Our meal is delicious, and when it’s time to clean up, the three of us dance to Harmony’s approved playlist tunes. Us girls can’t help but giggle as Marcus belts out the Taylor Swift lyrics. Our little girl twirls as she takes the plates to the sink, and I shake my awkward butt around, wiping down the counters. The chore goes by quickly, and we decide to settle into a family movie.
“Frozen!”
“No!” Marcus and I both shout as she grabs the remote.
“Okay, okay, sheesh,” she laughs.
While she lists a few more movie titles, I pull some blankets and extra pillows from the hallway closet. My leg feels weak but solid as I move around.
Settling onto our respective sides of the couch, Harmony pushes play on Beauty and Beast. With the same remote, she dims the lights, and I look over to find Marcus giving me the look. You know, the one that parents use to communicate secretly. This one is telling me it’s time we have this talk with her.
“So, baby girl,” I watch him run his palm over her cheek as she stares up at him with so much adoration it hurts. “We have something we want to talk to you about before we start the movie. Is that ok?”
“Sure Daddy. What’s up?” She asks, pressing pause at the Disney castle intro.
He takes an audible breath. “I would really like to take Mama Bear to dinner and dancing and stuff like that. It turns out we’ve both been missing each other and wishing we hung out more.”
“Like a date?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinkin’. Lots of dates.” Marcus grins at me when he says the last part.
Maybe I should be more worried about the repercussions of telling her this now and not a few months down the road. But there isn’t any negative what if’s clouding my judgment. I know with my whole heart this is right.
“Oh, I would love that. Can I come, or are these dates like the mommy daddy dates my friends’ parents take without them?”
I laugh wholeheartedly.
“It’ll just be mommy and me for the dates, but mommy and I were thinking that maybe I shouldn’t move back to my house but stay here instead.”
“Oh yes! That’s a great idea! You can move your stuff into mommy's room. Your big dresser with all your fancy watches will fit in there. Mommy doesn’t have as many clothes as you do, so there’s gonna be plenty of space in the closet, and the best part is you have your own bathroom.”
Marcus blinks rapidly at Harmony after her big speech.
“Why do you think I should move into mommy’s room?”
“Well, because Mommy’s in there. You guys can snuggle all night long.”
“Willow and Archer let her watch Little Italy at their last sleepover. It faded to black, and she explained to Harmony that they were cuddling.”
He nods with a tight smile, obviously trying hard not to laugh at our daughter’s innocence.
“That’s right, sweetheart. Does that sound like a good plan to you?”
“The best plan. I just want to have one room ‘cause I keep leaving something I need in my other room and my friends at school don’t understand ‘cause they only have one room and one house with their mommy and daddy. Honestly, I didn’t want to mention it, but it’s kind of weird. I’m glad we’ll be in one place all together.”
He shakes his head, stunned at her casual response.
“Our very mature daughter here knows we’ve always been a family. We were just being weird by living apart. Imagine that,” I say with a shrug of my shoulder and kiss her forehead. Marcus leans over her head and kisses me. It’s the first time we’ve ever shown affection in front of her, and all she does is press play on her movie. I know my over-opinionated daughter is just as happy about this new dynamic as we are, but not much about our day-to-day lives will change, and what does change will only make us happier.