“Dad!” Abel stands below me, grinning up at me in a way that still makes my heart pound, even all these years later. He lifts up little Emmie, Garrett and Jennie’s daughter, and our group’s youngest. “Can we jump with you?” I scoop up Emmie, and Garrett reaches his hand out to his son, Theo, helping him up. Lily helps Iris up, and Ireland and Connor help Dylan—Jaxon and Lennon’s—daughter, up before they climb up too. Hunter and Brodie battle it, and Lana pushes her way between them, beating them up the bouncy castle. I pass Emmie to Garrett, and hold my hand out to my son.
