her bed, dazedly staring at the wall. “Hi, sweetheart.” I brush some hair out of her face. “Do you want to go downstairs? I have soup and I’m going to make a bed for you and Daisy in the living room.” She nods, looking worse than Daisy. Tentatively I add, “And a special visitor’s here to see you.”

Her eyes cut to mine, filled to the brim with tears. “Is it Vivi?”

Nodding, I start to pull the blankets off of her. She’sstill too warm and sweaty. Her fever isn’t breaking like Daisy’s yet. “How about another quick bath and then we can meet them downstairs?”

She sits up on the mattress but doesn’t get out of bed. She looks up at me with fresh tears running down her cheeks. “Can you carry me?” Where Daisy gets emotional, Stella gets needier. I would do anything to take her discomfort away, but I live for those few moments where she still needs me the most.

After Stella is bathed and in a new pair of pajamas, we make our way downstairs—her little arms still wrapped around my neck as I rub her back. We can hear quiet giggles that have her lifting her head in curiosity.

When we round the corner into the living room, my large body suddenly feels too small for the amount of love it’s trying to hold.

Vivi made herself at home—as shealwaysshould—and set up the bed on the floor. It’s one of her best blanket forts to date, actually. It’s just large enough for the four of us if we squeeze in and there’ll be plenty of room for the girls to stay in there as long as they want. Just to the side of the pillows I can see a small trash can she took from the bathroom.

But it’s the sight of Vivi kneeling beside Daisy, helping to fluff her pillows just right, before tucking her in the same way Bonnie used to when we were really little.

“Arms—in or out?” Vivi asks.

“Out,” Daisy says quietly with a small smile on her lips. She holds her arms up so Vivi can get the blanket situated.

Tucking it in extra tight around her body, Vivi singsongs, “Snug as a bug in a rug.”

“In a rug?” Daisy giggles.

“Some people say mug, I like rug better.”

“Who’s going to tuck you in?”

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