Page 151 of Luna: Posy 2

"It's okay, River." Posy reached up and patted the top of Tyler's head, and I covered my grin with my hand. "This is upsetting for all of us, but don't worry. We'll take care of him."

"Otay." And River ceded control back to Tyler.

While we were talking, the boy had crawled to the open door and knelt just inside the crate. His eyes really were stone-colored, a silvery mix of not quite blue and not quite green.

"Are you hungry?" Posy smiled at him, but didn't move from her spot. "Would you like some food? Tyler can make us something."

"I'm not leaving your side, luna." Tyler rolled his eyes at her. "Mr. Price can do it."

"What should I make?" I asked. "I can't cook, but I can make sandwiches."

"Sammich? Peabutter jelly sammich?"

All our eyes turned to the boy who'd crawled out of the crate on his hands and knees and now sat perched on his haunches right in front of Posy. Tyler was on high alert, ready to tackle the kid, but it was obvious to us reasonable people that the boy was no threat.

"What would you like to drink with it?" Posy asked. "Apple juice? Orange—"

"Milk! Milk with peabutter jelly sammiches."

"Milk it is! All right, Mr. Price, that's our order. Milk and PB and Js. We'll have a picnic right here."

"Not PB and J." The boy's face screwed up into a pouty scowl. "Peabutter jelly sammich! You promised!"

"Oh, well, yes. Okay. My bad." Posy looked flustered, which made me chuckle. "What's your name, sweetie? "

"Row," he said.

"Row?" I asked. "Like 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'?

"Gently down the stream!" the boy sang. "Mary, Mary, Mary, life is but a dream."

"Okay. Close enough." I chuckled. "Row, huh? Well, we have a Crew. Why not a Row?"

"Row, I'm Posy and these are my friends. He's Ty and he's Mr. Price." She pointed at Tyler, then me. "Can we be your friends?"

"Friends? I can have friends?" Row's eyes opened wide, turning almost as round as an owl's.

"Yeah, sweetie, you can have friends," Posy told him.

"I never had friends before. Only Bubba, and Mommy Daddy made Bubba leave."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Maybe we can help you find Bubba. Is Bubba what you call your brother?"

"Yes, yes!" Row clapped his hands so energetically, he fell back on his butt.

The suddenness of Row's movement launched Tyler into protect mode, and the beta was crouched between Posy and Row before any of us could blink.

"Oh, come on, Ty," Posy complained. "He's an innocent kid."

"You don't know that. We don't know anything about him, luna. I'd prefer you kept your distance until we figure things out and get Emerson here."

"Emerson?" Row scrambled to his knees and slapped his palms on Tyler's cheeks. Leaning inreallyclose, he stared into Tyler's eyes. "You know Bubba?! Where's my bubba?"

"He's on his way," Tyler mumbled and leaned back. "After you eat your sandwiches, okay?"

Row nodded, so I got off my duff and went into the house. I made a pile of PB and Js, loaded them on a tray with four glasses of milk, and carried it outside.

"Looky, looky, Row! Our picnic's here," Posy chirped, which made Row clap his hands again.

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