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“Ah, who is going to the doctor with me?” I ask.
“All of us,” he says. “My dad is hanging out with the fearsome twosome with my stepmom.”
“Rachelle’s mom,” Liliana adds.
That explains what Elijah meant earlier about not being related. Huh. I guess that makes sense then.
“All of you,” I repeat. “Really?”
“Mmhmm,” he says. “Jared has a notebook of questions to ask, and Theo wants to be there to know what’s decided.”
I didn’t speak to him much last night, but Theo seemed really intense.
“That seems like overkill,” I grumble. I walk down the stairs carefully, making sure not to slip. These are going to suck on my bad days, but today it’s fine.
Only slightly out of breath, I smile at Rachelle when I get to the bottom, almost excited for a new start.
“Good morning,” she says, glancing suspiciously at Liliana and Ignacio. They do their best to look innocent and all she does is sigh. I bet she’s used to their antics. “This is for breakfast since we don’t have a lot of time. The school has a decent lunch, but we can do a boxed lunch if that’s easier on Monday.”
“Is it silly for her to go to school for one day?” Ignacio asks.
“I don’t mind,” I reply. “I’d rather have one day to get through to determine how it’ll go instead of a full week.”
“That’s fair,” he says and shrugs.
I glance at the bar that Rachelle gives me and see that it has chocolate and protein. Huh. Chocolate for breakfast? Guess it works for me.
“Okay, we have to go,” Rachelle insists, turning toward the front door.
“Keys,” Liliana says.
“Got them,” Rachelle murmurs. “I have my phone and my purse is…”
“Here,” Jared chuckles, holding it out to her as he walks over.
Theo and Elijah join him with kids in their arms, and I wonder if this is their usual way to say goodbye to each other.
“Have a good day, Noor,” Theo says gruffly. Adelina waves at me, her bottom lip trembling.
“Thank you, Theo,” I say with a smile. “Addie, are you sad?”
“No go, Noo,” she pouts.
Theo winces as he looks down at his daughter, holding her as if she’s going to explode.
“Please don’t cry,” he says softly.
“She’s coming back, Addie,” Liliana says. “Noor lives here now.”
“Back? Promise?” she sniffles.
Oh my word.
“Yes, I’ll be back,” I say, trying not to smile. Toddler emotions are serious stuff.
“She’ll be back for dinner, baby doll,” Rachelle says, stepping forward to give both her daughters a kiss on the cheek.
Addie accepts the kiss regally before she cocks her head to the side.
