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After I grabbed my gym bag, I walked with him to his front door.
Then it opened, and I saw Lily clapping her hands, with a wide smile on her face while saying, “Welcome home, big bro.”
I winked at her, “Thanks. Got a favor?”
She nodded enthusiastically, “Name it.”
“I’m going to need some more art for my room. Liven it up. Think you can help me with that?”
She nodded immediately, then rushed out, “I’ll grab my things. Be back.”
I chuckled after her and didn’t miss the tear that slid down Melanie’s cheek.
“Welcome home, sweetheart,” she said as she wrapped me in a bone-deep hug.
“Thank you,” I whispered into her chest.
She let go, took my hand, and then started leading me up a flight of stairs, with William trailing after us.
We passed by two closed doors and then at the last door to the right, she smiled, “This is your room.”
Then she opened the door, and I nodded at her and then stepped into the room and took it all in.
I had an actual room. One that I could actually walk in. The furniture was black, the bed, the nightstand, the dresser, the desk. The walls were painted a dark gray. The bedding was a deep hunter green, and I found that I liked it a lot.
But it was missing a few things.
I turned to Willian and asked, “Can we swing by the group home tomorrow? I need a few things.”
He winked at me, then he walked over to the closet and opened the door, and revealed clothes that I knew I had under my bunk just this morning.
Then he pulled a cardboard box out and walked it over to me.
And sure enough, the things I wanted were sitting right there.
I took the box from him and looked at Melanie, “I need some tape at least, and then three picture frames if it’s not too much to ask.”
She grinned then too and whispered, “I knew I had the best feeling about you.” Then she, too, went to the closet and pulled out a grocery bag.
And with their help, we put the three pictures that Lily had drawn for me in the frames and hung them on the wall. The bear she got me was now sitting on the desk.
After I stepped back from placing it, I nodded.
Then I looked at both William and Melanie and asked, “What if I would’ve said no?”
They both smiled and then Melanie said, “Well, we were hoping you wouldn’t. But we both agreed to give you time to say yes. And if nothing else, when you came home to visit on the holidays, you would have a place to stay.”
“Okay, the pizza should be here shortly. You move the things in the dresser around however you want it, and tomorrow after school, since you don’t have practice, we are going to get you some more things. And I will not be buying you any ice cream after if you see something you want and don’t get it.”
And with that, she turned and headed out of the room. William just smirked and followed her.
Needing to say something I called out, “Hey, Melanie? William?”
They both stopped and looked over their shoulders, but it was Melanie’s soft voice that answered me, “Yeah, sweetie?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and muttered, “Thank you.”
I heard her sniffle, then she swallowed hard, “You’re welcome.”
