Wyatt Cocker (Cocker Brothers Book 23), стр. 45
I haven’t seen Hunter, the youngest brother of the five.
Wren is gently staring at Eric as our star quarterback grits his teeth and looks into a future where Grams is no longer with us. Their new baby is home, babysat by her friend Eleanor. The same for all of the cousins who have kids now.
Baby sitters were called so the little ones didn’t have to see, feel and touch sadness they couldn’t yet process or understand, and shouldn’t yet need to.
Eric’s older brother Ethan, the computer genius worth financially more than all of us put together, walks into her room to be with Grandpa and Grandma, their frequent lunches bringing them closer these past years. His wife, Charlie, stays close to him, their hands clasped as they disappear inside, two kids at home.
Eric and Ethan’s sister, Emma, is wrapped in her husband Tanner’s arms. He’s stroking her chestnut hair, whispering in her ear.
Our cousin Hannah is next to them, holding her MMA fighter, Tobias, staring off. She’s almost as strong as he is.
Gabriel, her brother, is a musician. No, that’s underselling it. He’s a full blown rockstar who’s not afraid of grief and not good at it, either. His two-toned eyes are dead, lips parted as he leans against a wall. His wife, Paige, is burrowed into him, one of his arms around her slender yoga-body.
His twin Elijah is in DC. Probably on a plane right now, if Senator duties aren’t holding him.
We all look to the sound of Uncle Jaxson’s voice as he arrives, having an hour long drive to get into the city whereas the rest of us who are already present live near. “Justin! Jason! Jake! Jeremy! Where’s Grams? Where’s Dad? Mom?”
Aunt Rachel is holding his hand, hurrying in with him, her brown hair short now. Their only son, Ben, must have ridden in their truck, too, because he’s right behind them, green eyes the same as his fathers. Matching frowns, too.
Ben walks up to our group, all six-foot-six of him, since we’re closest to the door. “Anyone seen Sofia Sol?”
I have to look up to ask, “She coming out from Louisiana?”
“I would think so.” Ben drags worried fingers through sandy-brown hair. “Dad called Uncle Jett. He must’ve passed on the news.”
“Why don’t you call her? You two are closest.”
Ben doesn’t respond as he scans the faces and nods to more of his cousins.
Zoe asks, “Where’s Shelby?”
“Jonny is fussy today. She thought it was better if she stayed at the farm with him.”
Nicholas returns to us, eager to say hi to Ben, Mom having rejoined Dad. Hearing the reason for Shelby’s absence, Nicholas exchanges a look with the rest of us. “Just fussy, Ben? No fever or anything?”
Nathan asks, “Couldn’t get a sitter?”
When we were growing up, Zoe often stepped into the thankless role of referee since she was the only sister of three stubborn and often arrogant brothers. She raises her voice to ease the tension, smiling to Ben, “I can understand how Shelby was worried. You guys don’t live close by like everyone does, who has kids. She probably doesn’t know that babies get fussy, and it’s no big deal, this being her first.”
Ben nods once as he cuts a glance to Gram’s door. “She in there?” He doesn’t wait for a yes, and leaves us to find out what’s happening. We all watch him nod to Ethan and Eric before joining Uncle Jaxson who’s standing with his brothers, arms crossed and body bent slightly as he listens to what he missed.
Not wanting this to travel, Nate keeps his voice low, “Shelby didn’t want to be here because she never wants to be here, around us.”
Zoe whispers, “Nate, that’s maybe not true.”
We all smile at the ‘maybe.’
Everyone knows it’s true.
Actions speak louder than words and Shelby rarely shows up. What stronger action than absence? Ben’s been absent more times than present since they got together and it was never like that before. An hour distance away or not, he was at all the functions and he and Ethan hung out all the time.
Nathan seems to have a big mouth today, because he adds, “Diana had no problem being here with our family. In fact, pretty sure Grams already gave her the okay.”
I lock eyes with him. “You done?”
“No.”
Madison has been quiet and she glances to our sister as Zoe agrees, “It’s true in a way, isn’t it though? Grams is always our final say on romance. We joke about it, but we all look to her for the thumbs up. Who will give it to my guy when I meet him, if she isn’t here? How will I know if he’s the right one?”
Nicholas takes Maddie’s hand as she confesses, “She gave me the thumbs up. Remember how nervous I was?”
“I do, Slugger,” Nicholas gives her a peck and adds, “You’re never nervous.”
“The day I met your whole family I was!”
“Our family now.”
Zoe locks eyes with me. “But Wyatt, if Diana is real-life friends with Grams, then what more approval can you ask for?”
Nate says, “Doesn’t matter Zo, Wy is still on the fence.”
I glare at him, turn on my heel and head for Grams’s room.
CHAPTER 34
WYATT
C aden stops me, grabbing my arm, brown eyes darker than usual. “Hey Wyatt. How you guys doin’ over there?”
“Good. Elizabeth working?”
“She’s in surgery right now. Doesn’t know I’m here or what’s happened yet. I left her a message. She’ll come as soon as she can.”
“How long do surgeries last?”
“Depends. My longest was twelve hours.”
“Twelve hours?!!! How do you do that?”
He shrugs, “Born to, I guess. It’s not easy but it’s also not hard for me.”
“Yeah,” I frown, thinking of my job. “Listen, can I talk to you?” I motion for him to step aside from the pack and we form our own two-person huddle. “I’ve got a girlfriend.”
Caden’s eyebrows twitch in