I shrug and walk over to Charlie. We’re almost at the next chorus. I sing the high summertime and tell him we’re getting jiggy with it, and Charlie laughs again.
Myles starts to move in what I think is some kind of dance. Charlie’s still laughing and it’s completely intoxicating.
I feel like I’m the king of the world. No wonder Will loved singing this song.
When it comes to an end, Myles grabs his phone and opens Spotify, putting the song on once more. Then he pauses it. “Go get Ava,” he tells me, his phone still trained on his son.
“You get her.”
“I don’t want to stop recording. In case it breaks the magic.”
I think about teasing him but I know exactly what he means. We need to recreate this for her. So I run to the door and call her in. She stands from where she’s weeding and walks inside, looking bemused.
“Just watch this,” Myles says, putting Will back on again. And I do the same routine, the noises, the rap, the chorus, and Charlie laughs like he’s about to wet himself.
“Oh my God,” Ava says, grabbing her phone. “I need to record this, too.”
For the next five minutes, we’re all singing and dancing like loons to entertain a three-month-old baby who may either be laughing or hiccupping. And I don’t care, because it feels good to be here. Good to share in this moment with the people I love.
Right up until the smoke alarm starts going crazy and I realize the eggs are burned to the bottom of the pan.
Luckily nothing else was burned and the pan wasn’t Ava’s favorite anyway. I remind myself to buy her a new one and then make the eggs in the microwave, serving up brunch on the breakfast bar.
“I could get used to this,” Ava tells me. “I wish you could teach Myles to cook.”
“I can cook,” Myles protests.
“Yes, three things and that’s all,” she says, stuffing corn bread between her lips. “Did you make this from scratch?” she asks me.
“Yeah.” I shrug, perplexed. It really is nothing. I’m always surprised that people are surprised that I know my way around a kitchen. Shouldn’t everyone?
“Remind me again why I didn’t marry you?”
“Because you met Myles first.” I wink at her.
“And Liam will never be the settling down type,” Myles adds.
Ava looks almost sad at that. “I guess not.”
It doesn’t take any of us long to empty our plates. Ava goes to clear the dishes but Myles and I shoo her off, and we load the dishwasher while she goes out to finish her yard work.
“So,” Myles says as he tickles Charlie’s chin. He’s been laying in his bouncy chair like a champ, watching us as we eat. “A hundred thousand dollars for some weather forecasts.”
I’ve been waiting for him to mention this.
“I really like the weather,” I tell him, deadpan.
He narrows his gaze.
“What?” I ask him. Is it wrong that I enjoy riling him?
“Is there something I should know about you and Sophie?” he asks.
I burst out laughing. “Are you her dad?”
“No.” He doesn’t even crack a smile.
“Then no, there’s nothing you need to know.”