They do, tiptoeing over to the bed and climbing up so they sit by our feet.
I look at them, Parker, and finally, Nova.
Across the room on the dresser is a picture of Greyson in his little league uniform, and a framed ultrasound photo of Beckett is on the opposite side.
All of us are here, all seven us.
Greyson might be adopted, and Beckett might not be here with us, but none of that matters.
A family is what you choose for it to be.
And we choose this.
We choose us.
Cade
“Once upon a time, a handsome prince knocked down a beautiful princess from a far away kingdom when he was playing football. The princess was angry with the prince for knocking her down and didn’t want anything to do with him. But the prince knew when he saw her she was the one. The princess tried to ignore him but the prince wasn’t easily thwarted by her efforts—”
“Cade! Are you telling the kids our story again?” Rae asks, breezing into the playroom.
I sit on the floor, surrounded by our three-year-old son, James, and our one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Gabby.
“It’s their favorite,” I defend.
“Is it their favorite or yours?” Rae asks, sitting down beside me cross-legged.
I grin. “Both.”
She laughs, and she looks radiant.
I’m not lying, though, I knew from the moment I saw her she was the one. There was no way I was letting her get away.
Some people are worth fighting for, and I knew she was one of those people.
Now, here we are married, with two kids, and another on the way.
“This boy is giving me a time.” She places a hand on her round stomach. “He kicks all the time.”
I place my hand on her stomach and feel a solid kick.
“He’s going to be a football player like I was.”
Rae laughs and Gabby climbs into her lap, sucking on her thumb. Gabby has Rae’s dark hair, cute nose, lips and my blue eyes. James has my sandy hair, blue eyes, but his face is all Rae. So is his sassy attitude. Rae doesn’t take any shit from anyone, and James is no different.
Time outs? Nice try—the kid knows he can get up and leave the chair.
Rae leans her head on my shoulder and James plays with his car in front of us, the story long forgotten.
“So, what happens next?” Rae asks.
“Well, the handsome prince gets the princess to fall in love with him.”
“Of course he does.” She laughs.
“And then they get married—”
“And live happily ever after?” She lifts her head and looks at me with a smile.