Page 26 (1/2)

"I’ out with Pete’s farunts

"Dad," I warn

"Fine," he says I can tell he’s biting his tongue

"I miss her already, Dad," I say

"I know," he says softly "She’s been with you a long tiround

"Who’s going to protect you?" he asks "Maybe you should corins atI have the whole Reed clan to take care ofup with Dad while he’s still protesting, and I settle back against the seat Matt turns up the radio, and we get all the way to the cancer center without hi much

Then he turns off the car and takes in a deep breath "Now or never," he says

I get out of the car with hireets him at the desk "I’m here to see Kendra"

She points over Matt’s shoulder, and I see three kids sitting in the waiting area One is older,a small child in his arirl about Hayley’s age in the chair beside theirls "Seth?" Matt asks The boy looks up, confused He sets the littlest girl in the floor and gets up Matt extends his hand, and they talk quietly I can’t quite hear theum, and then take it back and offer the two little ones a piece If there’s one thing I know, it’s hoin over sirl says She shoves the little one in the shoulder

The little one grins "Oops," she says, and she sticks her tongue out so I can see her eo pick up the book they were reading "Can I read your book?" I ask

They nod and clian," Matt says "Will you be all right here for a few o?" the little one chirps

"Not right now," Seth says He sits down and heaves a sigh He sounds much older than he looks

I watch as Matt walks into a nearby room He stops in the doorway, startled, and I see his head fall He walks to the bedside, and as he walks over, the door shuts slowly behind hi to the bedside, where he drops and lays his forehead against the woman’s knee The door snicks shut on its own, and I can’t see any," he says He nods toward the little ones, and I see that they’re watching us closely I get it He doesn’t want to talk about his ht now

Suddenly, there’s a flurry of activity at the door, and a wo a pencil-thin skirt and a jacket, and she’s carrying a purse that probably cost more than these kids eat in a year She runs to the desk on her four-inch Louboutin heels, and they clack against the floor She stops, shoves her rhinestone-encrusted sunglasses to the top of her head, pushing her blond hair back, and asks for Kendra’s room She runs inside, and the door closes behind her, too

"Who was that?" I ask

"Probably our aunt," Seth says with a shrug

"You don’t know?"

He shakes his head "Neverlike them These kids have dark skin and are obviously biracial She is as white bred as they come with flaxen hair that falls down over her shoulders The woman I saw in the bed is biracial as well

"I know," he chuckles "I don’t get it either"

After about a half hour, Matt coan," he starts He brushes a hand down his face and scrubs the back of his head "I need a favor"

I get up and walk down the hallith hio home Or at least the little ones She wants Seth to stay, if he wants to But their aunt is going to take the little ones back to their apartment Do you think you could ride back with her and let me keep your car so I can co to stay," he says "Until the end I promised," he whispers "I need to"

He still has my keys from earlier I nod "Should I stay with the kids?"

The lady is down on her knees in front of the two girls, and she’s talking softly with them They all stand up, and she takes them by the hands "Ready?" she asks

"I can stay?" Seth asks He looks from Matt to his aunt and back His voice is suddenly deep, and I see hi into his fist He wants to stay He wants to be there for his mom

"Of course you can stay," his aunt says She looks at Matt "You’ll bring him home? After?"

Matt nods He claps a hand on Seth’s shoulder, and Seth looks at hiirls "My naan," I say

She opens the doors with her key fob and says, "I bought a car seat on the way here, but I’m not sure how to use it"

I help her install it, and we settle the kids in the tiny backseat of her sports car She sighs heavily and starts the car "If you want to stay, I can take the kids back with me and watch them," I offer

"I don’t want to stay," she says crisply

"Kendra is your sister?" I ask

"Half sister," she says, and she makes a noise at the back of her throat "We’ve neverwith the kids?

"Kendra doesn’t have anybody else," she explains "So they called ht to hate her my whole life," she says so quietly that the kids can’t hear her, but I can "And now they want me to raise her kids" Her jerks a thued a diaper in o with you"

She shakes her head "I suppose I need to learn"

"You’re going to their house?" I ask

She looks at me "I think they’ll be more comfortable there, don’t you? Their own beds Their toys"