Page 84 of Monstrosity
Rio reaches over to squeeze my hand, and I have to blink back tears again.
These girls are going to make me cry all day.
The house already has several bikes parked outside when we arrive.
True to their word, the moving committee has reassembled, now including several of the men.
"About time," Tor calls out. "We've been waiting to unload the heavy stuff."
"You've been here two minutes," Rio retorts.
"Still waiting."
"Some of us have real jobs," Dag adds, grinning. "Can't spend all day moving furniture."
What follows is chaotic as all hell.
The men handle furniture and heavy boxes while the women direct traffic on the road, getting the neighbors to drive past.
The girls "help" by running commentary on everything.
"That goes in Dasha's craft room!" Cali announces about a box of books.
"We don't have a craft room," Rio says.
"We do now. It's the little room next to the laundry."
"That's my office."
"Was," Florencia corrects. "We voted."
"I wasn't included in this vote."
"That's because you would have voted wrong," Cali explains patiently.
I watch Rio realize he's been completely outmaneuvered by his daughters and have to hide my smile.
"Fine," he sighs. "Craft room it is."
"Yay!" Both girls hug him, and his mock annoyance melts immediately.
"You're so whipped," Tor observes.
"Says the man who drove across town at midnight last week for pickles because Meghan had a craving," Rio shoots back.
"She was persuasive."
"She was asleep. You saw the empty jar and panicked."
"Brothers," Starla interrupts. "Less talking, more moving. These boxes won't carry themselves."
"Yes, ma'am," they all say, properly chastised.
The house fills up quickly with my things integrated among theirs.
My colorful throw pillows brighten the brown leather couch.
My plants line the kitchen windowsill—Rio even installed special shelves for them last week.
