The Assistant
She said with a smile, “I think it needs someone exactly like the two of you.”
“This is too much,” Milo said as he laughed for a minute. “I feel like I am in a dream.”
“Well, my son, you are not in a dream.” She said. “I know this may be a truly unusual thing to have to deal with, but from the moment I knew of you, I thought of you as one of my brood. You may call me Missy or mom if you wish. Maybe one day, you can work up to that. I am your stepmother, but I wanted you here to get to know all of us from the day you were born.”