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Chapter Forty Six

"Dad this one of my art instructors, Katrina. Katrina, this my dad."

Dad shook Katrina's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"Great to meet you. I'm glad you both could make it. I was just showing a couple of my colleagues Shelby's work."

I was limping slightly which wasn't exactly good considering I already felt like one of those weeble people.

"What's the verdict?"

"She's talented. Very talented. In fact, someone is interested in purchasing the painting she just finished."

I think my heart stopped. No, I'm pretty sure my heart stopped.

"What?"

Katrina smiled. "I'm serious."

She brought over a well dressed guy.

"So this is the artiste?"

Dad smiled. "Yes, she is."

"Tell me a little bit about your painting," he said kindly.

I launched into my soliloquy about the dawn of new life and all the feelings and emotions radiating from the bold streaks.

"Beautiful analysis," he said. "Would you be willing to sell it?"

"It's my semester project," I explained. Katrina smiled.

"Let's just say you get an A," she said lightly. I grinned.

"Well, then yes it's for sale."

"I hope three hundred dollars wouldn't be an insulting offer."

My mouth almost hit the floor. Three hundred dollars? I swallowed hard. I glanced at dad. His eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Three hundred..." I said. "No, that would be fine."

A half hour later I had a check for three hundred dollars in my hand. Katrina squeezed my shoulder.

"You've got a lot of talent. I wish that you were coming back next year."

I looked at her.

"I'm still thinking about it," I said.

Dad grinned.

--------------------------

"Hey Shel, what's up?"

I nibbled on a handful of popcorn.

"I need to talk to you, Mas."

"Of course. Everything okay?"

I glanced around my room. It was the same room mom and I had shared when we had first moved into 'Mr. J's' house. It was big enough for the both of us. It could be big enough for the three of us. It would be temporary.

"I've been thinking about moving again."

"Oh?"

My palms were sweaty. The butter was running right off of the popcorn kernels.

"I know we've talked about me moving to Kentucky, but we haven't discussed the possibility of maybe you moving here."

There was a long pause.

"Move to Florida? Where would we stay?"

"At mom and dad's."

"There's a lot of people in the house."

"It's a big house. And I mean we'd have plenty of help that way."

"Well I have a job here."

"You'd earn more doing the same thing down here. Cost of living."

There was another pause.

"What do you want Shel?"

I closed my eyes. I thought about Ally and leaving her in a sea of boys. I thought about Brayden and Tristan and how crazily cute they could be even when they were at their most annoying. I thought about all the jokes we made about mom's inedible food. And I thought about dad. And late night ice cream talks...

"I want to stay here Mas," I said softly. "At least until we graduate. Any school would take you. Your grades are awesome and there are tons of college football scouts that recruit by visiting our high schools."

"And your mom and dad would be okay with me living there?"

Compared to the alternative I had no doubt. I mean dad had offered to build an extra bathroom. Not that we needed it. Eight people and three bathrooms wasn't a horrible ratio.

"Yeah, dad actually suggested it a month or so ago."

"I'm going to have to talk to dad. I mean, I'm taking my finals a week early to come down there anyhow. I could just bring a lot of my stuff then."

I smiled. "Really?"

"Really. Dad flies down all the time for recording purposes. It'll give him an excuse to come down more."

"I love you Mas. I know this won't be easy for you."

"Oh, it won't be bad. I love sun."

I laughed. "I'm going to tell mom and dad tonight."

"I'll talk to dad and Addy tonight. Just don't stress out."

"I won't. Hey guess what?"

"What?"

"I sold one of my paintings today. A guy bought it for three hundred dollars."

"That's awesome. I've always told you that you've got talent."

I smiled. "I know."

We talked for a couple more minutes and I hung up. I wiped my buttery hand on a napkin, put the bowl on my nightstand and stood up.

I had made the decision.

And I felt good about it.

---------------------------------

"Can I talk to you?" I asked. Ally and Joe were playing Trouble on the floor. Brayden and Tristan were half asleep on mom and dad's laps.

"What's up?" mom asked.

I sat down on the soft ottoman. I knew I was going to need a team of horses to get me back up.

"Mason and I talked about our housing plans after the baby's born," I said. "We've come to a decision."

Dad ran a hand through Tristan's bright red hair. Tristan snuggled closer. His pirate patch had slid up onto his forehead.

"What did you two decide?"

"I want to stay here. I want to keep going to school down here. Mason's okay with moving. I just don't think I can leave everybody and we're going to need help. I know we couldn't support ourselves in our own house right now."

Dad smiled. "Is that what you really want? You're not just doing it because I will curl up in a ball and shrivel up and die a miserable death?"

I laughed. "No that has absolutely nothing to do with it."

"Well, I can't say that I'm not happy about this," mom said. "And we'll help Mason in any way we can with school transfers and everything."

"And just to clarify," I said. "He can stay in my room?"

Dad looked like he was going to object, but then he thought twice.

"Of course he can. With endless feedings, changings, and all around crying I'm sure sex will be the last thing on your minds," mom said with a smile.

"I am so not going through this again," I assured her. Dad laughed.

"So you're staying?" Joe asked. I looked over. They had been listening closer than I had thought.

"Yup. That cool with you?"

Joe tilted his head. I was prepared for a smartass comment, but he smiled.

"Yeah, it'll be nice to keep you around."

I smiled.

"I love you too Joe."

"Hey, let's not get carried away now."

Ally turned around. She smiled brightly.

"I knew you wouldn't leave," she said confidently.

I was feeling really loved. And tired. And I had to pee. I shifted on the ottoman. There was no way I could hoist myself up. I held out my hands.

"Hey, you two. Help your sister up."

Ally stood up. Joe slowly followed. They each grabbed a hand and hoisted me up. Before Joe could get away, I wrapped my arms around the both of them and squeezed.

This was home.