Page 85 of Keepsake

She put her hand on her waist. “That won’t do.”

“Why did you want to celebrate?” I asked as she moved away, grabbing her phone.

“I don’t want to spoil it with your bad mood.”

“Maybe it’s not a reason to celebrate at all. Tell us first,” Dash argued.

She looked away from her phone and came to him with her hand extended. “If I’m right and you agree with me that it’s a reason to celebrate, then you’ll do it. My way.”

Dash scoffed. “Sure, what if I don’t?”

“I bring them to dinner, but you can order in.”

Deciding that being alone was enough of a bargain for him, Dash shook Logan’s hand.

Turning to everyone, still with that unbreakable smile, she announced, “Lachlan talked today!”

Everyone lost their shit. Vienna stopped crying right away, jumping to her feet. My mouth opened and even Dash had no words.

“How?” “When?” “What?” We all talked at once.

She shook her head. “It was only a word, and it was in Dr. Maya’s office. We were building up to this for a long time. She said it’s big that he’s starting to trust. It’s a long process though.” She shook her head. “But it was a big deal.” And turning to Dash. “Right?”

He couldn’t say anything else. There wasn’t an answer but to nod and agree. It was a huge deal.

“Dinner then?” he said, blowing out a breath.

“Well, that too,” she said, going for her phone again.

Without a word, she pressed play on a song and looked at us expectantly. Moving her hips awkwardly, she chuckled. “Come on.”

The kids moved straight away, Vienna and Lachlan on their feet holding hands, they started dancing. I looked at Dash, expecting to see that annoyed teen expression, but he wasn’t wearing it.

He had his mouth opened.

“That’s mom’s screaming song,” he said, almost in a whisper to himself.

“Well,Let’s get Loudis Sofia’s and my screaming song. But I’m glad she passed along the tradition.”

“Come on, tío!” Vienna grabbed my hand to dance. “You just need to dance and scream when the music says…” She screamed mid-sentence. My guess was the cue arrived before she finished explaining the game.

Lachlan was doing a toddler jump, where they just bend their knees trying to leave the ground, but it’s not quite there yet.

“You have neighbors, you know?” I smirked at Logan.

She shrugged and when the cue in the music came around again, telling everyone to get loud, we all followed at the top of our lungs. Even Dash.

He wasn’t necessarily dancing, but he was there, screaming in the right places, laughing at Lachlan’s baby jumps.

Logan sang in Spanish with the same enthusiasm she sang in English, egging on the kids to dance. And when the music died out and they were all out of breath, her smile was the biggest.

“Everyone, go change,” she called. “I’m bringing you to my favorite restaurant.”

Not needing another incentive, Vienna raced to the stairs.

Dash took Lachlan without complaining, and they all moved to their respective rooms.

I turned to her; her cheeks blushed. Another song was playing in the background, softer this time.

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