“Hi, Arlo! How was your first day?” I smiled, hugging him as more of my students were picked up.

“So fun! Mr. Warner is the best.”

“I’m glad. Alright, go ahead and sit at my desk or go draw on the board so I can finish my pick up okay?”

“Mmkay,” he ran over to the board and started drawing and I realized that everyone but Aurora had been picked up.

Walking over to her, I found her watching Arlo with a small smile on her face.

“Hi, Rory. I think your daddy is going to be a little late. But you can just stay with me and Arlo. We’ll wait here okay?”

Is he your baby?

“Mhm. He’s in kindergarten. He’s very sweet. You can draw with him. I can explain if you want?”

She nodded excitedly and got up and followed me over to Arlo.

“Lo,” I patted the top of his head, “this is Rory. She’s in my class this year. She wants to draw with you but I need you to know that she doesn’t talk just like Uncle Jeremiah okay?”

“Okay, daddy! Hi Rory,” he waved and smiled when she waved back, “I’m Arlo. Do you want to be my friend? Daddy always says I’m really nice.”

Aurora nodded and picked up a marker and they started to draw together, Arlo talking and Aurora shaking or nodding her head in reply, clearly in their own little world. I went back to my desk and started looking through the papers I had the students do earlier in the day and sorted them by reading groups, stuck on Aurora. No one was quite at her level and I decided to put her by herself, giving her one on one time with me instead, knowing that would be easier on her.

“Daddy, can we have a snack from your cabinet? Rory is hungry,” Arlo came over, resting his chin on my desk.

“How do you know that?” I stared at him surprised.

“Um she did,” he rubbed his stomach and tapped his lips, “so I ask if she was hungry and she nodded.”

“Oh… oh okay. I’m glad you understood that. Sure. You know what I have, let Rory pick.”

“Mmkay,” he went back to Aurora and held his hand out and she took it, letting him lead her to the cabinet at the front of the class. They both picked a snack and she opened it for him before they sat on the rug and ate together.

Wesley came jogging in a little while later, clearly out of breath, and smiled at me, walking over, “I am so sorry. I forgot that Mondays are short.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I didn’t mind waiting. Rory was wonderful. She stayed with me during lunch, helped me make packets, and now,” I pointed over to the front of the classroom, and Aurora and Arlo were sitting together as they looked through a picture book, eating their snacks, Aurora smiling at Arlo trying to read it, “she made a friend. My son Arlo. He understands about her as well, thanks to my brother Jeremiah. So they drew for a bit before Rory showed him she was hungry so he asked if they could have a snack. I hope that’s okay with you.”

He stared at them surprised before turning back to me, “she… made a friend?”

“Mhm. Arlo is a sweet kid and Rory seemed curious so I asked if she wanted to draw with him. She asked if he was my baby and when I said yes she seemed excited so I introduced them and they’ve been attached at the hip for an hour now. She’s always welcome to stay after if you’re going to be running late. I stay after an hour or 2 every day. I don’t mind it.”

“Th… thank you, Eli,” he smiled at me, a bright one that made my heart thump and I cleared my throat.

“Of course. Rory! Your daddy is here are you ready to head home?”

She looked back at me, a small frown on her face and she grabbed her whiteboard, writing quickly before holding it up.

Arlo is my new best friend. I don’t want to leave yet.

“I understand but he’ll be here tomorrow too. You can spend time with him after school like this while we wait for your daddy okay? You have homework to do as well and I’m sure your daddy is tired after working. Get a good night's sleep. We have a big day in class tomorrow. I need my helper alright?” I smiled and she finally smiled back, nodding, and gathered up her stuff, going over to her dad.

She tapped the back of his hand and he bent down, letting her whisper something in his ear, a smile slowly formed on his face and he nodded.

“That’s a good idea, Rory,” he softly kissed the top of her head as Arlo came running over.

“Are you leaving Rory?” Arlo frowned.

She nodded and held her arms open and he hugged her tightly.

“Mmkay. Will you draw with me tomorrow?”

She poked his nose and he giggled, coming over to me and taking my hand.

“Have a goodnight okay?” I waved to Aurora and Wesley.

“Yeah. You too. We’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for staying with her,” Wesley smiled.

“I’m her teacher. I don’t mind. She’s a sweet kid.”

They left quickly and Arlo waited for me to gather up my stuff before we left the school, heading home to have dinner.

“Daddy?” Arlo called from his bedroom as I was cutting up vegetables.

“What’s up Lo?”

“Can we watch a movie tonight?”

“Sure bub. What do you want to watch?”

“Big Hero!”

“Alright,” I smiled, throwing everything into the pan to start cooking it.

I puttered around the kitchen, cleaning as I went, Arlo was clearly in his room still playing with toys when the doorbell rang. Turning the stove off, I tossed the towel over my shoulder and ran over to open it, finding Jeremiah.

“Oh. Hey! I didn’t expect to see you today,” I smiled.

“Hey. Can we… can we talk?” Jeremiah twisted his bright red ponytail around his hand and I looked at him curiously, letting him into the house.

“What’s up?”

He followed me to the kitchen and sat at the table and I handed him water before returning to the stove.

Jeremiah sighed softly, twisting his engagement ring around his finger, “how… how did you adjust to being a dad?”

I turned around slowly, staring at him, my jaw falling open, “is Holly pregnant?”

He nodded, looking terrified and I snorted, laughing at his expression.

“Holy fuck! That’s amazing. It’ll be fine. It’s not like you’re doing everything alone as I did.”

Arlo came running from his room and smiled, hugging Jeremiah.

“Uncle!”

“Hi, bub. Did you have a good first day at school?”

“Mhm. I made a friend too! Her name is Rory. She’s so nice.”

“Aww, that's cute. Is she in your class?”

“Nope,” Arlo shook his head, climbing into the seat next to him, “she’s in daddies. She’s like you used to be!”

Jeremiah looked at me surprised and I nodded, getting Arlo’s dinner and setting it in front of him.

“Here Lo. Eat everything,” sighing softly, I sat down across from them, “yeah Aurora. Her dad told me she hasn’t spoken to anyone but him since she was 3. High anxiety. Not sure why. Didn’t want to pry. But she’s a sweet kid. Her dad was late picking her up after school so she hung out in my class with Arlo, drawing, and stuff. She’s incredibly smart too.”

“What’s her dad like?”

“Seems nice. Works at the hospital from what I understand.”

“My hospital?” Jeremiah sat there for a moment lost in thought, and his eyes grew wide, “Wesley then?”

“How in the hell did you know that?”

“I know his daughter. She comes in a few times a week to meet with a speech therapist. Aka me. She does have anxiety but it’s not trauma-related or anything. She had a stroke when she was 3 and it left her with a stutter. She got teased for it in preschool and it made her never want to speak again. Wesley works in the ER. Specifically works with children as a pediatric nurse. Great guy. Former Marine from what I understand.”

“Are you supposed to tell me all that?”

“Eh. It’s kind of important you know. That’s why Aurora is friendly but quiet. She just isn’t sure how people will react and she gets scared. Just be patient with her. She talks to me now too. Not much, but I get a hi and a bye and she does our practices. She’s so much better than when I first started working with her.”

“That’s good to know. I never understood how you got through it,” I smiled, going over to get myself dinner, “want some?”

“Nah. Holly cooked. She wanted you to bring Arlo to our barbeque this weekend and I was on my way home from work when she called to tell me about the baby. I don’t want mom knowing until she’s far enough along we don’t have to worry but I panicked and came over here to see my little brother and get his advice.”

Jeremiah was not only my best friend but legally my older brother. Our mother Mina had adopted me from an orphanage in Tijuana when I was three and he was 7 and I grew up alongside him. We were incredibly different, Jeremiah was loud, silly, and athletic, whereas I was withdrawn as a child, choosing to read and keep to myself. He always loved and cared for me, letting me sleep in his room when I was first brought here, terrified to be alone and we had bonded quickly. He was my first and only friend, my protector, and the best brother I could have asked for. He had met his fiance Holly when we were in high school, he was a senior and I was a freshman, and they had been together ever since, choosing to wait until they were financially stable to get engaged. He had become a speech therapist and Holly was a social worker, both deciding working with children was the best route for them.

“My best advice is to just stay calm. You remember how badly I panicked when I found out about Arlo.”

“Yeah, that was a terrifying night,” he laughed.

“And now he’s the best part of my life. My best friend, aren’t you Arlo?”

“No,” Arlo shook his head, “Rory is my best friend.”

“Seriously?” I sighed, “fine. I can accept that. Are you done eating?”

“Mhm.”

“Put your plate up, wash your hands, and go play. We can watch a movie after your bath.”

“Okay!” Arlo jumped out of his chair and put his plate in the sink before running down the hallway to his room.

“You’ve been replaced by a small redheaded girl,” Jeremiah snorted.

“I’m fine with that. Arlo could use a friend and obviously Rory could too.”

“Her dad could too,” Jeremiah winked at me.

“Yeah yeah you and your never-ending desire to get me to settle down,” I threw a napkin at him, finishing my dinner.

When I was 14 I realized I was bisexual and I panicked, afraid of how my mother or Jeremiah would react. After I told him, he just said “cool” and then we played video games for the rest of the night. I finally told our mother when I was 18 and she smiled and told me no matter what she loved me, just make sure I was loved by whoever I picked. She had never liked Ashley, never trusted her, but doted on Arlo, happy to be a grandmother.

“How’s mom?” Jeremiah finished his water, pulling his hair down.

“I didn’t see her today. We thought it was best for Arlo. Will she be there this weekend?”

“Mhm. Please don’t tell her!”

“You know I won’t,” I smiled, “I’m not going to spoil that for you. You didn’t tell her about Arlo.”

“Alright. I’m gonna head home before Holly kills me. I’ll see you Saturday okay?”

“Okay. Get home safe. Give Holly my love.”

“I will. She misses Arlo so make sure you come!”

“She can always come over we are literally home all the time after school.”

“You know she hates leaving the house. Just come over and bug her,” he laughed, getting to his feet and heading to the front door, “Hey Elijah?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t really do anything but you’re welcome. Love you.”

“Yeah love you too,” he smiled and walked out the front door.

I cleaned up from dinner and after locking the door, I gave Arlo a quick bath and he changed into his favorite pajamas before grabbing his mermaid blanket and one of his stuffed animals and climbing onto the couch, cuddling into my side.

When we went shopping, I would let Arlo buy whatever he wanted, never pushing toys, clothes, or blankets onto him. He would simply get the things he liked, leaving his bedroom and wardrobe slightly eclectic, but he was happy and I supported his individualism at all times, knowing that I often dressed in bright clothing, leaving me branded as the quirky teacher.

We watched our movie, Arlo yawning now and again and before I knew it he was asleep.

Smiling, I picked him up and carried him to his bed, tucking him in and turning his star projector and white noise machine on before leaving the room, the door cracked a bit.

After cleaning the living room up a bit, I took a quick shower and stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair out.

My hair reached my shoulders in curls and I had to regularly brush them out so that they wouldn’t get knotted, a soft sigh escaping me as I studied myself.

I’ve lost so much weight.

I need to start exercising and eating better.

Jeremiah had constantly teased me for being short. He was nearly a foot taller than me, standing at a solid 6 foot 7, his shoulders broad. I was short and thin, and my ribs showed after I had dropped from 160 to 120 pounds. Raising Arlo through college had severely impacted my finances and there were times that feeding him, and making sure he had diapers and things he needed had meant that I simply didn’t eat more than one meal a day. Now that we were stable, I was able to feed myself properly but I rarely ate more than dinner, always feeling too busy to sit and make myself food.

Throwing my pajama pants on, I went into my room and lay in bed, turning the TV on and watching a nature documentary. My phone went off on the nightstand and I sighed, knowing it was Jeremiah. He always texted me when he got home from visiting.

-J: I’m home. Holly said hi. We have more than just you and mom coming on Saturday. Don’t forget Holly’s birthday present!

-E: Have I ever in the years you’ve been together?

-J: No… alright I just wanted to remind you.

-E: I’ll just get her… I don’t know. I’ll take Arlo after school tomorrow. He always picks out nice gifts.

-J: That he does. Go to bed.

-E: I’m 26 now. Not 3. You can’t boss me around.

-J: I’m your big brother until the day you die.

-E: God forbid you let me forget that.

-J: NIGHT.

-E: Night.

Laughing, I set my alarm and tossed my phone onto the nightstand, cuddling back down to watch my show.

I had been asleep for a few hours when I could hear Arlo calling for me, clearly crying and I jumped up, running down the hallway to his room.

“Lo? Hey baby what happened?” I turned the light in his room on and found Arlo in a small ball in the middle of his bed.

“My tummy hurts daddy,” he kept crying, grabbing his stomach before throwing up on the floor and clutching his side.

“Jesus,” I jumped up and ran down the hallway, grabbing my sweater, phone, and sandals, and raced back to his room, bundling him in a blanket before grabbing a plastic bag and handing it to him, grabbing my keys from the hook on the wall and loaded him into the carseat, “alright. We’ll go to uncle's work. If you feel like you’re going to be sick again, throw up in the bag alright?”

“Okay,” he cried, “daddy it hurts.”

“I know baby. We’ll get you looked at hang on.”

We raced to the hospital, Arlo crying the entire time, occasionally throwing up in the bag I gave him. As soon as we reached the hospital I carried him inside, stopping at the desk.

“Excuse me?”

The receptionist smiled at me before looking at Arlo, her eyes growing wide with concern, “what happened?”