Page 145 of On Merit Alone
His brown eyes narrowed. “Cause I’m not having you running scared the moment they pounce on you. Now come on, let’s get this hoard you brought into the fridge.”
I rolled my eyes but suppressed a smile before directing Ira on how to carefully set the things I brought into the conveniently open space right in the front of the fridge. We were just shutting the door when the sound of little feet barreling toward us got my attention.
I didn’t have to wonder who from, because the sounds were quickly followed by a screech. “Uncle Ira!”
Ira winced, leaning into me and murmuring, “The lungs on that one, Jesus.”
But just like the good uncle he was, he crouched and waited for what was sure to be a solid impact from the little girl. Only, when little Olivia came around the bend of some hallway—all decked out in a red, white, and blue sundress and a big blue bow on the top of her ponytailed head—she halted in the doorway. Her eyes went from Ira to me and her face split into a huge gap-toothed grin.
“Ms. Merit!” This screech was even louder and I barely had the time to set my phone down on the table before I was catching a flying child in my hands and lifting her up to my hip.
As soon as she landed, she wrapped her arms around my neck in more of a stranglehold than a hug, but a sweet gesture all the same. “I missed you, Ms. Merit.”
“Oh my gosh,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and scooting her up my hip. “I missed you too, Liv. And you’re so strong!”
Rising, Ira rubbed a hand along Liv’s back before leaning in and saying, “Loosen up, kid. You’re hurting her.”
“Sorry, Mer-it,” she whined, loosening her hold on me and leaning her torso away so she could look at me. “How’s your boo-boo?”
Making a show out of “looking at my forehead,” I said, “All healed. What about yours?”
Liv slapped two hands to her forehead and smiled wide. “All better! We should play again.”
“Maybe later, Liv,” Ira cut in. “Where’s your grandma?”
“Grandma, Grandpa!” Liv screeched. “Come and see my friend!”
“Alright,” he said with a fake grumble as he reached over and all but plucked Liv out of my arms and tossed her on his back like she was nothing more than a toy. My heart leaped as the little girl flew through the air.
Rationally, I could see that she was laughing and that Ira had control of her the whole time, but that didn’t stop me from worrying when he played with her like that. I shot him a dirty look when she landed safely on his shoulders. I was just about to scold him about being more careful when another familiar face came around the corner.
Well, anothertwofaces.
“Hey, Merit,” Iris said as she sauntered into the kitchen with little baby Maddox on her hip. Without hesitation, she came right in and wrapped her free arm around me. Surprised, I returned the hug and then tickled Maddox’s tummy when she pulled away. Smiling sweetly, she said, “How have you been? Recover from that fall you took?”
Heat filled my face and I looked at Ira just as he “coincidentally” glanced away.
Ducking my head, I said, “I didn’t think Ira told anyone about that.”
“He did better than tell me,” Iris snorted, and under that expression I could see past the niceties we were still dancing around to the girl underneath. The oldest sister in this family of lighthearted, joking, goofballs. I realized then that she might be just as much trouble as the guy at my side. Leaning in, she whispered, “Video evidence, sweetie.”
My mouth dropped open and I stared at Ira. The two of themjust laughed while Liv asked what‘evidence’meant in the background.
“Iris, whose side are you on?” Ira snickered, giving her hip a gentle bump.
“You know she’s on whichever side is the most fun,” another voice said as it came around the corner. An average-height woman with long curly hair and sun-kissed brown skin came right up to Liv and scooped her up by her arms, setting her about her hip. Coming to stand by Iris she gave me a bright and friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Leah. Liv has been trying to tell me about her new friend, but I think sometimes she gets Merit and Kermit mixed up.”
I guffawed, my gaze landing on the little girl on her mom’s hip. Liv ducked her head into Leah’s shoulder while covering up the sweetest giggle. I smiled at the woman in front of me and extended my hand. “Nice to meet you. I go by Merit most of the time, but for Livy, you can call me Kermit.”
Her eyes beamed. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for taking care of my little girl when she fell. You guys smacked that glass pretty hard.”
My face fell. “You’ve seen it too?”
Biting her lip, she nodded. I immediately whipped around to face Ira. He grinned.
“I want to see that video.” I shook my head, holding out my hands for the goods. I needed to see the thing that was apparently making the rounds enough that it was preceding me and giving me a reputation. I was determined enough to even reach in his pockets and grab it if it weren’t for the sudden voice that came from around the corner.
“Has everyone met her but your own parents, Ira?” the same voice that had called from the doorway asked as it floated into the kitchen. I looked up in time to see a blur of soft brown features and straight black hair coming my way.
