“That’s amazing Jojo.” Monty praises me as he takes his spot back beside me. I preen at his comment and continue to eat while we play two rounds of the card game.
These evenings are becoming more common, the three of us sitting at the dining table playing some sort of game and just talking. I look forward to this part of the evening as much as I look forward to seeing my boys in the morning. This part of our lives that feels beyond what we anticipated when we first asked for help those few months ago.
I don’t know what it is about Evie, but her being here in our life is effortless. The way she cares for the boys, I find myself almost becomingwishful that she never has to leave. My stomach does another summersault at the thought of her staying, the conversation that Monty and I had all those years ago about finding someone to invite into our relationship.
We always agreed that we needed to be sure, because there was Shiloh involved at that point and we didn’t want anyone to be involved in our lives if they were just going to potentially leave down the road.
I watch as Evie throws her head back and laughs at something Monty said, and I begin to picture what our lives would look like if she wasn’t just Evie our nanny.
ChapterThirteen
Evie
Four months postpartum
Theraincomesdownhard as I sit in my loft with the boys. I planned a few weeks ago to take the boys on a Saturday for the afternoon so Monty and Josie can go on a date.
I had ulterior motives. I wanted to take the boys to a cute outdoor spot I found so I can take some photos for a Mother’s Day gift for Josie.
I should have known better than to rely on an outdoor venue in the spring. I sigh as I stare out the window and contemplate what I’m going to do. I’m not one to give up so I just have to get creative.
With Hayes down for a nap in the pack n play in my bedroom, I look over at Shiloh.
“Do you wanna do something super cool before Hayes wakes up from his nap?” I ask. I already know he’s in before he says anything as I take in the excited gleam in his eyes.
“Onlyreallybad.” He says, as he jumps out of his spot on the couch and comes closer to me.
I lean forward, like I’m going to share a secret with him. He copies my movements and leans in too. “How about we build a blanket fort in the living room and then we can have snacks and watch a movie?”
“A blanket fort! But no momma’s or daddy’s allowed." The seriousness in his face leaves no room for arguments.
I sit up straight and nod my head, “absolutely. We will make a sign and put it on Evie’s door, okay?”
Then about half an hour later, after many blankets and a couple of string lights I had but never got around to using. We built the best blanket fort I could have imagined.
I pushed the couches together to be the base of the structure and we put the blankets over top. I managed to get the string lights to hang from the opening.
I now have Shiloh sitting there with Hayes in between his legs. Hayes’s back to Shiloh’s front, and I’m making the goofiest faces to get them both to smile as I snap picture after picture.
It may only be from my phone, and won’t be anywhere as good as if I was using a real camera. That doesn’t matter though, because these two are the cutest ever. Shiloh has been a real helper when it came to taking these pictures.
I don’t think he was just in it for the snacks. I mean he’s five so of course snacks were a high motivator.
Once I have Hayes set up in his bouncer, and Shiloh comfy with his snacks and the newest movie about trolls, I sit in the blanket fort and look through the photos. These photos aresoprecious. I open up my phone and shoot off a few pictures to Harper.
Evie: Okay, look at these two. My ovaries arescreaming
Evie: two attachments
Harper: Oh my god *cry emoji* stop it.
Evie: These turned out so much better than I expected. Now I just need to print them off.
Evie: Thank you same day printing options.
Harper: They’re going to turn out so good. Josie is going to be so blown away with this gift.
After putting in my order online for pick up later today, I sit back and think of the look on Josie’s face when she goes to open this gift. I hope she loves it as much as I’m hoping she does, or maybe it’s too much.
