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“But a long time ago, your mom was my girlfriend, and I called her songbird all the time.”
I’m frozen, waiting and listening to what my daughter says next. “Your girlfriend?”
“Mhm. I didn’t have you then, so she was my songbird. But you will always be my little birdie.” He taps the end of her nose with his finger.
“How come Mommy isn’t still your girlfriend?”
They both look at me, and I can’t think of a single thing to say, so I just shake my head while keeping my lips pressed together tightly.
Apollo laughs. “Mommy doesn’t want a boyfriend right now. She’s busy being your mommy and doesn’t want to have to share her attention with anyone else.”
“But she can share it with you. I don’t mind.” Looking at me again, she nods. “It’s okay, Mommy. You can be Daddy’s girlfriend again.”
“Well, we’re not doing that right now. Right now, Mommy is making dinner.”
Aurora moves on to the next topic, “When can I have a sleepover with Daddy?”
My jaw clenches as I don’t know what the hell to say to that. But Apollo does. “Whenever you’d like, pumpkin.”
“Well, not whenever she’d like.” I can’t let him take her overnight yet. “You don’t know her schedule. And you’re staying in a hotel room. Where would she sleep? And who would watch her if you have to go do something?”
“Uncle Ares could watch me,” Aurora is quick to say.
“I think your mommy would miss you too much,” Apollo comes to my rescue, amazingly enough.
“Thank you, Apollo. I would miss her. Maybe in a few weeks we can revisit this idea of a sleepover.”
Aurora jumps up, clapping her hands excitedly. “I know. Daddy can stay here with us, Mommy! That way you won’t miss me.”
“What a great idea, pumpkin.” His smile says it all. He thinks he’s cornered me now that our daughter wants us all to spend a night together.
“Not tonight.” I put the meatballs on to cook. “And not tomorrow night either. We don’t have a place for your daddy to sleep.”
She comes into the kitchen and looks up at me with a soft smile on her sweet face. “We can all sleep in your bed, like we do when there’s a thunderstorm. It’ll be fun.”
My cell rings and I see Lani’s name on the screen. “Saved by the bell. I’ve gotta take this call, honey.”
Walking out of the kitchen, I go into my bedroom so I can talk to my best friend in private. “Hey, I’m sorry I have to cut this short today, but I only have a few minutes to talk. I’m in the middle of making dinner.”
Looking in the mirror over my dresser, I smooth out my shirt, noticing it has a few wrinkles I didn’t notice earlier.
“So, you’re making dinner and not going out tonight?”
“Yes. I wanted to stay in tonight. Aurora wants her daddy to tell her a bedtime story.” Laughing, I add, “She wants to have an overnight visit with her daddy and asked if he could stay here, in my bed, of all places.”
“And you said?”
I scoff. “I said no, of course.”
“Hmm.”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing. It’s just that you have been hanging out with Apollo for weeks now. He’s done everything you said you wanted him to do.”
“So?”
“So, I wonder if by now your heart isn’t involved too.”
