Dream Keeper (Dream Team 4)

And he was going to do this because of the conversation I had planned to have with her.

He smoothed the way by making his ham and hash casserole with Juno as his sous chef.

They worked great together in the kitchen and I loved watching them because they just, well…clicked (and it had to be said, his casserole was delicious).

And then, after Auggie told her they were going to start a binge of The Mandalorian, making popcorn and watching as many as they could that night before they passed out, then continuing on the next time they had an evening to do it, we sat her down when she was excited and had something to look forward to.

And I gave it to her.

“Me and Auntie Saff have decided that it’s probably a good idea you don’t see your grandma while she’s sick,” I told her.

She looked confused, and more.

Eight-year-old-girl shock. Upset. Maybe disbelief.

Thus, I was unsurprised when she asked, “Why?”

Fortunately, I’d prepared and had my answers ready.

“Because sickness like this can last a long time and it can take its toll. It’s taken its toll on Grandma.” I explained how she didn’t look like herself. “She’s also in pain, and that makes it hard for her to focus. And Saff and me think it’ll be more peaceful for her if she doesn’t have to think of you seeing her like that.”

“I don’t care what she looks like.”

That was my girl.

“I know, Dollface,” I said gently. “But in times like these, it’s not about what you care about or what you want. It’s what’s best for the other person.”

Juno thought on that and I exchanged a glance with Auggie.

Or I tried to.

He had his attention glued to my girl.

I looked back to her when she said, “But I have things I want to say.”

Aug cut in then.

“Write her a letter.”

Juno turned to him. “A letter?”

He nodded.

“You can write her as long of a letter as you want. You can tell her how much you love her and how bad you feel this is happening to her. You can tell her you miss her and you’re thinking of her. And she can write you back and do it whenever she has the energy. On top of that, she doesn’t have to worry about how upset you’ll be, seeing her as she is. She can just read your words in her time, know you love her and spent time with her, even if you weren’t with her, and if she wants to reply, share hers in her time,” Auggie said.

Okay.

Suffice it to say, that was freaking brilliant.

Honestly, I wished I’d thought of it.

Then he went on to offer, “I can help, if you want.”

And okay.

This guy was the best guy in the world.

“I…thank you, Auggie,” Juno replied. “But I know what I want to say. I don’t need any help. But that’s nice you offered.”

“So you’re gonna write her?” I asked.

Juno nodded.

“Do you wanna do that now?” I went on.

Juno shook her head. “I want Baby Yoda now. I’ll do it…later.”

I refrained from telling her not to procrastinate too long. That convo had already been tough enough, though it’d gone loads better than I expected it would, thanks to Auggie.

Still.

“Okay, then let’s do Mando and the Kid,” I suggested, mostly to turn her mind and get her settled for the night with Aug. “I’ll start the first episodes with you and go to work when I have to.”

Aug put his hand on her head, tousled her hair and said, “I’ll cue it up. We’ll make popcorn at intermission.”

“What’s intermission?” Juno asked.

“It’s when we stop the binge when your mom leaves.”

“Cool.” There was a bit of a chirp to that, not Juno’s normal, which was understandable.

But she was like her mom.

Take the hit, and onward.

Aug got up to sort out the streaming, and Juno followed him.

I watched them go and let them settle in (Aug, what had become his corner of the couch, Juno, her usual, the cushions and pillows on the floor) before I joined them.

The Mandalorian wasn’t exactly light viewing.

But it was fantasy, you could turn it off, and although things could get scary, for the most part good prevailed and hope abided.

After we started, Auggie and I exchanged another glance, this one, he caught.

His was about taking my pulse on how that went.

Mine was about relief and gratitude, because he was there with me when that happened, he provided what he could (distraction and more, an outlet for Juno to communicate with her grandmother).

And finally, I communicated the not insignificant fact that I was happy not to have had to do that alone.

* * *

Auggie left that night when I got home after work because I felt we were nowhere near Juno waking up to a man in the house.

But he came over late the next morning for cinnamon rolls.