Page 83 of Monstrosity
The afternoon becomes an impromptu party, everyone eating ice cream while sitting on boxes.
The girls regale us with stories of their park adventure, which apparently included Rio pushing them "super high" on the swings and Cali attempting to adopt a duck.
"His name was Gerald," she informs us seriously. "Daddy said he couldn't come home with us."
"Daddy was right," I say. "Gerald has his own family at the park."
"But he looked lonely!"
"All ducks look lonely," Florencia says with eight-year-old wisdom. "It's just their faces."
"Like Bodul," someone mutters, getting a laugh.
"Hey!" Tindra protests. "He does not have a duck face!"
"He kind of does," Meghan says. "But in a cute way."
Eventually, the party breaks up.
The women head out with promises to meet us at the house to help unload. Rio starts loading boxes into his truck while the girls do a final sweep for forgotten treasures.
"Found one!" Cali emerges from the closet with a stuffed unicorn. "Mr. Sparkles was hiding!"
"Good catch," I tell her. "Can't leave Mr. Sparkles behind."
I stand in the empty apartment, keys in hand.
Three years of my life, ending. But instead of sadness, I feel only anticipation for what's coming next.
"Second thoughts?" Rio asks softly, coming up behind me.
"No. Just... taking a moment."
"Take all the time you need." He wraps his arms around me from behind. "Though the girls are getting antsy."
"Dasha! Come on! We wanna go home!" Cali yells from the hallway.
"So much for taking my time," I laugh.
I lock the door one final time, leaving the keys on the counter for the landlord. End of an era.
The drive to our house—and God, how I love thinking of it that way—is filled with the girls' chatter about where all my things should go.
Apparently they've been planning this for days.
"Your mugs go in the special cabinet," Florencia explains. "We cleaned it out and everything."
"And your blankets go in the living room so we can all use them for movie night," Cali adds.
"What about my books?" I ask.
"Daddy's building more shelves," Florencia says. "He said you have too many books, but I told him there's no such thing as too many books."
"That's my girl," I say, reaching back to squeeze her hand.
"You two have thought of everything," I say, touched by their inclusion.
"We had to make room for you," Florencia says simply. "That's what families do."
