Page 17 of Forgiving Her First Love

“No harm in asking,” Logan said.

Reid nodded and opened the lid on the barbecue, then went back to the rail, calling down, “Who wants cheese on their burger?”

“I’m a vegetarian,” Biyen stopped playing to say.

“Yeah, I know, bud. Your mushroom burger is here. You want cheese on it?”

“Yes, please.”

“Okay. You kids want to come and get your buns ready?”

“What’s a vegetarian?” Cooper asked as he trailed Biyen up the stairs.

“I don’t eat meat that comes from animals,” Biyen explained. “Only fish if me and my dad catch it ourselves. Except, one time, Trystan gave me some sausage made from a bear. My dad said that’s okay because it was hunted responsibly.”

“You ate part of a bear?” Imogen’s face twisted into incredulous revulsion.

“Just one time.”

“Is your dad a vegetarian?” Logan asked Biyen as he came to the table.

“Uh-huh. But we have eggs if they come from happy chickens.”

Sophie was still holding Storm as she came up the stairs behind the kids. She sent him a cool look.

Logan got the message and dropped it, but he was really curious how she’d wound up with someone who seemed so different from her.

“Who needs help with their bun?” Logan asked. “Cooper? What do you like on your burger?”

*

Gramps was known for accepting any dinner invitation and for leaving almost immediately after he’d eaten. He drove home in his Gator while Sophie was helping Emma in the kitchen.

Delta was still shaking off the cross-Pacific travel so she retired to her room to unpack and have an early night. Reid and Logan were splitting their attention between sports highlights and Storm on her mat with her toys. The bigger kids came in from outside as Sophie put the last dry dish in the cupboard.

“Can we have screen time, Auntie Em?” Imogen asked. “I want to show Biyen something really funny.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. It’ll have to wait,” Sophie said before Emma could respond. “It’s a school night for Biyen. We have to get home and get ready for bed.”

“Awuh.” Biyen stuck his lip out.

“I know,” Sophie commiserated. “You should ask Mrs. Yuki if you can bring Imogen and Cooper one day. They might think it’s interesting to see a Canadian classroom.”

“We didn’t bring our uniforms,” Imogen said.

“Kids here don’t wear uniforms,” Emma told her. “Some schools have them, but it’s not as common as at home. Look.” Emma pointed at the fridge, inviting Biyen to view the kids’ school photos stuck there beneath magnets shaped like ladybugs.

“Isn’t it Fun Day this week, buddy?” Sophie recalled. “When it gets to be end of year, they have a day outside where they play silly games like an egg and spoon race,” she explained to the other kids. “Everyone gets an ice cream and a sunburn. I think I’m supposed to be a volunteer,” she recalled with a sense of mild panic. Quinley Banks, head of the Parent Advisory Committee, would never let her hear the end of it if she missed it. Over her shoulder, she said, “Logan, I need a day off, but I don’t know which one.”

“We don’t give days off. You know that.” He rose and stretched, then swept up his baby sister. “Nighty night, nutty nut.”

Storm shoved her slobber-coated teething ring against his mouth, but he only made a slight face of disgust before kissing her cheek and plopping her onto Reid’s lap.

Sophie had a brief flash of, This could have been our life. It was a very domestic moment, with everyone saying good night and Reid and Emma negotiating a bathing rotation for all the children as they left.

The walk home might have become awkward at that point, but Biyen chattered the whole way, providing a diary of his run up to summer.

“And then on Friday, Dad will come and take me camping in Rum Runner Cove. That’s where the smugglers went when—what’s it called, Mom?”

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