Page 62 of Falling for Autumn
She stepped away from the refrigerator and pulled the oven open. I watched as she pulled out four boxes of pizza and added them to the other six boxes that were already sitting out.
“No need to thank me. We’ve all been in some difficult spots, and sometimes we need someone to steer us back on track. I saw that you were about to make a mistake that you might later regret, and I had to prevent you from doing that.”
“I appreciate that more than you know. I feel so bad that I hadn’t given him the benefit of the doubt. When he told me everything that happened, it broke my heart.”
“I know. My heart broke too. I was around back then, and I know that he got the raw end of the deal. October’s a great guy, always has been, and he didn’t deserve what was done to him. I wish they would make up.”
Frowning, I replied, “I can understand that. But?—”
The sound of loud voices coming from the family room dragged our attention away.
“Who is that?” I asked upon hearing an unfamiliar voice.
Sarai rushed from the room, and I followed her.
“Kevin.” Sarai gasped from behind me when we made it to the family room.
“Where’s October and Auburn?” I asked Tree, who sat closest to the door. My phone rang at the same time.
“Nautica took her to the twins’ room to play with them, and October said he had to get something from the car,” he answered.
I answered my phone. “Hello?”
“Baby, grab Smooches and meet me out here at the car.”
Kevin greeted everyone in the room, while TJ and a young teenage girl stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, looking around and then at me.
I rushed out of the room and ran upstairs to the bedroom. I heard their childish, happy laughter before I saw them. I took a moment to calm my racing heart before I moved into the doorway and peered inside the bedroom that was decorated in theFrozentheme.
Nautica sat on the floor pretending to have a picnic with the twins, Ariya and Sariya; Chloe, Wings’s daughter; and Auburn. She was drinking from a teacup as the other girls chatted happily.
Nautica stood and stated, “I will be right back, girls. Don’t eat all the cake until I return.”
Sarai had given the girls cake for their tea party, and it was all sliced up on little plates. Nautica walked to the door, and I quickly stepped out of sight just as Auburn’s little curly head jerked up.
“Hey, is everything good? I heard Kevin’s voice down there.”
“I don’t know. October told me to meet him at the car.”
Nautica turned her lips down and nodded. “I know that there’s major beef between his brother and him. For what it’s worth, October’s a great guy. He’s come through for my familyon multiple occasions. I’m sure that Reuben and Sarai had no idea Kevin was coming.”
“It’s all good. We’re leaving so . . .”
I walked inside of the room and grabbed Auburn.
“Mommy, me dwinkin’ tea.” She held her little teacup up proudly.
“I know, baby. But we’ve got to run. I’ll pick you some more up on the way home, okay?”
She bobbed her little head, and her curly ponytail with the dark blue and gold ribbon shook.
“Okay.” Although she was going along with me, it was clear from the watery eyes that she wasn’t ready to leave. I scooped her up, placed the teacup down, and turned to the other girls.
“Tell your friends bye, Auburn.”
“Bye,” she stated sadly with a little wave of her hand.
It broke my heart, especially when the twins looked equally sad and asked, “When is the baby coming back to play?”
