Page 21 of All of Me

“HEY!” Barrett yells from across the room and we all laugh.

Sara blinks at him, her thumb inching toward her mouth again. She doesn’t say anything, but her wide eyes stay locked on him like she’s trying to figure out if he’s a clown or a cartoon character.

“She’s not much for strangers,” Callie explains, her voice warm as she rests a gentle hand on Sara’s curls.

I watch the way Callie shields her, the way her touch immediately softens Sara’s posture. It’s second nature for her. Protective, loving, patient—it’s just who she is. Every time I see it, it makes my heart swell.

Luke, of course, doesn’t miss a beat. “Stranger? Sara, we’re going to be best friends. Just you wait and see. Look, I even have... a magic trick!”

He reaches behind her ear with the flourish of a bad Vegas magician, pulling out a shiny coin and holding it up like it’s the Holy Grail.

“Ta-da!” he says, his tone full of exaggerated wonder.

Sara tilts her head, her thumb forgotten for the moment. Slowly, she reaches out and takes the coin with her tiny fingers, inspecting it. Then she reaches her hand over and pretends to pull the coin from behind his ear and mimics his “Ta-da!”

“You’re a natural magician!” Luke exclaims giving her a high five.

Sara’s grip tightens on the coin. It’s small, but it’s something. She doesn’t run away, doesn’t bury her face in Callie’s leg like she usually does with new people. Maybe Luke’s over-the-top antics actually work sometimes.

Callie chuckles, adjusting Ruby in her arms. “I think you’ve won her over, but don’t push your luck.”

“Noted,” Luke says, standing up and turning his attention to Ruby. “And this little one, she’s adorable. Definitely takes after her mom.”

“Obviously,” Callie replies.

Luke winks at her, then gestures to me. “Owen, you’re punching above your weight class, my friend.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I say.

Heather steps in, clearly ready to rein Luke in. “Alright, you’ve had your moment. Let’s not overwhelm everyone. Go make yourself useful and grab the rest of the stuff from the car.”

Luke groans but obeys, shooting me a mock look of betrayal as he heads back outside. Heather turns to Callie and me, her smile apologetic. “Sorry about him. He thinks he’s charming.”

Callie laughs. “It’s fine. He’s... entertaining.”

“Exhausting is the word you’re looking for,” I mutter, earning another laugh from Callie as Heather shakes her head.

Sara tugs on Callie’s leggings, holding up the coin with a questioning look like she’s not sure if she should have given it back to Luke.

“It’s yours, sweet girl,” Callie says and Sara smiles as she puts the coin in her pocket.

The house hums with conversation, the low buzz of voices punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter. I realize I haven’t seen Barrett in a few minutes.Callie is rocking Ruby on the couch talking with Beverly. Sara stacks blocks on the floor with unwavering focus. I scan the room and the hall beyond, but I don’t see him.

“Where’s Barrett?” I ask, keeping my voice casual.

Callie looks up at me, her face calm, reassuring. “He said something about wanting to see the tools in the garage. Your dad is with him.”

Of course. Tools. I should’ve guessed. My dad’s garage is a treasure trove, and Barrett loves to play like he’s fixing things. I sigh, pushing up from my chair. “I’ll check on them.”

The garage door creaks as I open it, and the smell hits me first—a mix of old wood, oil, and metal. It’s a smell I know well, one that reminds me of long afternoons spent in garages and workshops, watching my dad fix whatever was broken, often in frustrated silence. Barrett stands by my dad’s old workbench, holding a wrench that’s comically large in his small hands.

“Barrett,” I say, my tone somewhere between amused and exasperated. “What are you up to, buddy?”

He spins around, his face lighting up when he sees me. There’s no guilt in his expression, just excitement. “I’m fixing stuff! Like you do, Dad!”

I stop in my tracks, my heart doing a weird little flip at his words. It takes me a second to answer. “You’re fixing stuff, huh?”

“Yeah!” he says, clutching the wrench tighter like it’s some kind of trophy. “Grandpa said I could look at his tools, so I thought I’d practice. I wanna be just like you!”

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