The kids were tucked into bed and Olivier and Meri were outside on the porch having a long discussion with the drizzling rain as the backdrop.
Bobbie was puttering around the house, putting away the mess of the day and after giving the kitchen countertops once last wipe, she declared herself done for the day. It had been an emotional, exhausting day and many things with the children had been resolved. Olivier had jumped into being a hands-on father, helping with bedtime routines, including for Lark who had refused to go home. He’d read them a chapter out of the story they were currently reading together and then he’d tucked the girls into Ollie’s room, Max into his and then he’d come back downstairs. Bobbie had almost laughed at the exhaustion circling his eyes.
While lunch had been tac
