Page 98 of Insidious

Also—

“I need to warn you,” I say solemnly. “There is a stench developing.”

He doesn’t even blink, still watching my lips move.

“Details. I laugh in the face of baby poop. Especially since I managed to get it on my face yesterday,” he mutters.

“Isaac,” I say, trying not to laugh now. “Amelie has almost definitely done another massive dump.”

“Still worth it if you are still thinking of riding. But if you are tired, you can let me do all the work and lie there. I am willing to make the effort.” He does his best to put on a long-suffering look and fails. “I will just spread your legs and eat you out until you have a couple of nice orgasms. And then we are both happy.”

Isaac pulls me even closer, like he wants to crawl inside my skin, which earns him another deeply offended squeak from the squashed baby, who now stinks like she is going radioactive.

This is the moment that the smell properly hits.

His face changes instantly.

“Oh, Christ. Maybe my precious does need a change.”

I burst out laughing.

“That is pretty bad, huh?”

He takes Amelie from me with the expression of a man resigned to another failed attempt.

“See how much I love you?” he mutters darkly to his daughter, whose diaper is starting to droop with gravity. He notices as well and speed-walks towards the upstairs nursery.

I follow him, leaning against the doorway while he changes the nappy at the speed of light, his face locked into grim determination.

“You know,” I say sweetly, “someone once said he wanted four kids.”

Isaac doesn’t even look up.

“Even men are allowed to change their minds.”

Amelie kicks her legs happily while he works like a bomb disposal expert.

“Two,” he declares firmly. “Two will do. Maybe just one.”

I snort.

He finally finishes, sealing the nappy bag shut with the relief of a man surviving a near-death experience. Then he looks at me, and his expression softens completely.

“It’s nice to have you back, Luna.”

The words flutter like fireflies coming my way.

He doesn’t need to explain what he means … I know. Because it is nice to have me back.

The fog in my head has lifted these last few weeks. I watch Korean dramas and wonder why all the kisses take ages. I tease Isaac again. I don’t feel like I’m drowning every time the baby cries. I feel lucky to have her.

More and more, I feel like grumpy old Luna again.

And standing here, looking at him, holding our daughter with his T-shirt half untucked and watching the unfiltered relief at seeing me smile in those bright blue eyes—

I don’t doubt for a second that he’s part of the reason why.

I smile softly.