Back to Us

Chapter 34

The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting golden light across Felis’s backyard. The garden felt alive with the laughter and chatter of my brothers. For the first time in years, I felt a sense of peace, of belonging. And at the center of it all was Eden.

Felis sat in a shaded corner of the garden, cradling her like a treasure. Eden’s bright eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him, her little hands reaching for the edges of his beard. “Careful now” Felis chuckled as she tugged. “You’ve got quite the grip, little one.”

“She doesn’t hold back” I teased from where I stood, leaning against Noah. His arm was securely around my waist, grounding me as we watched my brothers slowly falling head over heels for my daughter.

Leo crouched down beside Felis, holding up a plush fox he had apparently brought with him. “Look what I’ve got, Eden” he cooed, wiggling it in front of her. Eden’s mouth opened in a delighted little "O" before she burst into giggles, her hands flapping with excitement.

“That laugh is addictive” Leo grinned, glancing over at me. “I could listen to that all day.”

“She doesn’t laugh for just anyone” I teased, smirking. “Looks like you passed her test.”

“She’s got good taste” Leo shot back, making a silly face at Eden, which only set her off into another fit of giggles.

Nearby, Nash and Atlas were sprawled on the grass, taking turns setting up blocks into a tower that Eden could knock over. Each time they built it up, Nash would narrate dramatically, “And here comes the mighty Eden!” Atlas, not to be outdone, added sound effects: “Dun-dun-dunnn!”

Eden swung her tiny hand at the blocks, sending them tumbling, and let out an excited squeal. Atlas threw his hands up. “She’s unstoppable! A true force of nature.”

“Better watch out” I called, grinning as I walked over with Noah. “She’ll start demanding a crown next.”

“Wouldn’t even blame her” Nash said with a shrug. “She’s a queen already.” He tickled her little foot, and Eden squirmed in Felis’s lap, her laugh ringing out again.

Orion, who had been unusually quiet, sat back in one of the garden chairs, watching everything unfold. He had a soft smile on his face that I wasn’t used to seeing, and I could tell he was holding back, waiting for his moment.

“Orion” I called out, raising an eyebrow at him. “You’re not just going to sit there the whole time, are you?”

He smirked, pushing himself to his feet. “I’m pacing myself. Unlike you guys, I’m not going to overwhelm her all at once.”

Orion approached Felis and held out his hands. “Alright, let me have a turn.”

Felis gave him a skeptical look. “Think you can handle her?”

“I’ve handled all of you” Orion shot back. “How hard can it be?”

Eden was passed into his arms, and for a moment, Orion just looked at her. His expression softened even more as she stared back at him, her tiny fingers reaching for his face.

“She likes you” I said, watching the way Eden’s hand brushed against his jaw.

“She has good instincts” Orion replied, his voice low but warm. He shifted her slightly, and Eden snuggled into his chest, making a soft little sound of contentment. “Yeah” he murmured. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

I felt a lump in my throat, the sight of my usually reserved brother completely disarmed by Eden stirring something deep inside me. Noah’s hand slipped into mine, squeezing gently, and I glanced up to find him smiling down at me.

“She’s working her magic” he said softly.

“Like I said, she doesn’t hold back” I replied, my voice thick with emotion.

Atlas, not one to be left out for long, jumped up and clapped his hands together. “Alright, someone hand her over. I’ve got some stories to tell her about her mom.”

“Stories?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. “What kind of stories?”

“The good ones” Atlas said innocently. “Like the time you tried to climb that tree in the front yard and got stuck halfway up.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” I protested, laughing. “The branch broke!”

“Uh-huh” Atlas said, winking at Eden as if she could understand. “We’ll let her decide who to believe.”

Orion reluctantly passed Eden to Atlas, who immediately started swaying back and forth, humming a silly tune. Eden stared at him, completely entranced, before letting out another giggle.

“She likes him too” Noah said, his smile widening.

“She likes anyone who acts ridiculous” I replied, shaking my head.

“Good thing she’s got us, then” Nash chimed in, grinning from the grass.

As the afternoon stretched on, the moments blended together into a warm haze of laughter and connection. At one point, Caelum quietly stepped forward, his usual guarded expression giving way to something softer.

“May I?” he asked, his voice almost shy as he gestured toward Eden.

I nodded, surprised but touched. “Of course.”

Caelum took her carefully, cradling her in his arms like she was made of glass. Eden blinked up at him, her little hand brushing against his chest, and for a moment, it was like the rest of the world faded away.

“You’re going to be so loved” Caelum murmured, his voice barely audible.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and when I looked at Noah, I saw the same emotion mirrored in his face.

The sun began to dip lower, casting long shadows across the yard. Felis started up the grill, and the smell of cooking food mingled with the sound of my brothers’ voices. Eden had eventually fallen asleep in Nash’s arms, her tiny body rising and falling with each peaceful breath.

I sat with Noah on the porch swing, leaning into him as we watched my family—the family I’d been so afraid of letting into this part of my life—come together in a way I never thought possible.

“Do you think she’ll remember any of this?” I asked, my voice quiet.

“She’ll feel it” Noah replied, his arm tightening around me. “The love, the warmth. That’s what matters.”

I glanced back at my brothers, at the way they looked at Eden, like she was the most precious thing in the world. “Yeah” I said softly. “That’s what matters.”

And as the first stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. Together, as a family, we were building something unbreakable. Something Eden would grow up surrounded by. Something I’d been searching for my whole life.