Hell, she still didn't understand everything.
She held out her arms. Flinging aside the video game, Austin launched toward her and hopped up. He clung to her, spindly arms and chubby cheek pressed against her neck while Trey's thumbs flew over the handheld video.
Voices drifted from the living room, Darcy and Max with Daniel. Austin's hold tightened. Tears burned her eyes. Oh, God, she couldn't lose it in front of the kids.
"Don't wanna go wif' Wren and Spike." Austin's muffled voice rang with the steely resolve of a temper tantrum on the rise.
Guilt jabbed her like the unrelenting stab of endless needles.
She pushed back her tears and straightened his Winnie the Pooh shirt. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but it's just for a little while. You'll have fun playing with all of Darcy's family."
He shook his head against her neck. "Don't know them."
"But you do know Darcy and Spike." She sank to the edge of the bottom bunk amid rumpled sailboat sheets, ducking her head to accommodate the upper bed. And you'll get to play with Darcy's big sister and brother and her dad. I'll bet they even take you to McDonald's, and Danny's going to give them money to buy two new cartridges for your Game Boy Advance."
Chiming bells from the video signified a leap to the next level. Trey's fingers flew. "You might as well give it up," he confided without pausing. "He doesn't want to leave you and go with them."
"Trey," Mary Elise warned low.
"He's just a big baby."
Mary Elise gasped, reached to clap her hand over Trey's mouth. Just what they needed. An all out battle on their hands.
Austin's head popped up from Mary Elise's neck. "Am not a baby."
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Then why are you hanging on her like one?"
Realization clicked. The kid was maneuvering his brother with tactics reminiscent of his big brother scamming an extra helping of ice cream out of a neighbor. She stifled the urge to give Trey a tight hug and blow the whole gig.
Trey flipped the off switch on his game. "Danny and Mary Elise need some time by themselves, you big bozo. Like Mom and Dad did."
"So they don't get a di-borce."
Divorce? Franklin Baker had been heading to divorce court again? She'd known they were having trouble, but apparently not how much.
Trey nodded. "Yeah, dweeb. Come on, I want that new Zelda: Ruler of the Universe game really bad." He rolled his eyes. "But it would probably scare you, anyway."
Mary Elise held her breath. Had Trey overplayed his hand with that one?
Austin squirmed, working his way down and out of Mary Elise's arms. Apparently sibling rivalry was a mighty strong motivator. She mouthed over Austin's head to Trey, "Thank you."
A grin creased his face.
Well, hell. He did look a little like his big brother after all.
Austin tugged her shirttail until she leaned forward.
"Love you. Have fun with Danny." He planted a wet kiss on her cheek along with a final hug.
Footsteps sounded down the hall just before Darcy poked her head into the room, looking rested from her power nap after her night flight. "Hey, kids, let's go raid your brother's junk-food cabinet and find some snacks for the road."
"Treats? Oo-rah!" Austin launched into Darcy's arms. Mary Elise forced her feet to stay still while Darcy led the boys away. Austin was settled and she would only make it worse by following Darcy and pointing out what Austin and Trey preferred.
Relief and jealousy duked it out inside her. Thank God Austin would be okay for now. But damn it, she wanted to stop making lists and start living life. She wanted to be the one packing snacks for those two boys who'd first tugged her heart because of Daniel and then stolen her heart by being themselves.