“So,” Cameron smiled at each of her kids, “are you two excited for the summer?”
“I’m excited for hockey camp.” Jonah’s excitement was palpable. He’d been selected to attend a camp for high school juniors and seniors led by professional hockey players. Cameron was beyond proud of her boy. “I think it’ll be fun.”
“It will be fun, Jonah. I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m just glad I don’t have to share a bathroom with you for three whole weeks.” Dylan’s deadpan expression made Cameron chuckle.
“You’ll miss me.”
“No, I won’t.”
“Yes, you will.” Jonah’s smirk told Cameron he was up to something. “Who else can reach the extra toilet paper on the top shelf?”
“Whydo you always put it on the top shelf?” Dylan dramatically groaned. Clearly, being in theater classes had bubbled over into her real life. Or maybe it was just because she was so close to being a teenager.
Cameron shuddered at the thought.
“Okay, be nice, you two.” Taking a sip of her soda, Cameron prepared herself to segue the conversation. “So, I want to talk to you both about something.”
“Is Aunt Mel finally moving in?” Jonah’s excitement was at the same level as it was about the hockey camp.
“Pleasesay yes,” Dylan added.
“Well, she’s not moving in yet.”
“Yet!” Dylan all but shouted in the cafe, gaining her a sharp glare from Cameron. Quieting her voice, she leaned in closer to Jonah. “She saidyet!”
“Iheard,” Jonah tried to match Dylan’s excited whispers, making Cameron laugh.
“So, you two would be on board with Aunt Mel moving in? Like for real?”
“Totally.”
“Sure.”
“She basically lives with us anyway,” Dylan shrugged. “And I’ve always wanted a pet and Aunt Mel has two so that meansI’llhave two when she moves in.”
Cameron should have known that Melanie’s cat and dog would be a huge selling point for Dylan. She’d always loved animals, but Cameron had never let the kids have anything more than fish. And judging by how many fish they went through over the years, that was the only pet they ever needed to attempt to own. At least Melanie’s dog was house trained and her cat loved everyone.
“What about you, Jonah?”
“I support it.” The corner of his mouth rose slightly into a smile. “But I do have one question.”
“Okay…”
“What do we call Aunt Mel now? I mean… she’s not our aunt anymore, right?”
Jonah’s question caught Cameron off guard. She’d prepared for a hundred questions of the logistics of Melanie moving in with them, but not that question. Cameron hadn’t even discussed it with Melanie yet because for the last sixteen years, she had been Aunt Mel to her kids. She had thought about how that would change as their relationship grew and deepened.
“We can call her Mama Mel,” Dylan chimed in.
“How aboutafterI ask Mel to move in with us, you two can talk to her and see what she wants to be called, okay?”
There. That buys me some time to talk to Melanie and prepare her for the kids’ question.
Jonah and Dylan nodded, going back to their food as their lunch continued. They chatted about school and plans for summer break. As they were getting ready to leave, Jonah suggested they take Melanie lunch. She was covering a shift for someone, working nine days in a row much to Cameron’s disgruntled complaints. Cameron knew Melanie loved her job, but she selfishly missed getting to spend more time with her.
Taking a club sandwich and chips to go for Melanie, the three of them headed for the hospital. Cameron parked in her reserved spot, thankful the hospital provided the doctors with their own designated lot and spots. It had saved her countless times from circling the main parking lot to find a place to park.
