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But for nowthis works

I'm not in a rush

"Let's play again," Levy says aggressively as he pulls all the gingerbread ain"

I groan internally but try to put a pleasant smile on my face Luckily, I'm saved when Jules walks into the tiny kitchen that opens up into the living rooet to bed"

This is ru it They're each ready for bed, even though it's only a little after eight PM as Jules had them take their respective baths immediately after dinner Annabelle has on a pink pajama set that has a unicorn on the front It looks old and faded but totally co equally faded Batman pajamas while Rocco sports Superman pj's

Jules levels the for each of the as Levy and Rocco hts to me, but Annabelle hops off the chair and runs around the table "Thank you for the pizza and playing with us"

She looks so ht she was their mother This means that Melody and Jules ht I've been very i theirdynauardian when needed

"You're welcoain"

She gives rin and turns around to run down the hallway Jules shootsto follow the kids That smilethe way in which she said thank you in about afroued to see how she gets the kids to sleep

The first door on the left is where I find all of them, as Rocco and Levy climb into a double bed and Annabelle waits patiently for Jules to tuck the her hold the covers up so they can push their little legs in, then pulling them up to their chinsthe way she leans across the bed and kisses first Rocco on the forehead, and then pulling back to do the same to Levy, touches me deeply She may feel in over her head, and this I know because I've seen the look of frustration and defeat at ti her niece and nephews or her own children, she was destined to be a mother one day

Jules turns out the light, picks Annabelle up, and perches her on her hip She seesof et a soft smile as I step back fro her to the room on the opposite side of the hall

I immediately know this is Jules' room because this is only a two-bedrooure Annabelle sleeps in here with her A slow Her coreen with tiny roses ees It's a littlewouess As Jules starts the process of tucking Annabelle in, which apparently includes reading her favorite book, I walk over to a dresser on the opposite wall of the small room and pick up a frame that holds a picture of tomen

I immediately know this is Jules and her sister, Melody They're both outside and the sun is shining brightly on thelow not only from the rays of the sun but from sort of an inner vitality that you can tell they both possess Their arhtly around each other and their cheeks are pressed together as they look at the ca the picture It's both gorgeous and sad, knowing that one of those lights has been completely snuffed out and the other has been dampened

I set the frairaffe that can't dance, andon the wall to the side of her dresser

It's done in gallery wrap canvas and I'm stunned by the boldness of the colors, only enhanced by the boldness of the brushstrokes It's a night scene, the sky done in various shades of blue darkening at the horizon and getting lighter in the foreground A lone row of autues and reds are lit up from below by streetla the path, her back to the viewer She's wearing a trench coat and carries a bright yellow umbrella to shield her from the rain But I don't need the u I know this because the leaves on the trees are dewy-looking and the streetlights are reflected on the concrete, which looks shiny and slick What really strikes nize details like that, but it's not because of fine brushstrokes Rather, it's done in chunky swatches of color that if you were to look closely at it wouldn't make sense, but froht

I wonder why she's got such a re in this room and I also have to wonder how she afforded it, because it's quality work and I'd like to know more about the artist My inal pieces of art, and our house back in Montreal is filled with all of her finds She'd love so like this, I'm sure

I turn to the bed and see Jules has finished the story and is pulling the covers up around Annabelle, so I make my way to the bedroom door She bends down and kisses Annabelle on the forehead, sa Jules around the neck and giving her a hug that's very fierce for such a little girl

"Good night, Mommy," Annabelle says in a sweet voice, and I don't htly

But she holds still until Annabelle releases her, and when she pulls back she gives the little girl a warht, pumpkin Sweet dreams"

"Okay," Annabelle says and then turns on her side, tucks her hand under her head and closes her eyes

Jules turns to look at oes to the laut clenches when I see the uncertainty rippling in her eyes

I follow Max out ofso hard I feel dizzy Annabelle just called me Mommy and I didn't have a clue what the fuck to say to it I've been Aunt Jules to them, and all three continued to call me that when they came to live with me I think it was a comfort to them somewhat, as it kept it clear in their minds that they had a mommy that loved them veryotherwise

I'm also stunned because while the kids have been with me for a little over four months, we still don't know one another all that well Melody lived in Oklahoma and our ability to see each other was stunted on both sides by us each not having the money to travel for visits As such, I probably saw the kids less than a handful of times in their short lives, so when Melody died, they were coer