I swing my legs off the side of the couch and walk softly across the hardwood to the kitchen. Peeking my head around the corner, I watch the scene in front of me unfold.
"Sprinkle some of this into the bowl." Gracie hands Livy a spice shaker, then passes another to Zoey. "And you can sprinkle this one. Just a little bit," she adds when it looks like Zoey is about to dumpv the whole container into the bowl.
"And you, little miss, can add the vanilla with me." Gracie takes Everly's hand and helps my little girl pour the liquid in.
"Are they ready?" Zoey asks excitedly.
"Almost." Gracie smiles down at my daughter and my heart melts. This is what my girls have been missing out on—another adult who cherishes them as much as I do.
I use their distraction as the perfect time to step back a few feet and make some noise as if I haven't been spying on them.
"Good morning," I announce just seconds before I get to the kitchen. "What do we have here?"
"Daddy!" Zoey and Everly holler together when they see me enter.
"We’re making French toast for breakfast," my middle child is quick to inform me.
"Is that right?"
My eyes lock with a blushing Gracie. I can't tell if it's because of what we did last night or her being caught interacting with my daughters. The man in me wants it to be the first, but the father side is hoping it's the second.
While Everly and Zoey are completely focused on me, recounting everything they’ve done to help, Gracie takes the time to help Livy dip the bread into the egg mixture and place it onto the hot griddle. They repeat the process a few more times until the griddle is full of bread slices and the delicious aroma they create fills the air around us.
"How can I help?" I walk up behind Gracie and brush my fingertips across her lower back before giving each of my daughters a kiss on the head.
"Do you want to set the table?" she asks me softly.
I gladly do her bidding without having to say a word as I listen to her converse with the girls. I wasn’t sure what to expect this morning when I woke up, but I can honestly say this isn’t it. I thought for sure Gracie would’ve snuck away sometime in themiddle of the night, back to the quiet sanctuary of her own room. I’m glad to know she didn’t, but it makes me wonder if she was up before the girls or if they saw us together.
It isn't until the five of us are gathered at the table that I join the conversation again. "What do you have planned for the day?" I ask Gracie first.
"At some point I’d like to take Everly over to my brother's house. He's asked me to come over a few times, but I keep blowing him off."
I give her a concerned look. "Why would you do that?"
When she lets out a slow exhale before replying, I have a feeling I'm not going to like what she has to say. Maybe her brother has already found out about our relationship and he’s not happy.
"Because I know he wants to talk about Annie, and I have nothing to add. I don't like what she's doing, but I get it. Our family can be overbearing at times. Especially Owen. As the oldest, he feels like he needs to control everything, and that’s just not the case."
Guilt eats away at my stomach once again for knowing where Annie is but not being able to say something.
"Can you convince your brother she's probably fine?"
Gracie makes the cutest snort sound that makes my girls and me giggle. "I can try, but I doubt he's going to listen to me."
Well, damn! There went my plan to feel guilt-free. At least then I wouldn’t have their worry on my conscience that I know something they don’t. I'm considering spilling my guts, but then I glance at the clock and realize what time it is.
"Crap! Girls, we need to hurry up and get ready for school."
We were having such a good time, I forgot it's a weekday. They won't make it in time to catch the bus, but as long as they don't dillydally too long, I can drive them and they won't be late for school.
Thankfully, Zoey and Livy are really good listeners. Livy hates to be late for anything, and Zoey is so hyper she can do anything at lightning speed. They manage to get dressed and brush their teeth with five minutes to spare.
I wait until Zoey and Livy are running out to my SUV and Everly is distracted by something in the living room before I pull Gracie in for a quick brush of the lips. "We need to talk to the girls."
"Mmm-hmmm," is her only answer, and I smile when I see her dazed look. I like knowing I put that gleam in her eye.
"Sooner rather than later," I add.
