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“Do you have room in your arms for two?” Luna asked.
I shifted Nova around to one side and opened my other arm. “Ready to receive.”
She hoisted up Rory, and the toddler settled into my grip.
“Thanks for inviting me to dinner,” I told her. “Did you help your mom cook?”
Rory gave a dramatic shake of her head.
“I helped!” Nova slid down and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the kitchen.
I followed, Luna looking amused at her nieces monopolizing me immediately. The kitchen was a haven, the air thick with the scent of baking ham. “I hope you didn’t go to all this trouble for me.”
“Something always gets baked on Sundays,” Stella assured me. “I hope you like ham and scalloped potatoes.”
“No complaints from me. Can I help with anything?”
“You can set the table,” Nova offered.
“Don’t be trying to get out of your chore,” Stella admonished. “Luca is our guest today, and first-time guests don’t do work.”
“Fiiine.” Nova pouted.
Luna took Rory when the toddler tipped backward to reach her and I had a mini heart attack over almost dropping her.
“Rory’s wriggly,” Luna said, poking the toddler’s tummy. “You can’t be hurling yourself away from people or you’re gonna fall, you silly goose.”
“Goose!” Rory shouted.
Stella took the steaming tray of cheesy scalloped potatoes out of the oven and set them aside before removing the ham as well. Both of them smelled like absolute heaven. Nova fetched a tray of veggie sticks from the fridge at her mother’s request; soon enough the table was full of food, and we all sat down together. I cut up Rory’s food for her while she sat happily on Luna’s lap, eating bites clumsily with her little fork.
“Have you told your family about this?” Stella asked.
“Not yet. We’re taking those announcements at whatever speed Luna is comfortable with.”
“Your mom doesn’t know about Auntie?” Nova asked.
“She knows her in general,” I explained. “She just doesn’t know your auntie is my girlfriend.”
It was the first time I had said it out loud, and I loved the feeling of it on my tongue.
“That’s dumb. Why not?”
“Because,” Luna said, “the second Luca’s mom knows that I’m a girlfriend, she’s going to want me to be a wife.”
“You don’t wanna be a wife?” Nova tipped her head in question.
“I’m just getting used to being a girlfriend. Let’s not push me down the aisle quite yet.”
“Can I be a flower girl?” Nova asked, completely ignoring Luna’s discomfort with the topic. “Or a bridesmaid? I’m getting old enough for that.”
“I promise if I ever get married you’ll be in the bridal party.”
That answer seemed to content Nova, and I switched over to asking the tween about school to distract her from poking at Luna. Weddings kind of freaked Luna out, and while I would love for her to be my bride one day, that wasn’t something I was ever going to push her for. I had just gotten to one milestone with her and I could enjoy that without immediately looking to the next one.
“What did you three do for auntie time today?”
“We went to the petting zoo at the mall. They had baby goats in pajamas! Mom won’t let me get one, though. I think a baby goat would be a great pet and he could be best friends with Beans.”
