5. Gianna

CHAPTER 5

Besides a small stint of babysitting when I was in high school, I've never really been around kids, but even so, I know that these two are special. I'm not sure how to explain it or anything, but it's a fact. Evan and Ethan are special.

"So what do you two want to do?" I ask them. So far, they've been content just walking me around the house and showing off their rooms and toys. Ethan doesn't say anything, but he makes sure that he's included.

"I want to play basketball. Can we go to the park?"

"Uh, well, we probably shouldn't leave the house because your dad would worry. How about if we read a book?"

Ethan snarls his nose up, and Evan shakes his head. "Oooh, yuck."

I put my hand to my chest and gasp. "Yuck? Oh no, don't say that, you'll break my heart."

Ethan is the first to come to me and hug me, and then Evan does the same. I welcome each hug and try not to get emotional about it. "Okay, can we try something?"

Evan says, "Yes," and Ethan nods his head.

I grab my phone out of my back pocket and open the reading app. I go to the top one hundred for children's books and search the boys' age group. As soon as I see the dragon book, I hit download. What little boy doesn't love dragons?

"All right, sit down."

We all sit down, and I don't complain that they're both sitting right on top of me. I read the first few sentences. I chose something really easy. "Drago the Dragon loves to play basketball."

I hold the phone out to Evan. "Okay, you're next."

"Drago the Dragon loves to play baseball."

He reads it slowly, and when he's finished, I clap my hands. "Great job, Evan." I hold it out to Ethan. "What about you? You want a turn?"

He opens his mouth. I hold my breath, but then he closes it, shaking his head back and forth. I try not to let my disappointment show and read the next line. "Drago likes any sport with a ball."

I hold it out to Evan, and he reads the next line. "Does Drago like to play checkers?"

I am about to read the next line when Ethan jumps in my lap. "No, there's no ball in checkers."

I'm not sure who is more shocked—Ethan, Evan, or me. The phone gets tossed a few feet away as we all stand up in shock. The boys jump up and down, and first the twins hug each other and then they hug me. They're laughing, and I'm crying, and I'm sure I'm handling all of it the wrong way. I'm probably not supposed to call attention to him talking or not make a big deal about it, but how can I not?

I pull back and put my hands on Ethan's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay."

I gasp and hug him again. "Okay, well, your dad is going to be so proud of you."

He happily nods his head, and I laugh with them both. "All right, do you want to read some more?"

The both nod, and Ethan picks up my phone and hands it to me. We sit here and read about Drago the dragon and all his sports. The boys both take turns reading, and it takes everything in me to sit here and not run and holler for Dalton. He's going to be so excited.

After a few minutes and after reading the story twice, I ask them, "What else do you like to do?"

"Dance!" Ethan hollers, and Evan joins in.

I stand up. "Ooh, now you're talking. Let's go back to the living room, and I'll turn on some music. You guys can show me your moves."

When we all get to the living room, I open the music app on my phone and hit play. Thank goodness, I have a playlist with clean music, and I turn it up loud. "All right, let's do this."

Both boys start jumping up and down, and I'm swaying my hips, happy and content for the first time in a long time. I'm not sure why Ethan decided to talk tonight and what role I played in it, but it's the best feeling. I'm glad I was here for it.

"Louder," Ethan hollers.

I hold my phone up, "You want it louder?"

They both scream in unison, and who am I to deny them? I turn my phone all the way up, set it on the coffee table, and then we all start to dance around the living room.

We laugh, and I try to soak it all in because I don't ever want to forget this moment.