“Smells really good in here,” I noted.
“Tell me about it,” Kaleb said with a hum of appreciation. “Stell’s had to bat me away from eating half the crockpot of chili. Can you do me a favor? Grab the crushed red pepper flakes from the cabinet, please?”
“Sure.” I looked into the wrong cabinet only once before finding the spices, so it didn’t take long to find what he wanted. Digging through the huge number of seasonings cluttering the shelves, I pulled the right one out and passed it over.
“Thanks. Can I pester you for one more thing? Can you look to see how the cinnamon rolls are doing? I’m almost done with this, but I don’t want them to overbake.” As he added in a few shakes of the crushed red pepper flakes, Stella and Reid reentered the kitchen, chatting about his most recent work shift. The interactions and requests were so simple, yet it was much more. Glancing in the oven, I tried to hold the joy that filled me at bay, but it was hard to keep from smiling like a dork. It felt so natural, so right, to be here at the Bells’, like I was truly part of the family. If I was honest with myself, I had to admit I’d missed that feeling.
“Still baking,” I relayed when I poked the top of one of them with a fork.
“Awesome, thank you,” Kaleb called over his shoulder.
“Emma dear, you want to come help me get this set up in Jesse’s room?” Stella asked as Reid started packing up his presents. “Kaleb can help Reid.” I beamed, the feeling of belonging continuing to grow. Stella picked up the easel and started toward the basement door with me quickly on her heels. “Ready?”
“For?” I questioned hesitantly when she gave me a conspiratorial grin. As soon as Jesse’s door was open, I found out. “Wow…”
Instead of seeing his plain, barren bedroom, I found something that deserved to be on the cover of a magazine. The walls were painted a simple gray, decorated with a few canvases which added pops of color. Jesse’s twin mattress had been switched out for what looked like a queen, topped with a brand-new set of sheets and quilt. Stella walked in, gesturing for me to follow.
When I stepped into the room, I found a set of bookshelves on either side of a desk that held a new laptop. Hanging on the wall above the desk was a TV, and upon closer inspection I found the truck painting I’d done on our painting date among the art on the walls. The white, nearly empty room was now homey and welcoming.
“This is… wow…” I trailed off, unable to put into words how amazing it was.
“Think he’ll like it?” Stella murmured, looking around. She wore a smile, but her tone was soft and unsure.
“He’ll love it, even if it takes him a bit to get used to it. Jesse’s still… well, Jesse,” I joked in a poor attempt to reassure her.
“I hope so. We want him to realize he’s got a family even if it isn’t the one he was born with. Reid too. And you,” Stella added with a knowing smile as she set the easel box on the bed. We started putting it together, me following the instructions as Stella read them aloud, our conversation continuing easily while we worked. “You know we’re here for anything you need, right? I know you and your mom don’t have the best relationship.”
“That’s the understatement of the year,” I grumbled, my brows furrowing as I focused on an oddly angled screw. “It’s just so frustrating to be treated like I’m three years old and needing to be watched at all times. Not to mention stifling, but we’re slowly getting closer to the end of the school year, and then hopefully at the end of the summer I can move out for college. If I even make it that long,” I muttered under my breath.
“You’re welcome here twenty-four seven. Day or night,” she stated, but looked to me as if it were a question, so I nodded. “Good, now how about we talk about something fun while we finish putting this contraption together. Oh, I know! Prom’s coming up soon, the four of you excited to go? How did they ask you?”
“Yeah, and they showed up one day while I was working, with a handful of balloons that spelled out prom then a sign that said ‘Just popped by to ask you if you’ll go to prom with us.’ It was cheesy and cute, exactly what I expected from them.”
“That sounds like them. I also had wondered why they needed to run to the party supply store.” Stella laughed.
“As for prom itself, I still need to get a dress and figure out the plans. I thought about talking to my mom about Zoey and Aubrey coming over to get ready like they did for winter formal, but I’m definitely leaning toward the ‘no’ side of the fence.”
“Do you want some company to get your dress?”
“I know Lyla is going with me, but while she’s very knowledgeable in things, fashion is not one of them,” I told her, finishing up the final screw on the easel. Standing, I looked over at Stella and felt an immediate wave of nerves.
Why? Who even knows.
You would think saying ‘yes’ would be easy.
“Did you know that corsets used to be made from whale bones?” I spouted awkwardly.
Why am I the way that I am?
“What I mean to say is, yes,” I corrected, stumbling over my words. “I’d love some company to go get my dress. Lyla and I were going to go later this year when it’s a bit closer, so I didn’t have to deal with trying to explain a prom dress to my mom and risk being grounded again.”
“You just let me know when, and I’ll be there,” Stella exclaimed, throwing an arm over my shoulder and looking at the easel. “Go team on this easel though.”
“Teamwork makes the dream work.” I laughed, enjoying the time I had with Kingston’s mom away from the others.
“That it does, Emma dear,” she stated, squeezing my shoulder gently. “Come on, let’s head back upstairs. I need to grab Killian real quick.” When we reached the top of the stairs, I found Reid finishing up the last present and Kaleb eating.
“Kaleb Bell, I know you are not eating chili right before dinner,” Stella sassed, a brow raising sharply. Kingston’s dad paused, his spoon halfway to his open mouth.
“Busted,” Reid teased.
“This is not what it looks like…?” Kaleb tried to play off, flashing Stella a ‘did that work’ sort of expression. Stella shook her head and laughed, waving a hand at her husband before starting up the stairs.
“Whenever you’re done stuffing your face, Kaleb honey, you want to let Kingston know he can come home? Remind him though to come through the garage. I’ll grab Killian.”
Before we knew it, it was twenty minutes later and the five of us were standing in the kitchen and buzzing with anticipation when the door opened. King came in first, glancing over his shoulder at Jesse as they chit-chatted like it was a normal day.
At least until Jesse stepped into the space and saw everything.
“Surprise!” all of us shouted, Reid of course being the loudest and most obnoxious in his exclamation.
“What…” Jesse trailed off when he read the sign, his brows knitting together in confusion. It only took a moment before I saw understanding dawn on his face. He glanced at Stella and Kaleb, the look of restrained hope on his face making my heart hurt, but the restraint melted away when they explained.