When Addy reaches me, she kisses my cheek and reaches for Drydon who shakes her head and cuddles into me.
Cruz might love his mommy more, but I got Drydon. She’s a perfect mix of Addy and me but she rarely lets me out of her sight.
Addy rolls her eyes good naturedly. “I won’t take you away from Daddy. Should we check it out?”
“Yay!” Cruz shouts.
I turn to Zoey. “See? At least Cruz is excited.”
“She’s just afraid that Pop is gonna be upset.”
“He won’t be.” I say it like I know it as fact but in reality, I don’t know how he’ll react.
When I decided to build a tiny house on our property so he could be closer, I knew it would be a risk. But he hates living in the duplex and this would be the best of both worlds. We like having him here but we need our space. Having him live on the property but in his own place is the perfect compromise.
He and his son Noah went on a three week trip to Europe with Noah’s sons for their high school and college graduations, so it was the perfect time to set it up. Most of the house was built off-site so all we needed to worry about was getting the land ready.
The house has everything he’ll need and this way we get to keep him close. He may be in remarkable shape for seventy-five, but that won’t always be the case.
I just hope he sees it the same way. He’s a proud man and could see it as us thinking he needs babysitting or that we don’t trust him to live on his own.
Using the key to unlock the front door, I twist the knob and push it open, letting my family go in before me. Addy’s seen it to completion as she did all the decorating, but the kids haven’t.
I know the second they see the loft because Cruz and Zoey squeal and run for the stairs. “Cool!”
“Thought you said he would be mad!” I shout to Zoey.
“That doesn’t mean he won’t think it’s cool, Dad.”
Addy grins over at me and moves around the small space, trailing her fingers over the back of the couch.
“When does he get in?”
“Flight landed twenty minutes ago. Noah’s bringing him out after they drop their stuff at the duplex.”
“Still don’t understand why they wouldn’t let us bring them to the airport.”
She shrugs. “They’re stubborn.”
“They’ll also have a hell of a parking bill.”
“Yeah. Well, I wasn’t going to argue. Noah had his mind set on it and you know how that goes.”
I do. For as much as I love Richard, Noah leaves a lot to be desired. He and I have never clicked but we’re cordial to one another because we both love his father. Noah and his family still live in Seattle and from what I understand, his boys stayed for one more week in Europe to do their own thing. Not sure I would have been okay with my eighteen-year-old in a foreign continent without me, but that’s their decision.
“Is he texting you when they’re on their way?”
“He said he would.”
I set Drydon down and she toddles off to wander around.
“Do you think he’ll be upset?” I ask Addy, watching the kids closely. The kids are in the loft that Richard will likely never go up into but the kids will play in constantly.
“No.”
I look at her. “You sure?”
“Yes.”
All right then. I believe her.
Thirty minutes later we’re about to have our answer.
When Noah and Richard pull up, we’re already back in our house. Addy made a big pitcher of his famous lemonade and has a brand new package of Oreos waiting for him. She also made a batch of snickerdoodles but those won’t last long with Cruz and me around.
The kids rush outside as soon as he steps out of the car and fight with each other for his attention.
“Be gentle, kids! He’s an old man!” I shout.
“Says you!” Richard shouts back.
Addy and I descend down the stairs and greet Richard and Noah.
“Missed you,” Addy says quietly, not moving from her place next to him.
“Missed you, too, girl.”
“Did you have fun?”
I don’t miss the quick glance he gives Noah and wonder if that means he didn’t enjoy his time away. I hope not. I’d hate for that to be the case. Noah and I might not be buddies or have a lot in common, but he’s Richard’s son and they should have a good relationship.