unconditional

2| smart

SAM

AS SOON AS I finished up at the Academy for the day, as I get in my car to head home, I get a phone call from my mom.

"Hey, Momma," I say happily, leaning back against my seat and smiling.

"Hi, sweetheart. How was your day?"

"Oh, it was good. I'm tired and sore, but overall I'm just fine. What were you up to today?" I put her on speaker, setting my phone in the cup holder, and pull out of the parking lot.

"I worked the night shift at the hospital so basically I've been just sleeping all day, then I picked up the kids from school and dropped Rory off at his speech therapist for his hour session while Lillie and Gray played at the park." She replies, and I nod to myself.

"How's Rores going with his therapy?"

"He loves it, and he's making really good progress." She says, referring to his speech impediment.

He sounds cute as heck and I've always loved it, but since he's starting kindergarten this fall Mom and Dad decided it was best to get it sorted.

"Well, that's great to hear. How are the kids doing in school?"

"That's actually why I called." She says, making me frown, stopping at a red light.

"Are they not doing well?" I ask, and she just sighs a little.

"Gray is great, he loves school, but Lillie just seems like she's having trouble and she won't tell me when I ask if something's wrong. You're her big brother and she loves you to death, I figured maybe she'd open up to you." She tells me, and I nod, biting the inside of my cheek.

"What's she doing right now?"

"Doing homework with Dad,"

"Okay, I'm gonna swing by in fifteen minutes and pick her up, but don't tell her." I say, and she lets out another sigh, but this one is happier.

"Thank you, baby. You're such a good big brother." She laughs lightly, and I smile to myself.

I absolutely love those kids, it's some other kind of happy being with them.

"Thanks, Momma."

And so, not long after I hang up with Mom, I'm walking up the front porch of my house.

While I love having my own place and I love living with Mads, I do miss it here. It just seems simpler.

I don't bother knocking, just pushing the front door open and kicking my heavy boots off.

"I'm home!" I call, walking through the living room and into the kitchen where I assume they are.

Lillie and Grayson are sitting at the breakfast nook eating animal crackers while Mom and Dad cook dinner, Rory playing with one of Lillie's Barbie dolls.

"Hi!" Gray Gray squeals, jumping up and running to me, hugging my legs tightly.

I laugh, picking him up and putting him on my hip, kissing his cheek. "Hey, bud."

"Are you a police man?" Rory asks, and I snort, shaking my head as I walk over to them.

"Not yet but I'm working on it." I swoop down, kissing the top of his head, then Lillie's.

Mom gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, and Dad teases, "You finally decided to come see us?"

"Hey, I'm a very busy man," I grin, laughing when Gray bumps his nose into mine, smiling.