She rolled her eyes.“Wyn, this changeseverything.”
I let go of her hand so I could wrap my arm around her shoulder and haul her toward me.She collapsed against my side.“I just meant, this doesn’t change how much we love you.”
“You love me?”She looked at me and then at her father.“Youbothlove me?”
Archer swallowed, his eyes earnest.“Yeah, Lenni.We love you so much.I know there have been so many changes in your life lately.I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re ignored or not enough.You’re really okay with this?”
“Depends,” Lenni said with an irreverent grin.“Can I help name the baby?”
“We will take your suggestions under advisement,” I said with a laugh and tugged on one of her pigtails.
Lenni beamed.“I can’t wait to have a sister.And to answer your other question, yeah, I know where babies come from.”
“Oh, your mom already told you about it?”Archer asked.
Lenni shook her head.“Timmy Rutherford in the third grade.He walked in on his parents.He came to school and told us.He even drew pictures.Then I went home and asked Mom.That’s when we hadthe talk.”
“Oh.”Archer rubbed the back of his neck.“Any other, ah, questions?”
“Well, Mom did tell me that only married people could make babies.But that’s not really true, is it?I mean, Uncle Brooks and Aunt Poet are getting married but she’s already pregnant.”She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her father.“And you and Wyn aren’t married, and she’s having a baby.”
“Lenni,” Archer began.
“And you and Mom weren’t married when she had me,” Lenni informed him.“So, I’m thinking my mom told a lie.And lies are bad, right?”
“Oh, good, the morality discussion,” Archer said under his breath.“I was hoping we could wait a few more years before we had to deal with this.”
“It’s true that unmarried people can have babies,” I said.“But your mom was probably trying to tell you that it’s better to have babies when you’re already married.”
“Why?”she asked in confusion.
“Because,” Archer said.
Lenni sighed.“That’s adult speak forstop asking me questions I don’t want to answer.”
“Right you are,” Archer said, moving to get up.“Can we go now?My feet are turning into raisins and I’m getting hungry.”
“We’re not done yet,” Lenni intoned.She pointed to the spot next to her.“Stay.”
Archer raised his brows but did as she commanded.
“I have one more question and then we can go,” she said.
“I’m listening,” Archer replied.
Lenni nodded.“When are you and Wyn getting married?”
A moment of silence fell upon us.
Lenni wasn’t looking at me, but at her father.I stared at him too, amusement stamped across my lips.
“Youaregetting married, aren’t you?”Lenni pressed when Archer still hadn’t said anything.
“Yes, we’re getting married,” Archer said, his gaze snapping to mine.“But we haven’t discussed when yet.”
I cleared my throat.“That’s because you haven’t technically proposed yet.”
“Archer,” Lenni admonished.“You haven’t even proposed?What about a ring?Did you even get her a ring yet?”
