“Yep, and I expect I totally fucked it up, but we’ll see.”
“Eh, who cares? All I need is you and a bed to be happy.”
“I was sort of counting on that when I packed for you.”
“This might be the best day ever.”
“And it’s only going to get better before it’s over.” He kisses me one more time and then closes my door to go around to the driver’s side.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
I love this mysterious, excited version of him and marvel at the changes in him, as I do daily, since he decided to go all in with me and the kids. He’s been incredible during my treatments, which left me fatigued and sore and out of sorts. He was right there to step in as needed with the kids and did almost everything around the house to keep things running smoothly while I was focused on the treatments.
The kids absolutely adore him. Last week, Tyler told him he wants to call him Daddy Gage instead of Mr. Gage and asked if that would be all right.
Gage blinked away tears as he told my son he’d be honored to be his Daddy Gage.
“I want to call you that, too,” Sophia said. “And so does Laney.”
“You guys can call me whatever you want,” Gage said while looking at me with wonder in his gorgeous eyes.
“Why are you so quiet over there?” he asks as he exits onto Route 1, heading toward Pentagon City.
“I’m thinking about the kids asking if they could call you Daddy Gage.”
“One of the single best moments of my entire life.”
“You earned it, you know.”
“I love them.”
“And they love you.”
“Look at us becoming a sweet little family.” He glances over at me. “I never thought I’d have that again, so thanks for sharing your kids with me.”
“My kids and I are happy to have you. So, so happy to have you.”
“You’re gonna have me, all right.”
Laughing, I say, “Thanks for the warning, stud.”
A few minutes later, he pulls up to the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City. “Here we are!”
“Oh my goodness. The Ritz!”
“Nothing but the best for my baby.”
I can recall few times in my life that I’ve felt as elated as I do right now, knowing the dreaded treatment is behind me and I have twenty-four hours to spend completely alone with my love. I release the seat belt and wince when it brushes against my sore breast. Not even that, however, can dull the joy today.
Gage has two bags hooked over his shoulder when he comes to help me down from the SUV. He knows that some movements can be painful, so he’s always there to make things as easy for me as possible.
I’m surprised when we go straight to the elevator. “We don’t have to do the check-in?”
“I took care of that earlier. I didn’t want to waste one minute of our time alone.”
“You thought of everything. Thank you so much for this.”