Page 91 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
Then came home to a delicious array of takeout that AJ had brought back.
“Tomorrow we’re going to the university to get her greenhouse set up before classes start,” I added, as my go-kart darted past a patch of sand.
“Oh yes, your lady alpha that you moved in. I can’t wait to meet her.” She laughed as her go-kart snagged a power-up and shifted into turbo-speed.
“You’re going to love Verity–and her teenage sister, who wants to be a history teacher. Though there are beadseverywhere.It’s like living with you and Charlie all over again,” I chuckled.
Charlie’s mom–my hockey coach–had held on to Hana and me tight after we’d run to her that night I’d hit my alpha mom in self-defense. They’d moved us in, helped us with legal issues, and been a family to us.
Hana’s go-kart sped past me. I threw a coconut to stop her.
She swerved and passed the finish line. “I won. Again. Anyway, this has been fun, but I have dance practice to run bright and early. Love you, Jo.”
“Love you, Han.” I signed off and left the den.
Dean’s room sat empty, Grif’s door closed. Through the bond it felt like they were sleeping. AJ’s door was shut. Verity wasn’t in her room. Earlier, she’d been working on lesson plans for the class she was teaching.
Going into the living room, I started totuck in the house,as Dean called it. I put away some wayward pillows, emptied the dishwasher, programmed the coffee pot, swept up some tiny beads that seemed to multiply every time I blinked, and set the alarms.
The lights glowed upstairs. I crept up to see if someone left them on or if Mercy was playing a game. She was itching to get back to practice and hang out with her friends, though she’d gone to the rink with a bunch of them to help clean up.
Singing came from the sitting area. Verity sat there with a tablet.
“I miss you. Dad says Mumsy’s not mad. Can you come home now? I don’t like this house; I want the old one,” a little girl’s voice pleaded. “Why aren’t you here? I want you.”
My heart broke.
“I’m not in New York because anyone’s mad at me. I’m here taking care of Mercy and going to university. This summer I’ll visit. Promise. I love taking care of you, but you have Dad, Mumsy,andHarry,” Verity told her.
I kissed the top of Verity’s head, not knowing what else to do. She looked up at me and smiled.
“There’s a man in your house,” the little girl squeaked. It was the little blonde one. Hope.
“Oooh, which one?” another girl’s voice said. A light brown face appeared. “It’s the blue one. Welikethe blue one, Hopey.”
“I’m Jonas, hi.” I waved. “They’re staying with us.”
“Because of the snow,” the second one said. Tru, I think?
“If I get a job in New York, can I live with you?” Hope asked.
“If I’m still living in New York when you get a job, we’ll talk about it,” she assured.
Right, that was what our future held–siblings staying with us for school breaks or the summers. Possibly because they ran away. I didn’t mind that one bit.
“I’m going to get my job in Rockland so I can live with Grace,” Tru said. “The towels there arewarm.”
One could only imagine the comforts the Thanukos household offered.
“Living with Grace is always a good choice.” Verity nodded. Hope didn’t look as convinced.
“Blue man, what science are you?” Tru asked, with the innocence of someone who’d grown up assuming everyone had one.
“My degree is in Statistics. I attended BosTec like your brother Dare.” But I hadn’t gone to BosTec to be a pro hockey player. I’d played hockey for anger management and financial aid purposes, then took the opportunity to go pro when it happened.
She sucked in a breath. “I knew I liked you. Math’s my favorite. I’m going to solve Garamoci’s Theory of Everything before I finish high school.”
“How old are you?” Should it surprise me, though? I was pretty sure everyone in that family was exceptionally gifted.
