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“Do you want to meet Alison?” Lennon asks with a proud grin.
“Yes, please!” Mrs. Corrigan pleads. “We want to more than anything.”
Lennon takes Allie from her bouncer, and carefully places her into her mom’s arms. Mr. Corrigan reaches for her little hand and holds it while they both stare at her beauty. The love they have for their grandbaby is immediate. Tears stream down Lennon’s mother’s face and her dad looks at Alison with so much admiration, even I choke up. All of this takes me by surprise, and I can only imagine how Lennon feels. By the tears falling from her cheeks, it’s pure happiness.
Lennon’s mom notices our breakfast on the table and tells us to eat while they hold the baby. The two of us nearly inhale our food, and I don’t even mind it’s cold. Them showing up was a nice and unexpected surprise. Lennon smiles at me, and I can tell by the look on her face that there’s so much she wants to say right now but doesn’t. Occasionally, she glances over at her parents with Alison and smiles wide. Once we’re finished eating, we join them in the living room.
As we continue to make small talk, Lennon’s mouth falls open. “Dad, you missed the first Sunday service of the new year.”
“It’s because I love you. We love you so much,” he says.
“I love you too,” Her bottom lip trembles. “Thank you.”
As I look around the room, all I can do is smile. I can see the love they have for each other, something that was always missing from my household, something that can’t be faked. It’s more than real, just like the way I feel about Lennon. Her parents see it. She knows it.
She takes Alison from her mother and smiles at me. Something streams between us, something unspoken and dangerous. That line she drew in the sand seems to be disappearing regardless if I’ve tried to keep my distance and give her space.
Her dad asks if we’re dating, and I’m almost certain Lennon blushes. “No, Dad. Hunter’s my best friend, and we were just pretending. He was my fake husband, but we are roommates.”
He shrugs with a knowing grin. “For now,” he confidentially says and winks. I watch as Lennon bites her bottom lip, and pink hues hit her cheek.
Maybe things will be different this year after all.
I haven’t given up on her—on us—and neither have her parents apparently.
Chapter Eighteen
Lennon
Tonight will be my first official night without Alison. I’m only mildly freaking out.
Okay, a lot freaking out.
She’s only six weeks old, and it feels like it’s too soon, but the longer I wait, the harder it’s going to be if I don’t rip off the Band-Aid and trust she’ll be okay without me for one night. Plus, it’s Maddie’s 20th birthday, so it’s the perfect opportunity to practice for when I go back to work. I know she mostly sleeps and eats right now anyway, but it doesn’t stop the mom guilt.
I pump every day, so I know I have plenty of milk for her, but that didn’t stop me from checking her diaper bag fifty times to make sure I packed everything before I dropped her off at Mrs. Locke’s house.
Hunter was so sweet and encouraging, telling me it was time I got out of the house and learned to socialize again. Okay, sweet might not be the right word, rather—mocked me and said I needed to wear real clothes again.
So here I am at the bar for Maddie’s birthday celebration and ordering my first alcoholic drink in almost a year.
“Better be drinking that one for me,” Maddie taunts when I return to our table. “I can’t believe I have another year before I can legally drink.”
“Don’t be in such a rush to grow up,” Sophie says, typing out a text. “After twenty-one, it all goes downhill anyway.”
“Well, that’s encouraging.” Maddie chuckles.
I snort at the irony, considering neither of us really have our shit together. Sophie’s been dating Weston for almost two months, and things are getting pretty serious.
“I just want to be old enough to buy my own drinks and graduate school. Then time can freeze,” Maddie quips. “Also, didn’t we say no texting tonight, Soph?” she scolds her, reaching over the table for her phone.
“I’m not! Okay, wait hold on. I’m almost done. It’s Weston. He’ll be mad if I don’t respond,” she states as if she’s picking her words carefully.
“He’ll get mad?” I repeat. “He knows you’re out with us tonight, so why is he bothering you anyway?”
She blinks up at us, then shrugs. “Okay, you’re right.” She locks her phone, then shoves it into her clutch. Sophie grabs her glass, then holds it up. “Time to celebrate!”
I hold up my drink, and Maddie holds up her virgin piña colada. We clink our glasses together, and then I take a large sip.
