“Damn straight.”
“Well hell yeah. Let’s do this.” After another few minutes talking, I leave and head home. My watch says that Tiff should be getting off in an hour, and I want to be home with a hot bath ready for her and food cooking.
Home, I drop my keys at the door and walk into the kitchen. I am immediately greeted by a big bouquet of diapers, and something wrapped in what I can assume is a cloth diaper. I chuckle, shaking my head at the irony. “Oh shit.” It’s a framed 4D photo of my daughter, with the words ‘Hi Daddy.’ on them. “Wow.” My eyes become wet with emotion as I look at her for the first time. Holy shit. I am a daddy. I am going to be holding this beautiful, fragile person in my arms. Jesus. I literally fall on the stool; thankful it is there because I would have ended up on my ass. How can you love someone and haven’t even met them yet? “I promise to be the best daddy I can, sweet girl.” I am going to start by making her mama my wife.
DAY THIRTEEN
Today is Tiff’s baby shower. Her cousin Love came up here this morning and is staying in the cottage on my parents' grounds. I wasn’t sure what to expect but Love and Trim are good people. It is clear to anyone how much they love one another. Their kids are quite the funny characters. Their oldest son TJ is such a protector of his younger siblings and his mom. They have five kids. Besides TJ they have a two year old named Chloe, twins Rachel and Evan who are one, and a three month old named Luna. The way they carry on, I predict when she leaves here she will be pregnant.
Tiffany and her mom have been in their element hosting and doting on Love. She fits right in like she has known them her whole life. The first night she came, Tiff’s mom made her sit down and tell her everything about her childhood. My heart hurt for her as she detailed how her parents were loving and nurturing, but their relationship was tumultuous. She told us of their death and how her father’s father mistreated her because of his hatred for her mother. By the time she got to the part about Trim having to kill him to protect her and then being sent away, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, not ashamed to admit even me.
Trim told us of the deal he struck with the Sheriff and court not to go to jail, but to walk away from her for at least five years and he joined the military. I listened as he confessed how dead and unattainable he was without her, missing her, lost. Tiff’s hand met mine, our gazes meeting and relaying we know the feeling even though it was only six months compared to their five years. Ever since that night, we have all been together every second of the day besides work and school, taking the kids to the festivities and eating.
Me, the guys and some movers I hired have been secretly moving all of Tiff’s stuff into our home all day. I have waited long enough. Her family is all in on it and everyone has a role. Including my sister. Lara is having a girl’s night which includes my new cousin in law, and she has strict instructions to make sure she does not have to go back to her parents' place for anything.
“Mark, look at this!” I hear my name yelled over the group and I walk into the living room. She is holding up a cute little pink dress and once again my heart begins to beat faster whenever I think of this little girl.
“Where do you think she is going to wear that?” I find myself saying out loud. Everyone turns around and looks at me, stunned at my response and then the entire room begins to laugh. I don’t see what’s funny.
“Being the overprotective dad already I see.” My father pats me on the back. I shrug because there is nothing to say.
The baby shower goes off without a hitch, giving me time to sneak out every now and then to make sure everything for tomorrow is set and ready to go. On one of my sneak outs, Trim joins me and helps to pick up the finishing touches and get them set up. It is still beyond me how something this huge in a town like this is being kept a secret, but I am eternally grateful.
“This is a beautiful town,” Trim says as we set up the photos and secure them into the ground.
“It really is. I have never imagined myself living anywhere else except when I thought Tiff wanted to move. I would have followed her to the moon and back,” I tell him honestly as we get back in the car.