“Thanks, man.” Rex claps his hand on my back. He grabs a beer from the cooler then heads out onto the lanai to say hello to Walter and Mom. Apparently they’d rather suffer in the Florida heat than be in the same room as Nona.
“I can’t believe how big he’s gotten.”
Piper lifts Liam out of the stroller and holds him out to me. I haven’t seen the little guy since the week he was born. Even though he’s grown, I can’t get over how tiny he is in my arms. I can’t imagine Molly this small and helpless. She’s so fiercely independent. Just like her mother.
“I swear time moves faster after having kids.” She lifts her diaper bag out of the basket on the bottom of her stroller and pulls out a bottle. “I feel like every time I blink another month has flown by.”
I know the feeling. “Molly’s grown an inch since moving home.”
Piper drapes a burp cloth over her shoulder and reaches for Liam. I hand him back just as his tiny mouth opens with a cry. Piper tucks the nipple of a bottle into his mouth and the little guy goes to town. I wish I could have been a part of Molly’s life when she was little. I’m grateful for every moment I’ve gotten the past few months but sometimes I feel like I missed out.
My bedroom door closes and a half second later my daughter is in my arms. Danika has braided her hair and matched the bow at the end of her elastic tie with her dress. She doesn’t have shoes on yet, but she’s still picture perfect.
“Oh, my god, Dani. She’s gotten so big,” Piper gawks. “I thought Logan was exaggerating when he said she grew an inch.”
Danika giggles and gives Piper a one armed hug. I suck in a breath, every muscle in my body tense. Piper hates being touched. For years she avoided all hugs and handshakes. Nine times out of ten, it would send her into a panic attack.
Danika pulls back and takes Liam's hand. I wait for that moment when Piper’s face blanches and the freak out to take over. Her eyes used to get glossy, that’s how I knew she wasn’t all right. Her moment never comes and I don’t know if I’m more shocked or proud.
Molly, noticing she’s not the center of my attention, wiggles out of my arms and runs to Nona. I like having Nona around. Molly has completely broken out of her shell and Danika seems happier. It’s going to suck when she leaves.
“Ahhhhh!” Piper screams. I look over my shoulder, terrified something’s wrong. I chuckle when I notice she’s holding Danika’s
left hand. Gawking. We were going to tell the family about the engagement after opening presents. Seems like that plan is shot.
“What?” Rex demands running into the room. Mom and Walter are a step behind him. I recognize that panic. I’ve lived it, which is why I shouldn’t laugh but knowing what Piper’s freaking out about, I can't help it. “What’s wrong with Liam?”
“What?” Piper arches her brows and shakes her head. “Nothing. He’s sleeping in the stroller. Have you seen this?”
Piper holds Danika’s hand out, showing off the two carat ring I drained a third of my savings to buy. I wouldn’t change a thing. Danika is worth every penny and the jeweler was right, it is gorgeous.
“I figured this was coming,” Walter chuckles. He tucks his hands into his pockets while Mom crosses her arms. She doesn’t bother to hide her disapproval. Afterall, Danika and I are stepsiblings. The situation isn’t ideal, but we were an item long before they got married.
“Aww.” Piper pulls Danika into a hug again and rocks her side to side. “I wish Cooper was here. He’d be thrilled to hear you're finally going to be our sister.”
“This calls for a toast.” Nona walks to the center of the group, brushing Mom’s shoulder as she goes by. “To family.”
I hold up my beer. Danika and Piper hold Liams empty milk bottle. I’m filled with overwhelming joy. This is the dream I never thought I’d have. The family I prayed for but never felt worthy of. When everyone has something in their hand we say, “ To family.”
45
Danika
Christmas was wonderful. We shared presents and then everyone went home. There was no drama or hospital trips, which is more than I could have asked for, considering how epically horrible Thanksgiving was. All that was missing was Cooper but he’s been deployed again and won't be stateside until February.
I settle onto the couch with a warm cup of coffee. Nona and Logan work together to build another gift Molly received. A few days ago it was her bed. Yesterday Nona put all the stickers on the battery operated Jeep thing. Today, it's a doll house. Our girl was beyond spoiled this year and I am grateful. Never in a million years did I think we could be a functioning family.
I fight a frown. Logan goes back on night shift in a few days and Nona’s leaving after that. We haven’t booked her a flight back yet but I know the day is coming when she’ll say she’s ready to go back. I’m dreading that conversation.
Logan sits back on his heel and holds his hand up to Nona for a high five. “Done.”
Their palms slap together. Nona laughs and crumples the directions into a ball. Those two get along like peas and carrots. I wonder sometimes if Logan ever had a relationship like this, where the maternal figure was a supportive rock. Tessa sure as shit has never been the mother Logan deserved and he never talks about his grandparents. I smile, glad that maybe, for the first time in his life, he sees what a parent should be.
“I bet you’re mother picked this out,” Nona sneers, half joking. “That thing was a monkey to put together.”
Logan slides the house across the floor, so it’s out of the middle of the room, then hands Molly her dolls. Nona scoots forward, teaching Molly how to play house, holding the matriarch doll of the set. I had a dollhouse once. A three story Playmobil that came in a box bigger than me. I sat for hours with that house, pretending the tiny dolls were alive. I kept it for years, until I got pregnant and disappeared to Georgia. Knowing Dad, he probably got in a cleaning spree when his house sold and threw it away.
“Ladies.” Logan climbs onto the couch next to me. I drag my gaze from the girls and focus on his big brown eyes. “I’ve been thinking. Nona, you shouldn’t go back to Georgia. You belong here. With us.”