Page 40 of Silver Lining Love

“Heck yeah, this is the best slide in the park.”

Her lips pursed as a look of determination replaced the fear that had been there seconds before. “I’m gonna go down.”

Yes.Dolly Briggs comes through again. So much of the psychology I used on the kids came from my mom.

“Are you sure?” I asked casually. “I can help you climb back down.”

“I’m gonna slide.” She reached up and climbed the final two rungs, then sat down, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and slid down. By the time she reached the bottom, I was sitting at the top of the slide with Benji. I lifted his arms up and made him clap for his sister. “Woohoo! Alice!”

She stood with her hands in the air and cheered. “I did it! I did it!”

Keeping one arm around Benji as he sat on my lap, I slid down the slide and had to admit, it washighandsteep.

What were these parks thinking?

When I got to the bottom, I was happy to put my feet back on solid ground.

Benji and I only took the one trip down the slide, but Alice went down a couple dozen times before she was ready to swing. Benji was in a baby swing beside her, and I was pushing them both when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that it was my mom calling.

She usually called once a week, but two calls in two days was a lot. My chest tightened at the thought that something could have happened to my dad or one of my siblings.

“Mom?” I answered.

“Where are you?” Her brow furrowed as she looked over my shoulder.

“At the park with Alice and Benji. Michael and Whitney are having a day out just the two of them.”

She smiled, probably remembering all of her one-on-one days. “That’s nice! Can I say hi to Alice and Benji?”

I turned the phone around and my mom called out, “Hi kiddos! Are you having fun at the park?”

“Hi, Miss Dolly!” Alice waved as she swung. “I went on the big kids’ slide!”

“Of course you did, because you are a big girl!”

I flipped the screen back to me. Nothing so far in this conversation indicated there was any bad news, so the tension had drained from my shoulders. “So, what’s up?”

“I was thinking that you should invite Whitney and the kids to my party.”

“What party?” I asked innocently.

She didn’t miss a beat. “The surprise party that your brothers and sister are throwing for me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I grinned, just because it was fun messing with her.

“Wyatt James, don’t play dumb. Bring the kids and Whitney. I think you could all use a visithome.”

“Wyatt! Swing me!”

“Sounds like duty calls.” A knowing grin spread on my mom’s face. “See you all soon! Love you!”

“Love you.”

The call disconnected and I wondered what Whitney would think of coming home with me. We hadn’t talked about what last night meant yet, but I knew what it meant to me. I knew what I wanted it to mean.

Would she be freaked out by me asking her to come home with me and meet my family?

“Wyatt!” Alice shouted. “Swing me!”

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