Invisible String

24

I caught Wyatt rolling her eyes and muttering an "Ew" under her breath, clearly unimpressed by Jason's joke.

I leaned in close with a sly grin and teased, "Hey Wyatt, why the 'Ew'? Come on, you're ten - you know exactly what we're talking about. Don't pretend you don't."

She froze for a second, cheeks flushing a bright pink, and shot me a side glance. "I do know," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

I chuckled softly. "See? You're not fooling anyone."

Wyatt gave me a little half-smile but didn't say anything else, clearly feeling a bit awkward but secretly amused.

As we gathered our things and headed toward the car, I stayed close by her side, throwing a few more playful jabs her way. Travis caught it all and just laughed, shaking his head.

Wyatt was blushing, walking just a tiny bit faster now, eager to escape her 'cool aunt Tay's' teasing-but I knew deep down, she loved the attention.

Sometimes being the cool aunt just means knowing exactly when to mess with them - and I was definitely up for that job.

I laughed as I helped Kylie buckle the girls in, then asked, "So how did you and Jason bring up the talk with Wyatt? Or did she just come to you?"

Kylie chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, Wyatt definitely brought it up. She's curious as hell. It started when she heard me say I was sore one morning."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sore?"

She laughed harder. "Yeah, I must have had a long night, apparently. Wyatt looked at me with this mix of horror and curiosity and said, 'Ew, Mom.' That kicked off the whole conversation."

I couldn't help but laugh with her. "Sounds like Wyatt handled it better than I would've!"

Kylie nodded, still smiling. "Yeah, she was awkward but honest. We just kept it simple-talked about bodies changing, feelings, and that it's all normal. Wyatt asked a million questions, but I think she felt safe enough to ask them."

I sighed, thinking about how soon Lily would be there too. "I'll need to get ready for that. Even at three, she's already watching and listening more than I expected."

Kylie gave me a reassuring look. "You'll do great, Tay. Just keep it honest and open. Kids appreciate that, even when it feels awkward."

I smiled, feeling grateful for the advice-and the laugh we'd shared. "Thanks, Kylie. I might need to call you when the first question hits."

She laughed again. "Anytime. That's what friends are for."

We climbed back into the car, the girls all buckled in and finally settled after their little outburst. Travis took the wheel, and I sat beside him with Mira still dozing in my arms. The ride back to the villa was quiet, the kind of peaceful silence that settles after a busy day.

As we pulled up, the warm glow of the villa lights welcomed us back. I couldn't help but feel that familiar mix of exhaustion and contentment-the kind that comes when you're surrounded by family, chaos, and love all at once.

Inside, the kids scattered to their rooms, and Jason and Kylie started unpacking. Travis and I exchanged a look-this trip was going to be full of surprises, but for now, I was just happy to be home.

Lily came padding out of the hallway, her curls slightly damp from her earlier bath, wearing her favorite nightgown with tiny strawberries all over it. But what stopped me mid-sentence from asking Travis where the sunscreen ended up was what was in her arms-Mira.

Mira. In Lily's arms.

My heart dropped and soared at the same time.

"Look!" Lily said proudly, beaming as she waddled into the living room, Mira perched awkwardly against her chest. "I picked up sissy! I'm strong now!"