But my man is as handsome as I’ve ever seen. I drink in every inch of him and all of the things I’ve missed so ferociously the last couple of weeks. My heart feels like it may burst, so full of love and longing for him.
He’s wearing a faded pair of jeans with a few holes along the knees, and a white t-shirt, and he looks so damn good, I can’t stop myself. I set Charlottes’ car seat down next to Mama and take off toward him, launching myself into his arms at the base of the stairs. He picks me up, spinning me around, his head buried in my neck and his arms tightly circling my body.
“Baby, what the hell? How? How are you here right now.. I-?” He looks so terribly confused, it’s actually adorable. Like he can’t believe that I’m actually standing here before him.
“I had to come to you, Graham, I couldn’t be apart from you any longer. It was making me sick to not be here.”
He groans against my neck, inhaling. “God you smell so fucking good. I’ve missed you so much.”
I pause, pulling back to look into his eyes, my thumb rubbing the scruff at his jaw,“And I missed you too, more than you can even imagine Graham.”
Being here, reunited with him, feels like all is right in the world. That together, our strength will get us through this.
Carefully, he sets me back down on my feet and unwraps his arms, threading his fingers in mine. He starts toward the girls, and quickly, yet gently, removes Quinn from her car seat while Mom takes out Charlotte, and soon, they’re both in his arms.
It’s the first time I’ve seen Graham smile in weeks, where it actually meets his eyes, and I want to hold on to this moment, right now, forever. Tears of happiness shine in his eyes as he clutches his baby girls to his chest.
“My girls, my sweet babies.” He kisses Charlotte then Quinn, then Charlotte again and Quinn once more. Peppering their faces with kisses. “God, you’ve grown so much. Daddy is so sorry he had to be gone, he missed you so much.”
The girls coo in response, and giggle in unison as he tickles their bellies.
“Are those baby giggles I hear?”
My head whips to the front porch, where Michelle leans against the white pillar, her arms folded across her chest. She looks nothing like the woman I saw months ago. She’s thin and gaunt, her clothes hang from her body, and her head is wrapped in a scarf. It breaks my heart, completely shatters it into so many pieces.
“Michelle,” I whisper, going to her. I wrap my arms around her body, holding her against me. Her hands circle my back and pull me tight, and for long moments we just hang on.
While she’s not my own mother, the love I feel for her is nothing but motherly. She raised the man of my dreams, the man I love with all my heart, and I love her just as much.
“I missed you, darling girl. I’m so happy you were able to bring the girls to see me.”
I nod, wiping away a tear. I’m trying to be strong, but it’s hard to see her like this. “I brought my mom Kathy with me. She wanted to meet you, and traveling with two infants would’ve been next to impossible by myself.”
My mom walks over and hugs Michelle. “Hi Michelle, I’m Kathy. I’m so happy to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many great things about you.”
“And I have heard so much about you. You’ve raised the most precious girl, and we are so happy to have her in our family. By chance, do you like to knit?”
A wide smile tugs at my lips at the bonding happening between my mother and Graham’s.
“Actually, I’ve just taken up the hobby,” Mama tells her.
“Ma?” Graham walks up, both girls in his arms.
Michelle covers her mouth while tears wet her cheeks. “Oh, you sweet, precious girls.”
“How about we go inside where it’s cool, and you can hold them?”
She nods, swiping her tears away.
Allie and Mama follow Michelle through the screen door, after taking Charlotte and Quinn into the house while Graham and I stay outside to unpack the trunk.
“I can’t believe you’re here, baby.” He breathes, pulling me back toward him and kissing me, over and over, on every inch of my face until he finally places his lips on mine.
I was desperate for him, and I didn’t realize just how much until I sank into his embrace, my hands threading in his too long hair while he devours my mouth, angling my head to deepen the kiss and leave me breathless.
“Fuck,” he pants after pulling away, “I missed you so goddamn much.”
I can hardly think straight, he’s stolen all of my rational thought with his lips.