“Hey, baby girl.”
She gave me a sleepy smile, clutching her teddy in one hand as she reached out her arms. “Cuddle.”
Hadley automatically stepped to the side, and I couldn’t help but smile. I took two steps, sweeping Macy into my arms. Her little arms wrapped around my neck, and I swelled with love for the little girl in my arms.
She was everything. The world. The light that drew me from the darkness.
“Hadwee,” she said softy.
“Morning, pretty girl,” Hadley replied, walking around in front of me and reaching up on her tiptoes to give Macy a kiss on the cheek. “You sleep good?”
“Yes,” she answered simply, telling me she was probably still a little sleepy.
“How about I help you get into your clothes?” Hadley asked her with a light hand on her back. “Daddy needs to talk to Bright Eyes and Ozzy.”
Macy had taken to calling Oz, Ozzy. I found it hilarious myself, thinking of this man who would rip you to shreds in an instant if you threatened his family. But Oz loved it, said all his grand babies were going to call him that.
If Harmony and Kit ever gave him any, that was.
At the moment they seemed quite content with just living their lives together. I didn’t blame them really. I would never give Macy up for anything, but it was a lot harder to live in this life and raise children too. When things got dangerous, you wanted badly to protect them from anything that may hurt them. It pulls your focus, it haunts you, knowing that if anything ever happened to them, you would never forgive yourself.
Macy reached out for Hadley, and I handed her over before grabbing a shirt and heading downstairs. Oz sat at the kitchen table with a coffee in his hand, Bright Eyes at the stove, the smell of eggs and bacon wafting through the air.
“Morning,” I greeted, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Got a favor to ask,” I said, laying it out straight.
Oz looked up from his paper and Bright Eyes switched off the stove top, removing the pan before turning her attention to me.
“We need to get moving today, but I can’t risk taking Macy with me. Was hoping you might be able to make the trip to Athens. My sister-in-law will be able to keep her for the rest of the time I’m away,” I explained briefly.
“No problem,” Oz answered without a second thought.
Bright Eyes nodded in agreement. “We’ve been meaning to make the trip up to see Optimus for a while now.”
I sighed in relief. “Thanks, for everything.”
Bright Eyes scowled at me across the kitchen and Oz snorted. “Leo, you know we’d do anything to help,” she scolded like I was a small child.
I smirked. “Had to say it.”
“No, you didn’t.” Oz laughed. “But she’s right. We’re always here.”
“Appreciate that.”
Bright Eyes looked over my shoulder before returning her gaze to mine. “We haven’t had much time to talk—”
“Woman…” Oz warned, narrowing his eyes at his wife.
She ignored him, continuing to speak directly to me, “I do adore Hadley. She’s a perfect choice for an Old Lady. But how are you feeling about things with Kim?”
I no longer flinched like I used to when I heard people say her name. It wasn’t as though she wasn’t spoken about, we all remembered her in our own ways. But for a good year after her death, I couldn’t speak or hear her name without needing to go straight to the bar and drink myself into oblivion.
I remember hearing Macy crying, her newborn screech sending chills throughout my body. Every time I looked at her I was reminded of my wife, the woman who I’d lost. I struggled, I was man enough to admit that I hadn’t handled it well, and it was because of my brothers, Harmony, Chelsea, and Carly, forcing me to step up and realize I wasn’t the only one hurting. They pulled me back, making me see that I should be grateful.
Macy reminding me of Kim was a good thing. I needed to cherish her.
And since then, that was exactly what I had done. I hadn’t been the perfect father, but she would always come first.
“I’m not going to forget Kim if that’s what you mean.”