Page 120 of Your Soul to Keep

Kian was not in attendance.

Neither was Bridge.

Next year, when I organized Dylan’s birthday, a thrill danced through me at the thought, Bridge would be there, too.

Maybe Kian would be with her.

Nadine, since the shower, had finally taken on that pregnancy glow.

We had admittedly thrown it far too early, but with all the hostility and anxiety floating around her, it was important to give her a circle of support.

By the looks of her, it worked.

Seeing both Harley and Nadine swelling with life triggered the empty feeling in my womb. It hurt. Perhaps it always would. But it was no longer bad enough to send me running.

My eyes found Dylan chatting with Daire.

He leaned toward her, a look of delight on his handsome face. Fully invested in his conversation with Dylan, it was the first time I’d seen him out with Harley that he didn’t have a hand on her leg or playing in her hair.

Maeve came up behind us and linked her arm through Gabe’s. “I invited her new teacher. When I found out he’s good friends with Max, it seemed like a great opportunity.”

The heavy frown on Gabe’s face shocked me. “She’s not an exhibit, Ma.”

“No,” she answered sharply. “She’s not. She’s the most perfect of little girls and we’re going to make sure she’s surrounded by people who think the same.”

His frown faded as he gazed down at his mother. “What are you going to do? Beat anyone who thinks otherwise with a stick?”

“That plan has merit,” she huffed and walked away to the sound of Gabe’s laughter.

I nudged him with my elbow, then jerked my chin in Dylan’s direction.

She had climbed up onto Daire’s lap and had her hands in his hair. “You gots long hair like mine big mommy.”

“Yeah?” He smiled. “You have long hair, too!”

“I dooz,” she agreed. “But mine big mommy has long, long hair.” She stopped and looked around. Pointing at me, she turned back to him. “That mine big mommy.”

Harley followed the line of her finger and smiled widely.

“Hey, Big Mama,” she teased.

Gabe guffawed. “I told you it was catchy.”

At every opportunity, Dylan introduced me as her mommy, sometimes as her big, big, mommy.

I could see Big Mama catching on and if that was the cost of having her? I’d pay it over and over.

Brian, with a moral support from Dan Bennett, manned the grill. Along with the dishes coming from Maeve’s kitchen, they delivered a spread worthy of the ancient Romans.

“See how they move with each other?” he murmured in my ear, nodding at his parents. “That’s going to be us.”

Brian and Maeve, fully attuned to one another, seemed to know where the other was at all times. One didn’t pass the other without a smile, a word, or an absent-minded, tender touch.

She handed him a spoon.

Gabe chuckled. “He’s going to make a toast now.”

Brian stood beside the heavy butcher-block table overladen with food and tapped his beer stein with his spoon until he had everyone’s attention.

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