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“Are you mad that I’m staying here instead of Miguel?” My question catches Leon off guard.
His eyebrows shoot up, and he opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
While I’m here, Miguel is staying in a hotel with their brother Richard and his wife and daughter.
Since he doesn’t say anything, I continue. “You still have a bunk bed, even though you’ve been the only boy that has lived down here for a while.”
“That’s just because I’m lazy.” There’s a light blush coloring his cheeks.
I’ve seen the way Leon interacts with his brothers. Just by looking at them, you can tell they would do anything for each other. I also saw that Leon values his male friendships to the highest degree. I think that’s the main reason he clung to Jaxon so easily. Miguel and Jax are pretty similar in the way they fill a room.
“Did Sally tell you I actually found out that I have a ten-year-old brother?”
Leon quirks his head to the side with a questioning expression. “She didn’t mention that, but since it’s not her story to tell, I’m not surprised she didn’t say something.”
“I didn’t know how I felt about suddenly having a little guy looking up to me. It didn’t even take him more than an hour with me to start calling me his big brother, but now I’d protect him with everything I have.”
Leon’s mouth inches upward. “Is that your weird way of telling me it’s okay to still want my brothers around?”
The teasing tone causes me to throw my head back and let out a laugh. “You make me sound smarter than I actually am.”
I shoot him a grin, and he lets out his own chuckle. “I do think you’re great for Sally. Richie and Miggy think so, too, but they have to play the protective-brother roles. Give her time.”
“I’d gladly give her the world.”
A delicious smell permeates the air as I walk through the house. After my talk with Leon, we played some video games. The console downstairs has pretty much every sports game imaginable.
Leon said it is because Richard is pretty competitive and loves sports. Every year, he tries to get the guys to take a little trip to see the Detroit Tigers during their season. Leon says yes every year because he loves his brothers, even if watching the game means pretty much nothing to him.
I walk into the kitchen and see one of Sally’s moms, Lynette. One thing I’ve noticed is they take turns making dinner. When I first arrived, we had a BBQ prepared by Denise.
The sound of sizzling vegetables and the smell of garlic and soy sauce cuts through the air.
“Do you need some help?” I ask, hoping she says yes because any points would be loved right now.
Lynette’s shoulders bunch up from surprise at my sudden presence as she whips her head around. “Ah, honey, you scared me.”
Her voice comes out warm with motherly love. Reminds me of Mom talking to Marcus, but this is just her natural state. She’s talking to a stranger. The Reeds are a family of love and care that took in eight kids without a single drop of blood relation.
“Sorry.” I give her a half smile. “Put me to work.”
She gives me a warm smile before pointing to the fridge. “Think you can prepare some eggs for the fried rice.” She turns back to the skillet, tossing around a pan of onions, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. I walk over to the fridge. “Oh, and can you grab the cabbage, please?”
“Yep,” I chirp, grabbing the carton of eggs and half a head of cabbage, noticing a bowl of fruit salad and apple pie in there.
After handing Lynette the cabbage, I start cracking eggs.
“Four should be enough,” she says as the sound of a knife cuts through the air.
“What’s for dinner tonight?”
“All the girls’ favorites. Ella and Sally got to pick three items each for the table, and then we’ll have a nice family banquet.” Without even looking, you could hear the cheer in her voice. Then, a grimace comes through. “Denise is picking up Little Caeser’s pizza, McDonald’s chicken nuggets, and sushi from their favorite restaurant. I don’t trust Sally in the kitchen, but she made the fruit salad, and Mimi helped Ella make the pie.”
I can’t help the laugh that comes out as I crack a third egg. “Should I ask who chose what?”
“You’d be surprised, but the pizza and nuggets have some sentimental value. When Ella got a concussion, all she craved was Little Caeser’s pizza, and Sally, when she first moved here, was scared to try any of our cooking and only ate chicken nuggets. She probably wanted to get a reaction out of us, but I was just glad she was eating. The poor girl was skin and bones. The sushi is because they both love it.”
I swallow the lump that forms in my throat at the mention of Sally before she came here. I didn’t understand it at the time, but she was skinnier than most of the kids. It was why I’d always sneak her food.
