The Unbreakable (Ghost #3)

Chapter 62

"What?"

"Anna said I drive like a wacko. I mean, I know I don't drive like a grandma, but come on!"

"I'm just glad you didn't kill each other." I pat Lia's head gently.

"It wasn't easy." She shrugs. "I have to ask, why are you all out here? And where's Cookie?" She glances at us questioningly.

"Cookie is staying with our neighbors. And it just seemed right to leave your family to deal with their issues on their own. It's not like it's our business to get involved in their problems." Sam replies.

"That makes sense. Damn, this year is just full of drama, huh..." My little mouse sighs heavily, leaning against me. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side, pressing a kiss to her head.

"You okay, little mouse?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"That's understandable, considering all that happened over the last months." Maria comments, smiling sadly at my little girl.

I keep my baby snug against me as we sit quietly on the porch steps, just relishing this moment of peace. I have a feeling it won't last long, so I intend to make as much of it as I can. And I'm not the only one.

"You don't have to stay here, you know?" I hear Aiden say from behind me before he walks up to us with Ryan in tow. I don't miss Maria's smirk as she checks them out, but I don't bother commenting.

"It's your family matter. You should resolve this yourselves." Jared says, still keeping his wife in his arms as he leans against Ethan's car.

"You guys are family, too. Lia's one of us and so are you. We didn't ask you to join us for New Year just to make you witness the drama and wait for the elders to deal with their shit." Ryan states seriously, getting quiet chuckles from us.

"Aren't you a cutie pie, sweetie." Maria gushes, squishing Ryan's cheeks, making us all laugh at the uncomfortable look on the young man's face.

"T-Thank you?" He says unsurely.

"I could just eat you up!" Maria grins before finally releasing the poor boy.

"Let's go back in. I assure you, there will be no more drama. They've all made up and everything should be fine now. I think." Aiden tells us. "And it might be a good idea to take her inside to sleep." He gestures at Lia, who's sleeping soundly beside me, snuggled into me. When did she fall asleep?

"She must've been really tired..." Sam smiles warmly at my sleeping daughter.

"She didn't sleep well last night. It's most likely because of her yesterday's panic attack." Blake says quietly, gently stroking Lia's back.

"She had a panic attack?" I frown in concern, tightening my arm around my baby.

"Yeah..."

"It seemed to be pretty bad." Ryan comments, staring at Lia worriedly.

I gently pick up my little mouse and cradle her against my chest as I carry her inside the house, letting Blake lead me upstairs to their room, where I lay my baby on the bed. I carefully take off her shoes and tuck her in with a kiss to her forehead.

"She's taking it all better than I expected." I say once Blake and I are out of the room.

"Yeah. The family loves her and it's not hard to see that they're genuinely happy about her being here, but I still hate that she has to deal with so much shit all the time." He grumbles in annoyance as we walk downstairs. I get what he means. My little mouse came here barely a day ago and she already was put through a lot. It's no wonder she's exhausted.