Aiden will be thankful to hear the news so I grab my phone.
Me: They found her in Houston. You can come back now.
This situation could have ended way worse, and I thank God it didn’t. We will never let her out of our sight after this, and the school board is going to hear all about it. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place. There are supposed to be rules in place to prevent this sort of thing. I don’t want any other parent to have to go through what Tessa just did.
We wait outside, not caring how cold it is. Emily will have questions when she gets here, and Tessa will answer them truthfully because that is just the type of mother she is.
“That must be them!” she shouts, seeing a cruiser coming down the street. Her smile is back, and she’s practically jumping up and down.
Emily jumps out of the car and runs straight into Tessa’s arms. “Mama, I missed you. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“Never, honey. I’m just glad to have you back.” Their hug ensues for a good couple of minutes before breaking apart.
My turn. I swoop her into my arms. “You’re home, doll. We missed you so much.”
After going inside, I leave them alone for a minute and start the homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. The weather is getting colder, and soup is just what it calls for tonight. The house will go back to normal and both my girls are safe and sound. Just the way it should be.
Will they go back to the duplex after this? No way. How will they ever feel safe there again?
“How was it seeing him?” Tessa asks, hoping for some more information. She isn’t one to scold her daughter, but she’s curious how the situation has been for her. Did she get scared when they left Grapevine? When he left her alone at his apartment?
Emily was happy to see him, but he didn’t like watching Animal Planet like I did. “Daddy didn’t like Damon. Why not?”
To a child it might not be obvious, but to me, Chris wants me far away from Emily. He didn’t want his daughter taking a liking to some other man that can provide her with more than he ever could. Love and stability.
“Your daddy doesn’t want anyone else in your life, including Damon. But he doesn’t get to decide. You do.” She leans over and tucks a strand of hair behind Emily’s ear. “I would never force anyone into your life, and you seem to really like him.”
“So, I can still watch Animal Planet with him?” A smile lights up Emily’s face.
“Of course, sweetie.”
Chris has a problem with me, but what man wouldn’t. Most guys don’t like others being in their kids’ lives. Usually, they have to prove themselves to be a good fit, but not me. Anyone would be a better fit than that guy.
“All right,” I say, going into the living room to join them. “Who wants to watch Animal Planet?”
The three of us spend the next half hour watching a special on lions. It’s so great to have her back in our arms and out of danger. She might not be my child by blood, but that doesn’t matter. My heart can’t imagine if this is how I feel about Emily, how strong of a bond would I form with biological children?
The timer goes off, and dinner is ready. The aroma of the soup carries through the whole house, making our stomachs grumble with hunger. We decide to eat in the living room tonight, snuggled up on the couch, just enjoying each other’s company. These last two days have been emotionally and physically draining, and tonight we will all be able to sleep peacefully.
Before taking Emily to bed, Tessa explains to her that we are dating. Her reaction is priceless. She almost seems more excited than we are, if that’s possible.
It’s officially out in the open, and I don’t have to be careful about what is said around her anymore. A weight lifts off my shoulders. It warms my heart to know she has no qualms with us being together.
“Hey, don’t run off without giving me a hug, goob,” I say when she tries running to the bedroom. My arms around her, I say, “I’m so glad you’re okay. Happy to have you home. Good night.”
This is her home, whether Tessa decides to go back to the duplex or not. I will always consider my home, theirs. And one day, I hope we can get a new home for us to make memories together. One with a backyard, two stories, and a bigger kitchen.
“Just wanted to say good night.” Tessa sneaks back out and kisses me. “I’ll see ya in the morning.”
The focus tonight is on Emily; after the scare, we want to savor every moment we can.
***
THE HOUSE IS QUIET, and I sleep like a bear during hibernation. Hell, I even thought about calling into work today, they’d understand, but I don’t. Liam already covered for me yesterday, and I don’t want to take his day off from him.
The girls are still asleep when I leave for work, and I can’t dream of waking them. So I just prepare some cinnamon rolls and leave them iced on the counter.
Once I get to the station, everyone wants to know what the hell happened. The guys know about Tessa, but not that we are dating. It seems like everyone is happy for me, finally moving on and finding a woman.