“Morning. Happy birthday,” she said and hugged Harper quickly. She wasn’t much for hugs, so Harper knew she really meant this one.
“Thanks, Lettie. How’s the pack?”
“They’re great. I think I can put them up for adoption soon.” When a large mutt whined in the middle of the still sitting pack of dogs, Lettie chuckled. “Except you, Poncho, you aren’t going anywhere.”
The dog wagged his tail faster, making them all laugh.
* * * *
They left the dogs outside and Lettie went to wash her hands and change, while Harper and Dad went to the kitchen where Wy and Justin were fixing breakfast.
“There you guys are,” Justin said and came to hug Harper.
She remembered being small and angry at him, and she understood her child self. But she also counted her blessings when it came to the relationship she had with her big brother now. It hadn’t always been smooth sailing, not by a stretch, but they were great now, and that was all that mattered.
On one occasion, when she was about fifteen, she’d seen a documentary on YouTube about some low income families and their kids. It wasn’t until then when she’d truly realized what Justin had done for them. He didn’t need to go back to where he’d escaped from as a teenager, but he had, just so Harper, Wy, and Lettie wouldn’t go into the system.
They’d all lucked out with Dad, Harper knew that too, but it had been Justin who did the right, incredibly hard thing first. After that documentary, she’d found Justin in his greenhouse and thanked him. The way Justin had crumbled into the ground had almost broken her. They’d sat there in the dirt, weeping into each other’s shoulders, and she’d felt grateful for having figured out that even someone as strong as Justin needed validation. Justin had worked so hard for them, from the very beginning when he’d had no idea how to brush Harper’s hair, right through working to get his GED and his community college degree so he could start up his own business. And he’d done it all when he was so young—barely older than Harper was now. Harper didn’t know if she could have done the same, and she figured he deserved to know how amazing she thought that was.
Justin stepped away from her and waited until Dad had put the quiche down before ruining it all by attaching himself to Dad like a limpet.
“Eww,” Wy said routinely. It was another running joke.
Justin and Dad weren’t shy with showing affection to each other. They were still crazy in love after twelve years, and it was a miracle none of the kids had managed to stumble upon them in a compromising position anywhere on the property over the years. At least they were careful. Harper counted that as a definite win.
“The greenhouses okay?” Dad asked once he’d kissed Justin senseless in a surprisingly PG way.
“Uh-huh, everything’s fine there and the stable.”
Justin had gotten a loan some years after they first got the place and bought some more land next door. There were now four large greenhouses there, and Justin’s organic produce was incredibly sought after and expensive—except for 10% of the crops he donated to low income families in the area each week.
“Are we still having Stew for dinner?” Justin asked hopefully.
Dad smiled. “Well, it’s Miss Harper’s birthday and she’s requested the Stew, so of course we are. I’ll start it after breakfast so it has time to simmer properly.”
Funnily enough, everyone in the family now loved the Stew and it was made on special occasions or whenever someone needed comfort food. Yes, it still tasted like beer, but along the way, Harper, Wyatt, and Scarlett had all begun to like it more and more.
Harper guessed it was a good metaphor for some things in her life. She’d disliked it at first, but now loved the family recipe.
Dad looked at Wy then. “You need help, buddy?”
“Nah, you guys go sit down, I’ll have Lettie help me with this when she comes back.”
Harper grabbed the apple juice from the fridge and went to the dining room where someone, probably Lettie, had set the table all nice with napkins and all.
Dad took the pitcher from Harper and poured everyone a glass. Harper sat in her spot, the same one she’d had for twelve years, and smiled.
Soon, there’d be breakfast and cake with her noisy, loving family. It was a far cry from her early childhood.
As she listened to the kids bicker in the kitchen and watched Justin and Dad make eyes at each other over the table, she felt happiest she’d ever been.
In a few years, she’d be the second former O’Dwyer to get a college degree. She wasn’t sure Wy and Lettie would take the college route, but their parents wouldn’t mind, as long as they were happy.
Her eyes prickled with tears as she watched Dad reach out and take Justin’s hand.
Happy and safe.
And loved.