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In the following silence, I worried that I’d admitted too much, that I should have kept that locked down tight, but Mom let out a quiet sigh. “All you kids are so different, you know? It kept our life interesting when your dad and I first got married. Six little people with huge personalities in one house, and juggling that was hard enough before we added you into the mix.”
Slowly, I took a seat, the raw honesty of the conversation draining a little bit of my righteous indignation.
“I don’t know if I added anything exciting to the mix,” I said ruefully. “I’m just … me.”
“That’s because we have a big family, kiddo, and it’s easy to get lost in the mix when you’re not an extreme personality.”
“Great. Does this mean I get lumped in with Ian and Greer?”
She laughed. “No, Ian stood out because he was openly distrusting, and it never bothered him to let people see it, but once you get to know him, he’s a giant mushball.” She paused. “Greer is … occasionally terrifying,” she conceded with a slight tilt of her head. “And always wonderful.”
I grinned reluctantly. “They all are.”
“Cameron, though,” she added quietly, her eyes warming immediately at the mention of my other brother—the one she loved as if he was her own. “He got lost in the mix too, I think.”
I nodded, chest tight as I thought about the way he quietly took care of everyone when Dad was the most sick. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was the glue. “He did.”
“You’re a lot like him, you know.” Her eyes traced over my face. “You think about others before you think about yourself. Adaline, too. You three would be the people on an airplane who ignored directions and helped little kids with their masks before putting your own on because you literally wouldn’t be able to stop yourself.”
I leaned forward. “I always thought that would be impossible. What if I have some cute little old lady next to me who can’t reach her mask?”
Mom laughed. “The way you love your people blows my mind. All of you kids. But I think something is extra special about the quieter ones who love so fiercely.” Her eyes glossed over with tears. “You will be such a great mom, Poppy. Not once since all this started have I ever doubted that. That second we found out, I knew you’d move heaven and earth for that child because that’s what good parents do.”
My eyes might’ve been a little wet too. “I had really good parents to learn from.”
She swiped at a tear on her cheek. “Who your partner is someday is not what will make you great at this, Poppy. That’s your heart, sweet girl. You see straight to the core of who people are. Like when you meddle with your siblings because you have this radar for what will make people happy, it’s deep in your bones.”
“I wouldn’t call it meddling,” I hedged.
Her eyebrows rose slowly. “You literally dropped Harlow off on Ian’s porch with no way to leave so they’d be forced to see each other.”
With a wince, I sank into my chair a little. “Okay, well that might have been a teeny bit meddlesome.” Then I brightened. “But look how that turned out! They’re married, and Ian is so much nicer now.”
“He is,” she admitted with a grin. It faded to something softer. “I don’t think you should be so hard on yourself for any of this, Poppy.”
“Are you kidding me? Being hard on myself is what’s justifying all this pie.”
She laughed. “Breaking up with someone good is a rite of passage. Just consider this a merit badge for your twenties.”
“Being an adult is wild,” I said. “I had Froot Loops for dinner last night, and I just earned a hypothetical prize for dumping the biggest catch in town. Where does the excitement end?”
“Oh, don’t worry, this family will always have something keeping us on our toes.”
I patted my stomach. “I have us covered for a while.”
With a hum, Mom leaned forward to snag a bite of my pie. “I have a feeling you’re not the only one,” she said with a meaningful look in her eyes.
On a gasp, I leaned forward. “Who?”
“Harlow, I think.” She grinned. “Saw Ian touch her stomach after dinner and give her a kiss.”
I glanced down. “See? Now you’ve got a cousin your own age. Isn’t that exciting?”
“Maybe I’ll have enough grandkids coming where I won’t need to buy some goats to keep me busy,” Mom mused.
After scooping the last bite of pie, I let my fork fall with a clatter into the pie tin. “Great. Just what this family needs. Some fucking goats in the mix.”
Mom and I shared a look, then burst out laughing.
