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I’m not entirely sure what he’s going to do if either of them says no now, but I think he’s confident that won’t happen.
“Yep,” Huxley states while Ryker nods.
“If you’ve forgotten anything or—”
“We know, Coop. You’ll organize having it shipped. You’ll let us speak to our friends. We’re really okay with this. We want to be in LA with you. Don’t we, Ryker?” he says, elbowing his little brother.
“Yes,” he says, my heart beating a little harder at hearing his sweet voice. “We want to be with you.”
He looks up at both of us. How I don’t burst into tears right there at our gate, I don’t know. This little boy is just incredible, and I can’t wait to get to know him better over the coming weeks, months, and hopefully years.
“Right then,” Cooper says, holding out both of his hands. “Shall we go home?”
They both nod and take each other's hands. Almost immediately, Ryker reaches for my hand with his free one, and together the four of us make our way down the tunnel and toward our plane.
When we pull up to Cooper’s house later that day, it looks the same as it has every other time I’ve been here, but I know that once we get inside, it won’t be the case.
“Wow, Coop. Your house is amazing,” Huxley breathes, his face practically pressed against the window as the car pulls to a stop.
“You’ve seen photos,” Cooper reminds him.
“Yeah, but it’s better in person.”
We help them with their suitcases, and the changes are immediately obvious.
In the entryway, there are now two extra coat hooks a little lower than the others, both with the boys’ hockey numbers sitting above them so they know whose is whose.
“They haven’t always been there, have they?” Huxley asks.
“No, bud. But this is your house now too.”
As we make our way through the house, we find more evidence that my sister has blown through with her interior design talent.
Cooper has always had photos of the two of them, but now, they’re everywhere, thanks to the images he sent her yesterday. They really are a part of this home, and with each one I look at, I realize it’s what’s been missing from this place.
It’s always needed a family.
“Ready to see what Sienna has done with your rooms?” I ask, my own excitement getting the better of me.
“Yeah,” Huxley says. I think he’s trying to play it cool, but I see the twinkle in his eye.
“You still like Bluey, right?” Cooper asks when we’re halfway up the stairs.
“I’m nearly ten, Coop. Haven’t liked him in a while,” Huxley explains.
When I glance back, I catch him rolling his eyes, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I’ll take it, though. There are a lot of things worse than Bluey.”
“Barbie,” Ryker says, his rare word making us all laugh as we get to the two doors that now belong to them.
“Do you know what they look like?” Huxley asks.
“Nope. Not a clue,” I say.
“Ready?” Cooper asks.
“Ready,” Huxley says as Ryker nods.
