the urge to wail. “We haven't discussed it. I'll ask him tonight.”
Calder followed up, “We want Dylan to be our new dad legally so we'll feel like we're really a part of his family. You'll make sure he says yes won't you?”
“I'll present the issue to him.” She wasn't promising to do anything.
Justin spoke up to close the deal, “You'll adopt me too, like you did the twins. So legally, you'll be my mother and they'll be my brothers. That's how it's supposed to be.”
“Justin, I'll talk with Dylan but as far as he's concerned, you already have a mother.” Actually she knew what Justin wanted would never happen because his father wasn't going to agree.
“She's not my mother. Promise you'll get dad to agree.”
“You should talk to him Justin. I can be there with you when you do.”
“You do it. He won't refuse because you're his heart. He needs you to live.”
“Justin he loves you and wants your happiness, you have to know that.”
“Yeah I do. But you'll talk to him for me about everything won't you mom?”
“Of course I will,” she knew what he meant by 'everything' and was glad he'd stayed true to his agreement that Dylan should know what had happened to him. Blowing kisses to them she promised, “I'll make something super special for tomorrow's breakfast.” As she turned to leave, she heard Justin and the twins chorus, 'Goodnight mom. We love you,' and she regretted that tonight would be the time she'd remember the twins honoring her with words elevating her to the seat of parenthood, no longer considered a stray desperate to do their bidding for whatever modicum of caring they chose to award her. Because tomorrow all three of them might despise her for not getting them what they wanted.
****
Carolina was halfway across the patio when she spied Dylan sitting on a wicker settee attired in a silvery-gray dress shirt and black tailored slacks that draped his muscular body sublimely. Uncharacteristically he wore black leather loafers instead of his preferred boots. His thick, shoulder-length,
Calder followed up, “We want Dylan to be our new dad legally so we'll feel like we're really a part of his family. You'll make sure he says yes won't you?”
“I'll present the issue to him.” She wasn't promising to do anything.
Justin spoke up to close the deal, “You'll adopt me too, like you did the twins. So legally, you'll be my mother and they'll be my brothers. That's how it's supposed to be.”
“Justin, I'll talk with Dylan but as far as he's concerned, you already have a mother.” Actually she knew what Justin wanted would never happen because his father wasn't going to agree.
“She's not my mother. Promise you'll get dad to agree.”
“You should talk to him Justin. I can be there with you when you do.”
“You do it. He won't refuse because you're his heart. He needs you to live.”
“Justin he loves you and wants your happiness, you have to know that.”
“Yeah I do. But you'll talk to him for me about everything won't you mom?”
“Of course I will,” she knew what he meant by 'everything' and was glad he'd stayed true to his agreement that Dylan should know what had happened to him. Blowing kisses to them she promised, “I'll make something super special for tomorrow's breakfast.” As she turned to leave, she heard Justin and the twins chorus, 'Goodnight mom. We love you,' and she regretted that tonight would be the time she'd remember the twins honoring her with words elevating her to the seat of parenthood, no longer considered a stray desperate to do their bidding for whatever modicum of caring they chose to award her. Because tomorrow all three of them might despise her for not getting them what they wanted.
****
Carolina was halfway across the patio when she spied Dylan sitting on a wicker settee attired in a silvery-gray dress shirt and black tailored slacks that draped his muscular body sublimely. Uncharacteristically he wore black leather loafers instead of his preferred boots. His thick, shoulder-length,