The More the Merrier

by Sean Michael

  He knocked gently on her door so she knew he was there, but he didn’t wait for an answer—he let himself in.

  The smell of stress and sweat was awful, the look of loss and agony on Sarah’s face worse.

  He needed to get her into a bath or a shower, open the windows, and change her sheets. Nobody could heal in an environment like this.

  “Hey, honey. How about I draw you a bath? You can sit in there in the dark if you like. Or bring your Bluetooth speaker and listen to some music?” He wouldn’t make her talk to him or listen to him or, really, interact in any significant way with him, but he would care for her.

  She sniffled. “My head hurts. Bad.”

  Yeah, he imagined it did. No eating, all that crying. She had to be as miserable physically as she felt emotionally. “There’s Tylenol in the bathroom. Come with me?” He set the tray on the bedside table. She could eat when she got back. He’d just take away the ice cream and get some juice to add to the tray once she was in the tub.

  “Is that ice cream? Melly left some?”

  “She did. She said that strawberry was your favorite flavor. It would taste delicious with a strawberry bubble bath to sit in, wouldn’t it?”

  “Can I eat it in the bathtub?” She looked at him, and he could see she was asking to come back to life.

  “I think that’s a great idea. Why don’t you grab the bowl and follow me.” He went to the little en suite Logan had built up here for her, trusting she was following, and started the bath, pouring some bubble bath in as the water started filling the tub.

  Sarah ate a bite while she waited. “It’s good.”

  “Yeah? My favorite is vanilla, although I had a toasted coconut once that was absolutely amazing.” Once the bath had run, he grabbed a Tylenol and poured a glass of water, setting them on the edge of the tub. “I’ll leave you to it, but if you need anything, just call, okay?”

  “Okay. Thank you.” That was a smile. Okay. Okay, then.

  He went back to the bedroom and got to work—opening windows and emptying trash, changing sheets. The room smelled better just for getting the windows open. No one needed to live like this. She wasn’t dead. She needed to go back to school, remember that she had a life.

  Dirk thought he was going to have to be the one to make her do it too. Logan was feeling too close to it himself, and he was in charge of dealing with Rebecca’s things—the house and all its furnishings, the insurance, the business, everything.

  Once he had the room picked up and the sheets and Sarah’s dirty clothes moved to the laundry room, he went and got her some juice. He thought maybe she’d be happier with that than the milk. If he had a headache, that was the kind of drink he preferred. Then he returned to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Okay.” She opened the door, trying to dry her soaking hair. “Can you help me?”

  “Sure thing.” He grabbed another towel and began drying her hair like he would Melly’s. Sarah’s was longer, but the principle was the same. “How’s your headache?”

  “Better. Thank you.”

  “That’s great.” He got most of the water out of her hair. “Do you want me to brush it out for you?” He enjoyed doing Melly’s, and it was a great time for some daddy-daughter conversation.

  “Do you pull?”

  “I try very hard not to. I do have experience. I do it for Melly.”

  “Okay. Okay. I’m just…. It’s long.”

  “It is. I’ll sit on the chair and you can sit on the ottoman in front of me. Oh, I need your brush.”

  “I’ll get it.” She disappeared into the bathroom and came out with a brush. Sweet baby. She looked like she could pack a week’s worth of clothes in the bags under her eyes.

  “That’s a pretty nightie,” he noted as he sat down, making easy conversation.

  “Thank you. Daddy gave it to me for Christmas. Do you know what’s going to happen to all my other ones?”

  “Your daddy is taking care of everything at your other house. He’ll pack up your stuff and bring it here.” He started brushing her hair, very carefully working out the tangles so he wouldn’t pull.

  “All of it?”

  “All of it.”

  “Okay.” She sighed, then let her head fall forward.

  Had she been up here worrying about that for the last four days? He shook his head but didn’t press her on it. He kept brushing her hair.

  After a while he noted casually, “Are you ready to go back to school on Monday?”

  “Already?”

  “We have your schoolbag here. I could drive you. What do you think about that?”

  “Everyone will know, Dirk. Everyone.”

  “Yeah, they will. But that’s going to be true if you go back tomorrow or the day after that or next week or next month.” He’d gotten all the tangles out, but he was hoping the brushing motions were soothing, so he kept going. “I seem to remember you saying how much you liked school.” And she was doing really well too. Logan had been bragging on her right before this had happened.

  “What if I cry? Everyone will make fun of me.”

  “Not everyone. What about your best friends? They were at the service.”

  “Cassie and Elena? They’re good. Cool.”

  “So they’re not going to make fun of you. And if you think you’re going to cry, I bet if you tell your teacher, she’ll let you do it in private where no one can see.” How awful to be worried you might be teased for crying about your dead mother. “And your daddy can go up with you, go speak to your teachers and principal.”

  Not that they didn’t already know.

  She needed this, though, to get back into her routine. Rebecca was dead, but Sarah wasn’t. “Did you want me to braid this or something?”

  “Do you know how?”

  “I can do regular braids, and I can do french braids, and I can do fishtail braids.” He’d watched YouTube videos on how to braid hair when Melly’s had gotten long enough.

  “Yeah? That’s cool. Can I have french braids?”

  “Sure thing.” He parted her hair down the middle and began working the left side into the french braids, careful to keep the tension even. If you didn’t, they came out wonky, and he didn’t know about Sarah, but Melly was prone to crying jags if he didn’t get the braids right. “You want to watch a movie after the braids are finished?” He was hoping she’d actually fall asleep if she let herself relax a little.

  “Yeah. Yeah, something happy? Not Moana.”

  He had to chuckle at that. Melly and Linds both had that on constant repeat. “You know that one by heart, I bet. How about the Minions movie?” He’d almost suggested Despicable Me, but had remembered the little girls without a mom and swerved it to Minions.

  “Yeah, I like that one. I like the dinosaur.”

  “Me too! Do you have a favorite Minion?” He finished the left braid and started on the right.

  “Stuart. He plays guitar. I’m learning how. I’m taking lessons. What about those? Dance? Guitar?”

  “You’ll still get to go to your lessons, honey. We’re going to try to make sure everything is as normal as possible.” He was glad she was finally talking.

  “Even with the babies? I know Daddy and you are busy.”

  “But we’re not so busy that we can’t get you to school and your lessons. We’re not so busy we can’t love you. The more the merrier, I say.”

  “You didn’t expect me,” she whispered.

  “Yes and no. You were already a part of the family, but we only got to see you every other weekend and most Fridays. Now, while it might be unexpected, we get to see you every day, and seeing as we already loved you, that’s a good thing, you know?” So many things to worry about. God knew what else was hiding in her head.

  “I miss her. A lot.”

  What could he say to that? Of course she did and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change it. “Yeah, I’m sure you do.” He hugged her. �
��And I’m so sorry.”

  She cried a little, but it eased up quickly this time.

  “Do you want me to stay with you while you watch your movie?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Please.” She wasn’t going to be awake more than a minute.

  He appreciated the fact that she was willing to let him comfort her. He had a feeling she might not continue to do so as time passed and she filled her teen years with friends and crushes and growing up, so he was going to help her while he could.

  “Is your mom still alive? Daddy’s isn’t.”

  “She is. She lives in the country on a farm. Next time I take Melly to see her, maybe I can bring you and the triplets too. And your daddy, of course.” His mom loved kids, and she was going to be thrilled to call herself grandma to four more.

  “Are there horses?” They headed to Sarah’s bedroom, and she squeezed his hand when she saw the bed made, the windows opened.

  “There aren’t any horses, though her neighbor has some. Mom’s got a dairy herd and some sheep, goats, and llamas. Oh, and chickens that run around like they own the place.” With Dad gone, his mom had hired someone on to take care of the milking and general upkeep.

  “Wow. So you were a farmer when you were little?” She cuddled into the blankets.

  “I was. I had daily chores and a dog of my own and everything.” It hadn’t suited him at all. Which was why he was now a city boy.

  “We need a cat. Mom was allergic.”

  “You’d rather have a cat than a dog?” He thought it wouldn’t hurt to have an animal or two here. The place was certainly big enough for pets. As long as the triplets weren’t allergic. Or Logan. He had no clue if Logan had allergies. How did he not know that? Somehow, it had never come up. Which made him think that Logan didn’t.

  “Oh, I like dogs too. We could have both. Puppies bite, though, and so I think we should wait for the babies to be a little bigger.”

  “What a smart girl. You’re an excellent big sister.” He got her movie set up for her and sat with his back to her headboard, letting her decide if she wanted to cuddle or just sit next to him.

  She sat next to him, nibbling on half of her sandwich. Good deal. Washed, fed, they’d talked, and now she’d get some sleep. That was as good as anyone could hope for under the circumstances. She leaned against him, humming along with the Minions.

  It was a fun movie, and about halfway through, he realized Sarah had fallen asleep, head lolled to one side, soft little snores sounding at intervals. Poor love was finally asleep.

  He turned the sound down on the TV and slipped out of bed. Then he tucked the covers up around her and kissed her forehead. She cuddled in and smiled. Oh. Oh, better.

  He hoped it was a good sign. That she had turned some kind of corner.

  Dirk headed downstairs, hearing Logan’s low lullaby. Someone was awake. He poked his head in the triplets’ room to see.

  All three of the babies were on the floor on a huge quilt, Logan stretched out with them, singing and playing with toes and fingers.

  God, it was moments like these that deepened his love for this man. What an amazing father. He leaned against the doorframe and watched, keeping quiet so he didn’t disturb anyone.

  “Oh, are you smiling? Sebastian, I knew you’d be the first.”

  That made Dirk smile and move into the room. He wanted to see that smile.

  “Hey, love. They are in glorious moods.”

  “That’s awesome.” He joined Logan on the floor. “Sarah had a bath, some food. She’s sleeping.”

  “Oh, good. Thank you. She needs a friend.”

  “Yeah. She had some questions I think she was scared to ask you.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “Like was she still going to do her lessons and was it okay if she stayed here. She’s worried she’s going to cry at school and kids will make fun of her. Just stuff, you know? Things that we assumed would happen, she hasn’t. I mean, she asked what would happen with her clothes at her mom’s place.”

  “You and I need to talk about that—not Sarah’s things, you know we’ll bring what she needs—but all the things there.”

  “I’ve never been, so I don’t know what she’s got. I mean, we don’t really need anything, do we? But you should make sure there isn’t anything special that you’d want to keep. And I think it’s important that Sarah has a chance to keep anything she wants. Well, I guess within reason,” he added, in case she wanted to move everything over wholesale.

  “Yeah—Rebecca had a lot of furniture, kitchen stuff. I suppose once we decide, we’ll hire someone to sell it?”

  “That makes sense. You always see signs for estate sales and stuff. There’s a lot to deal with, isn’t there?”

  “Yes. Unraveling people’s lives is complicated.”

  He reached out and touched Logan’s hand, then wrapped their fingers together and squeezed.

  “You okay?” Logan asked. “I know you’ve had a lot to deal with too.”

  “Oh, I’m fine. It’s you and Sarah who are hurting. The least I could do is be here for the two of you.” He brought Logan’s hand to his mouth and kissed the knuckles softly, hoping to offer comfort.

  “And you’ve gained another daughter. I’m so glad she wasn’t in that car. I keep having nightmares.”

  “You can’t think like that, love. She wasn’t in that car. She’s alive and safe and upstairs in her bedroom. You have to put what might have been out of your mind and concentrate on what is. I know that isn’t easy, but I think it’s important to be here, right here.”

  Especially with their babies so young, needing them so badly.

  “Your family needs you present,” he reiterated. “All of us.” Because he and Melly were a part of Logan’s family now too.

  “I know. I feel like I haven’t seen Miss Mel in days. I miss her bad.”

  “Why don’t we do a picnic at the park tomorrow or something?”

  “Do you think the weather is nice enough for the babies? I’d love that.”

  “It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. And we can bundle them up so they stay warm. I think the girls would love it. Give them something fun.” Everything had been wrapped around Rebecca’s death since it had happened.

  “We’ll try it. What can it hurt, right?”

  “Yeah. That’s what I was thinking.” He squeezed Logan’s shoulder, then leaned against him as they sat together. They were going to get through this. They were.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I’M not going.”

  Logan clenched his teeth. “Then you can sit in the van quietly while we have our picnic, but you’re coming with us.”

  Sarah crossed her arms and stuck her chin out, looking as stubborn as a mule.

  “You have to come,” Mel insisted. “We’re having a family picnic.”

  “I don’t want to….”

  “But we’re family! You have to. Please.” Mel was already getting teary.

  Dirk handed Mel a blanket. “Why don’t you find us the best spot to set ourselves up.”

  She gave Sarah one last, long look and took the blanket to head off on her mission.

  Dirk turned to Sarah. “You should come with us. You don’t have to eat anything or say anything, but you should come with us.”

  “Please,” Logan added. “For Mel, honey.” He knew she had a soft spot a mile wide for her “baby” sister.

  “Fine.” She glared at him but undid her seat belt and climbed out, stomping in the direction Mel had gone.

  Dirk sighed and squeezed his shoulders briefly. “She might not think so, but this is good for her.”

  “I know. We have to get back to life, right?”

  “We do. I know what happened to Rebecca is awful and that everyone misses her terribly. But we’re all here and alive and have so much living left to do. Rebecca wouldn’t want her baby girl to spend the rest of her life unhappy. I know that. You know that. And somewhere inside, so does Sarah.”

  Yes, and he
thought that was half the trouble. She was beginning to want to have her life back, but she felt guilty about it.

  “I hear you. I need to start dealing with the practical nonsense too.” He smiled at the babies in the carriage. “But not today.”

  “Nope. Today is a family picnic. A fun time for the girls. Some sunshine for the babies.” Dirk pointed to where Mel had chosen to lay out the blanket, down near the little man-made lake by a tree for shade. Sarah was helping her spread out the blanket, the two of them smoothing out all the folds.

  Suzy was awake and looking around, but the boys were sound asleep, Sebastian sucking his thumb. There were parenting books that claimed that was a terrible habit and you had to stop it as soon as you could. Others said the opposite. He thought when you had three of them at once, any self-soothing they could do was a bonus.

  Dirk was carrying the picnic basket and the two other bags full of stuff that didn’t go into the oversized diaper bag he had hanging off the back of the carriage. He wasn’t sure what all Dirk had packed, but for the first time in a while, he was looking forward to eating.

  He was hoping for chips and turkey sandwiches with provolone. He liked that it was going to be a surprise, though. It was a reminder that he wasn’t in this alone, that he had someone at his back, supporting him.

  “All right, this looks like a beautiful spot.” Dirk smiled at the girls. “Well done.”

  “Thank you! Sarah choosed it with me.”

  “I approve. It’s a gorgeous day. I missed the sun.”

  “Why don’t the two of you play for a while, and we’ll call you back when we’ve got the picnic set up,” Dirk suggested.

  “Would you like to go swing, Melly?” Logan asked.

  Her little eyes lit up, and she leaped at him. “Yes, please!”

  Dirk chuckled. “If she didn’t already love you, that would have done the trick. Go on. I’ll keep an eye on the babies while I set out the food.”

  “I’ll help Dirk with the triplets, Daddy.”

  Oh, his dear, good girl. “Thank you, honey. You rock.”

  He grabbed Melly’s hand and grinned at her. “Let’s go!”

  She held on tight and tugged him along, chattering happily. “I love swings. They’re my favorite.”