Planning, negotiating, and reminding people of other plans they had in the morning followed. One had a birthday party, one a Scout outing.
Casey led Paige up the back stairs while exactly who could stay was sorted out. Family photographs and children’s framed art lined the wall. Paige passed them slowly to look at each one, and to search for Jake.
They came to the top and into a large room. Two entire walls were dedicated to built-in bunk beds, two sets on each wall that met in the corner for a total of eight beds. The rest of the space was available for open play and from the looks of it had been well used over the past few hours.
“Are you sure this is okay?” she asked Hannah.
“Positive. We haven’t done it in a while.”
“But you’re so…”
“Pregnant?” Hannah laughed.
“No. I meant…” That’s exactly what she’d meant, though not in a bad way.
Hannah smiled. “It’s fine, really. Stephen will handle it.”
“I’ll blame this on my two,” Abby said. “They’re usually the instigators.”
Casey made her way up a ladder only slightly slower than the other kids and sat on one of the top bunks. “It’s so cool! I already picked out my bed.”
“Wow, this is a great room.” And the kids did seem to know what was going on, like this wasn’t a new thing.
“Yeah, I’m not sure if Stephen is planning to have eight kids or if it’s for the cousins, but either way it works.”
“Can I stay?” Casey yelled, now sitting on the next bed over with Caroline.
“It’s amazing. All of it.” The room, the kids, the women. She had exactly zero friends with kids.
“Matt and Stephen can’t sit still,” Abby was saying. “You’d think they’d be busy enough with their work outside the house, but no. Always a project.”
“They did it first for the riding camp cabins,” Hannah told her. “Then Matt did it for Abby, then this house.”
“Mine’s next,” Beth said. “My youngest is eight, but it’s just too cute. You know Marge is dying to turn her basement into sleepover central.”
Hannah’s and Abby’s eyes went wide. “That is the best idea I ever heard. A grandparent sleep station.”
“Can I stay?” Casey called out.
“It’s not easy to get alone time,” Abby said with a smile. “I should know.”
“What? You’ve got built-in babysitters,” Hannah said.
“True. Annie and Gracie are always willing. Even Jack does a good job, but there was a time. Dark days.” She grinned and faked a shiver running through her body. “Though Matt can get creative when he needs to,” she added with a slightly dreamy look.
Paige felt a tingle zip through her, thinking of all the ways she imagined Jake could get creative. Pictured them trying to sneak away for stolen moments. “How long have you been married?”
“Nine years this January. I can’t even believe it’s been that long.” Abby turned the diamond ring on her left hand.
“And they’re still sappy sweet in love,” Beth said, smiling.
“And going to Fiji for a week,” Hannah added. “So jealous.”
“Yes, I have Matt’s parents to thank for that. They offered to keep our crew. I know you’ll both be stepping in to help, so thank you ahead of time. And you’re one to talk, Hannah. You and Stephen still live like newlyweds after five years. So do you and Tony,” she added, looking at Beth.
“Yes, though if you count when Tony and I started dating, not even dating, ‘going steady’?”—she said with air quotes—“we’ve been together almost thirty years.”
Paige got that empty feeling again, staring at the obvious love on Beth’s face. On all their faces. What would that be like? To love a man and have him love you back. To be with one person forever and make a real family like the ones she’d seen here. She hadn’t thought it was real. Hadn’t believed in it at all.
“We all got lucky, that’s for sure. And there’s one more brother to get lucky with,” Hannah said, smiling, and all the women turned their eyes toward her.
“JT’s never brought a girl home before. Not in all the time I’ve known him,” Beth said.
“Oh, well…It’s just for Casey,” she said again.
“Do you really believe that?” Hannah asked. “I have a lot of kids come ride here, and none get an escort by the man personally making their prosthesis.”
“Oh, well, I—”
“We don’t mean to put you on the spot,” Beth said. “I just…I’ve known JT a long time, since he was a little boy. He went through a really rough time, but…I noticed a certain stillness in him tonight. He looked happy. Content.”
Because of her? Is that what they thought? She wouldn’t have thought she’d have the power to influence a man like Jake.
“Mom! Can I stay?”
“And…our talking time is up,” Beth said with a soft smile.