Chapter Eighty Seven

EVELYN’S POV:

Leonard's mom had River with her while River stayed close to Leonard. As we sat down to eat, the room was unusually quiet until Leonard's mom broke the silence.

“So, when are you two leaving?” she asked suddenly, catching me off guard. I understood what she meant. She wanted us to stay longer.

But we had no time to spare—there were pressing matters we needed to attend to. Leonard, ever practical, answered firmly, “We’ll come back as soon as everything is completely fine, but we leave tomorrow.”

“Two more days won’t make a difference to your plans, Leonard,” she pleaded, her tone soft yet insistent. “Can’t you both stay just two more days?”

Leonard stood by his decision, but before he could respond further, I interrupted, “We’ll stay.”

He turned to me, his expression calm but questioning. I reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay,” I told him softly.

Leonard nodded in reluctant agreement, and we resumed eating. The children were playing among themselves, their innocent laughter filling the room. Suddenly, River’s small voice cut through the chatter.

“Daddy, when is Mommy coming?” she asked, her big eyes filled with longing.

Leonard froze, his expression unreadable as he grappled with the question. Before he could respond, Ryan piped up, “Mommy’s busy.”

“But I want to see Mommy,” River whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.

Leonard remained silent, his eyes darting around the room as though searching for the right words to say. River’s tears tugged at my heart, making my own eyes sting with unshed emotion.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Leonard’s mom said gently, crouching down to meet River’s gaze. “This is your mommy now.” She gestured toward me with a warm smile.

“I love her, but I want to see Mommy. I miss Mommy!” River cried, her small frame trembling with emotion.

Leonard’s mom stood, her meal nearly finished. She picked up River, soothing her as she carried her outside to calm down. Meanwhile, Ryan was still focused on his food, blissfully unaware of the tension in the room. His clothes and face were a mess, smeared with food stains that made him look hilariously mischievous.

“Everything will be fine,” I whispered to Leonard, who seemed lost in thought. I could see the weight of River’s tears and questions pressing heavily on his heart.

By now, my own emotions were swirling. The children were sweet and innocent, but their longing for their mother was a constant reminder of the challenges ahead. I knew they would adapt in time—they were just kids, after all. But that didn’t mean their pain wasn’t real.

“Mommy, I’m done,” Ryan’s voice called out, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned to see him grinning, his messy face and clothes an unintentional source of humor. I burst into laughter, the sight of him too much to handle.

Clara approached to take him away, but I stopped her. “I’ll take care of him,” I said, lifting him up.

Leonard followed us as I carried Ryan upstairs. Once we reached the bathroom, I washed him up and got him into fresh clothes. Leonard helped when needed, his quiet presence reassuring. After we were done, we headed back downstairs.

“I think we should go to the garden,” Leonard suggested. I nodded in agreement, and we made our way there.

In the garden, we found Mia playing with River. River’s earlier tears seemed forgotten as she giggled and ran around happily. The sight warmed my heart. Ryan wriggled out of my arms and ran to join them, his excitement contagious.

Now, Leonard and I were alone. We took a quiet walk around the garden, enjoying the peace. “Evelyn, I’m sorry for all the stress and everything,” Leonard said suddenly, his voice filled with guilt.

He turned to me, cupping my face in his hands. Without warning, he leaned in and kissed me gently.

“It’s okay,” I told him. “I want to do this. Those children are ours now, and we need to take care of them.”

He smiled, his gaze softening as it traveled to my stomach. Placing a hand on it, he spoke, “Hey, baby! How’re you doing in there?” His tone was playful yet tender, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You look so serious, like you’re expecting a response,” I teased, still giggling.

“I can’t wait to meet our little angel,” he said, his voice full of love and anticipation.

“Me too,” I replied, my heart swelling with joy.

Leonard pulled me closer again, kissing me deeply. “I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I love you more,” I replied softly.

We found a spot to sit, our hands entwined as we listened to the children’s laughter echoing behind us.

“You know, it’s so heartwarming to see how much your mom cares for them,” Leonard said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, it is,” I admitted. “I was so scared at first. I didn’t think she would accept them so easily.”

Our peaceful moment was interrupted by the sudden sound of Leonard’s phone ringing. He answered, his expression growing serious as he listened. It was about the upcoming court date for Dana and Caleb’s trial. He requested that it be postponed before ending the call.

“But we could still make it from here,” I said, confused about why he wanted to delay it.

“We have more important things to focus on,” he explained. “We need to finalize the documents for the children’s adoption. You also have a lot of work waiting for you at the office, and you need to start preparing for your new company.”

His reasoning made sense. I realized how much we had to organize, especially since I’d soon be moving out. “I understand,” I said, leaning against him.

He wrapped one arm around me, stroking my hair gently while the other rested on my stomach. My heart was overflowing with gratitude. Leonard had become my anchor, and I couldn’t imagine my life without him.

Suddenly, a loud scream shattered the calm. It was Leonard’s mom.

Fear gripped me instantly. My mind raced with dreadful possibilities—had something happened to the children? To Mia? I couldn’t tell which thought terrified me more.

Leonard pulled me to my feet, and we hurried toward the source of the scream. My legs felt weak, my steps unsteady as dread consumed me. Whatever had happened, I prayed silently that everyone was safe.