“You okay, baby?” Dylan put his hand on his little girl’s back.
“Nixon is like me, Daddy. Mummy said so.”
“As in we were so lucky that you came to live with us after you were born? And now we get Nixon too, so he’s another person to love as much as we do you?”
Grace nodded.
“That’s exactly what this feels like, sweetheart.” Luke kissed the top of her head. “When you arrived, I thought my heart would burst, it was so full of love for you. And it feels like that for Nixon. Do you feel like that too?”
She lifted her head to look from him to her daddy.
“Yes. I want him to like me.”
“Baby, he’s going to love you,” Dylan said. “Shall we go meet him?”
“I want to give him this because he may need it.” She held out her blanket.
“You sure?” Luke knew how important that blanket was to her.
She nodded.
“I think you’re right, it will help him settle in,” Luke said.
“Nixon, this is Grace. She’s your cousin,” Dylan said.
The boy looked at the little girl.
“I came here like you after I was born.” Grace spoke with a lisp now, as she was missing front teeth. “I had this.” She held out the gray and faded blanket. “You should have it now. It will help you feel better when you get sad.”
Luke looked around the room and noticed most everyone had tears in their eyes.
“Okay, thanks.” Nixon took it solemnly. “But if you want it back, that’s okay too.”
“I get to hug you too, ’cause you’re family. And we always hug family.” Gracie lunged at him. Nixon caught her and gently pulled her in for a hug. It was stiff, and clearly he was uncomfortable, but he did it, and for now that was enough.
The youngest Trainer brother was home.