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I tune back into Maisie’s animated tale of how her night went, and I could kiss my sister-in-law. Not only for her welcoming Maisie into the fold, but for her help in bringing her into the community of Everette.
Audra grumbles in Maisie’s arms, and Maisie bounces her a little until she calms back down. When I look up again, Maisie’s eyes are heavy with tears.
“Whoa, why are you crying, Sunshine?”
“I, uh, I’m just happy and overwhelmed, but they’re mostly good tears, I promise.”
Oh Jesus. Thank God. “That’s good right? That things are working out?”
She blows out a breath that flutters the hair around her face. “So good.”
“I’m glad,” I say as Maisie looks down at her daughter.
Maisie’s silvery gaze finds mine, and she asks, “How was your night? Was she okay?”
I nod. “She was great. Didn’t fuss. My brothers showed up about ten seconds after you left, and she just kinda soaked up the attention from all of us.” I snag the notepad from the side table. “She ate a little bit at 7:30 — I got the honors there, though Jedd called me a baby hog. Then I changed her diaper at 7:45 — no mishaps to report there. We started tummy time at 7:55, and you walked in on us doing that at 8:30.”
A look of awe passes over Maisie’s face. “You kept notes?”
I scratch a hand through my beard. “Yeah. You seemed a little nervous when you left, and I didn’t want you to worry, so I took notes as the night went on.”
“How do you know what tummy time is?” My face gets hot at her question.
“I might have looked up a couple of things to do with a six-month-old.” The admission makes more heat blaze into my cheeks, and I really hope that Maisie doesn’t think that I’m a creep.
“Well, thank you. Cassie — your deputy — seemed a little surprised that you would be watching her for me, but Dawn said that you’d have her covered.”
Dawn’s known me since I was in diapers of my own, so I’d hope that she’d have faith in me.
“Yeah. Dawn was my mom’s best friend growing up. When Mom passed away Dawn kinda stepped into the pseudo-mother role for most of us. I don’t have a childhood memory that doesn’t have ‘Aunt Dawn’ in it, ya know?”
Maisie’s lips twist in a small frown. “I’m sorry about your mom. But glad that you had Dawn. Your dad still lives in Everette, right?” she asks.
I nod. “Yeah. He’s closer to town, but still out a ways from it. He runs the park ranger station here. You’ll probably meet him sometime soon.”
“Oh, I will?” she asks.
“Yeah. We usually do Friday night dinners at his place. Me, my brothers, and Jem all head over there to catch up. He told me to bring you this Friday, if you’re okay with it.”
Say yes.
I want to walk into my family home with her and Audra. I want to spend more time with her. Have her spend more time around us. Dad asked me days ago if I’d bring her, and I didn’t know how to bring it up until now. But I want her there — with me.
Maisie fiddles with Audra’s blanket for a minute before a small smile covers her face.
“Oh, uh, sure. We could do that. He won’t mind Audra coming?”
Thank God.
I shake my head. “Nah. He’s just as antsy to meet her as he is you.”
Maisie smiles at me before looking down at her daughter.
“I should probably get her to bed.” Audra’s conked out in her arms, and I hope that my brothers and I wore her out enough that her mama can get some sleep tonight. I don’t want her to go, but I don’t have any reason to keep her here with me without coming up with some asinine reasoning.
Plus, she could use the rest. From the sounds of it, she’s got her work cut out for her over the next few weeks.
“Okay. I’ll walk you up.” I stand and start to pack Audra’s belongings back into the diaper bag, but it doesn’t fit as neatly as it did when Maisie brought her over.
