Tears began gathering in her eyes. “Don’t you make me cry. I’ll be really mad at you.”

I chuckled, crossing to Caelyn and pulling her into a hug. “Don’t cry. You know I don’t handle the tears well.”

She sniffed through a laugh. “Not scared of much, but tears do you in, huh?”

When it came to Caelyn, they certainly did. I reluctantly released her. “Get some sleep.”

“I will.”

I watched as she climbed the ladder, thoughts about how easy it would be for her to slip and fall filling my mind. Thoughts about everything Caelyn had given up, to give her siblings the best possible life she could. I crossed to the couch, lying down and pulling the blankets up around me. The light from above clicked off, but I didn’t find sleep for hours. The woman with the green eyes haunting me each fitful hour did find me, though.

As dawn crept in, I groaned and rolled over. When I did, I jerked back, my heart hammering in my chest. A grinning face met me, just inches from mine.

Mia’s little legs swung back and forth as she sat on the coffee table. “I was waiting for you to wake up. Want to do gymnastics with me?”

I rubbed at my bearded cheek. “What time is it?”

“Almost six. I tried to stay in bed, but I was really excited.”

I chuckled and pushed up, swinging my legs over the side of the couch. My back screamed in protest. That couch was not sleep-friendly. “I think we’d wake people up if we did gymnastics.”

Mia shook her head. “We’ll go outside. Then we won’t wake anyone up. I’m not allowed to go outside by myself unless I have permission, but no one is awake. You’ll go with me, right, Griffin?”

Of course, I’d go with her if she asked. Because this little spitfire had me wrapped around her finger just like her big sister.

16

Caelyn

I walked down the steps of the back deck, the dew-covered grass tickling my flip-flop-clad feet. I couldn’t help the ridiculous smile that spread across my face at the sight in front of me.

Mia flew from a cartwheel into a back handspring. As she finished, Griffin applauded. “That’s incredible.”

“You could do it, too. I can teach you.” She began tugging on his arm.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Sorry, Little Bit, I don’t bend that way.”

Griffin’s chuckles and smiles were coming a lot easier these days, but I didn’t take a single one for granted. They still had the ability to sucker punch me right in the belly in the best possible way. He was truly letting my little brood in. The kids were good for him, and I hoped I was, too.

“Okay, crazy gymnasts, time for breakfast,” I called.

Mia jumped in the air. “Pancakes?”