“Kids, huh?” Hayley comments as she pulls out glasses and a jug of juice to place on a tray.
“Yeah.” My voice has a wistful quality to it as I think about life with a child in the picture. I can’t wait. I glance around their home. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it has a really lovely, homely feel about it. Their home reminds me of a cottage I’d find in a tiny beachside town.
When we step back outside, Theo and AJ have already placed the mats at the base of each side of the structure and Colton’s already halfway to the top. AJ’s behind him, guiding him with a careful explanation as to where to put his hand and foot next.
Theo spots me. “I’m gonna head home.” He kisses the top of my head in much the same way Max does. “See you tomorrow?”
“Definitely.”
He turns to Hayley and Lisa with a smile. “I’ll see you both another time.”
“Thank you, Theo. Colton loves it so much,” says Lisa.
“Yeah, thanks, Theo.” Hayley’s eyes widen and she holds up a finger. “Hold on. Before you go, would you mind looking at something inside?” she asks as she places the tray of drinks on the table.
“Sure.”
She gestures for Theo to follow her inside.
Lisa moves closer to me, leaving AJ with Colton. “I bet she’s asking him about building her a new bookshelf. The woman buys paperbacks like they’re going out of style.”
“Oh, well, Theo does beautiful work and at a reasonable cost too.”
“He did a fantastic job of the climbing wall.” I nod in agreement and we watch AJ and Colton in comfortable silence.
Theo and Hayley return a few moments later. “I’ll call you with a price on Monday.”
“Thanks, Theo.”
“Bye everyone,” Theo calls as he waves over his shoulder, heading for the side gate with Lisa.
Lisa comes back around to us. “I’m just gonna grab some snacks. Colton will be looking for something to eat soon.”
Hayley watches AJ and Colton with a smile on her face. “He’s gonna make a great dad one day.” I nod silently. I think my ovaries exploded when I watched him with Colton out the front when we first arrived, and again now, wow. He has such a lovely manner with the little boy, who is so much more than just a nephew to him. “I’m sure AJ’s explained his true relationship with Colton, but he doesn’t look at him as his son. Though, their bond is so much more than an uncle has with his nephew.”
I turn my head toward Hayley. “Yeah, he explained the situation. I think it’s amazing he could help you and Lisa to have your babies.”
“Yeah. He’s been incredibly supportive of me and Lisa. Unlike some family members.” She mumbles the last part. “We’re grateful he stepped up and suggested he be the donor for our baby when he didn’t have to.”
“Oh, I didn’t know he suggested it. I figured you guys had asked him to do that for you.”
She huffs out a quiet laugh. “Nope. Lisa and I hadn’t even considered him a candidate.” She smiles at me. “You’d think he would have been the first person we would have asked, but he wasn’t even on our radar, and I’m not entirely sure why. We were signed up to use a stranger as our donor.”
“It makes sense, though, right?”
“Oh, definitely. I love that Colton has some of me in him.”
“Are you kidding? I don’t think he has ‘some of you’ in him, he looks exactly like you,” I tell her.
She smiles widely, her eyes twinkling. “And isn’t that the kicker for Lisa? She carried him for nine months and had to go through the whole morning sickness thing and delivery and he comes out looking just like me!”
We both chuckle. “So unfair!”
“Lisa doesn’t mind. She loves that he looks like me because she thinks I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.” She flutters her eyelashes.
Awww. “That’s so sweet.”
“Mama! Look at me!” Colton calls out.