Page 73 of Kylie

That got their attention and five sets of eyes bounced up to my face again. This time, they remained there.

“Remember how we had to say goodbye to your mom?”

“She died,” Kade said, not an ounce of emotion in his words.

“She’s sleepin’ in the diwt,” Haden said, the r in dirt sounding like a w.

“She’s not sleepin’ there,” Avery countered, her tone defensive. “Mommy died.”

“Listen to me,” I said sternly, putting a halt to the ensuing argument.

“Your mom didn’t die.”

“But you said she did,” Kade stated, his eyes narrowed.

“We thought she did,” I admitted, because it was the simplest answer. “But she was just very, very sick and she’s been somewhere gettin’ better.”

Kate’s eyes flared wide. “I knew it.”

When she clasped her hand over her mouth, I continued. “Your mom’s still healin’, so she might look a little different than you remember. She’s gonna need your help when she gets here.”

“How?” Avery asked.

“Well, she needs you to talk quietly. I know you’re gonna be excited to see her, but as I said, she’s been sick. So I want you to use your inside voices and no hoppin’ around. Got it?”

Heads bobbed up and down.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Is that her?” Kade shouted, launching to his feet.

I grabbed him and gave him a playful shove back to the couch. He giggled uncontrollably.

“Do me, Pop!” Haden insisted, jumping to his feet.

I playfully pushed him back, too, making him giggle while Lorrie headed for the door.

“Alright. That’s enough. Have a seat,” I instructed, using my stern voice when Kade jumped to his feet again.

“Who is it?” he asked, peering around me toward the door.

“Is it Mommy?” Avery asked, her eyes wide as she stared toward the front of the house as though waiting for a ghost to appear.

“It’s not your mom. She’ll be here in a little while.”

“Gramps!” Haden shouted when Joe, Kylie’s dad, walked into the house.

I had called him as soon as I got off the phone with Travis, wanting Kylie’s father to get the news directly. I hadn’t been surprised when he insisted on coming over. I peered behind him to see if Jessie had come with him.

“I talked to Braydon a minute ago,” Joe said, as though hearing my silent question. “They’ll be here in a bit.”

I nodded. I had intended to call Braydon myself to share the news, but Joe had asked if he could be the one to tell his daughter.

“We were just talkin’ about how their mom’s comin’ home,” I told Joe when he joined us, picking Maddox up and settling him on his lap.

“She’s been sick,” Avery informed him.

“She’s not gonna look the same,” Kade noted.