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“It’s ten o’clock,” he informs me. “Get up. I have a surprise for you.”
I push the covers below my eyes. “What is it?”
Brady laughs as he rips the covers off me completely. I squeal. “It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you.” He turns me on my side and smacks my butt. “Up you go…now.” He keeps nudging me until I’m forced to put my feet on the floor or fall off the bed.
“Okay…okay…I’m going.” I’m such a whiner in the morning. Brady stands, waiting for me with a smile full of mischief. “What are you up to, Mr. Hunter?”
“You’ll see.” He grabs my arm, yanking me up. He practically drags me down the hall to Mona’s room. “Open it.”
I open the door and step inside. “Oh, Brady! It’s beautiful.” The walls are painted a pale pink. Mona’s name is scrolled on the wall above the dresser. The crib’s been put together, including the pink bedding with monkeys that Liv and I picked out. Even the mountain of clothing Liv has purchased for Mona hangs neatly in the closet.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I tell him, feeling a wave of absolute love for him. “When were you able to do all of this?”
“Tug and I have been working on it all morning.” He’s bursting with pride.
I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek into his chest. God, he smells good. My mind registers that Brady said it’s ten o’clock. Keeping my hands around his waist, I look up at him, confused. “But, you have a show tonight. I thought you were rehearsing all day.” After last night’s show, they were asked to play again tonight, and they planned to work on their set all day.
“Nope.” There’s a twinkle in his eyes when he looks down at me. “I called it off. I’ve been nonstop for days. Tonight’s show will either rock, or we’ll suck.”
I laugh, putting my cheek on his chest again. I know he canceled because of what happened last night and I love him for it. “You won’t suck.”
He reaches behind his back and grabs my hands. He brings our joined hands in front of him. His head dips to kiss my forehead. “What would you like to do today?”
I purse my lips. “Anything?”
“Yep.” With a smile he brings my hands to his chest. “Whatever you want.”
I’m sure most girls would want some romantic day at the beach, or an over-the-top shopping trip. I want to go someplace we haven’t been together in a long time.
“I want to go to the Center and hang out.”
He lifts me into his arms, kissing me hard. “God, I love you.”
***
We get to the Center by noon. Camilia’s the first to jump into Brady’s arms, followed shortly thereafter by Paco. They run off to play soccer, and we go inside to find Rodrigo. Liv is at the front desk, looking over some paperwork. We exchange hellos, and she tells us that Rodrigo is in the kitchen. We walk into the kitchen, where Rodrigo is on the phone. "Sí...cuatro es bueno. Nos vemos entonces." He lifts his head, waving us in. "Bueno...sí...gracias, adiós."
He tucks his phone in his pocket. “You look beautiful, mama.”
“Thank you, Rodrigo.” I smile shyly. “Who was on the phone?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity.
“It was a social worker from Mexico City. They have a family coming tomorrow to meet with Paco and Camilia.”
Brady looks thrilled. “That’s great.”
I’m not as excited. “They’ll keep them together, right?”
Rodrigo nods, offering me a reassuring smile. “She says the family wants them both.”
“That’s wonderful, then,” I tell him, though I can’t help but feel sad. I’ve grown to love the two of them so much. The thought of them not being around pulls at my heart. It’s bittersweet.
“We’ll see.” I sense the worry in his voice. “We’ve been here before. Couples always think they want two.”
I truly hope this couple does want them. I can’t stand the thought of Paco and Camilia ever being separated.
We spend the next hour at the Center. Brady helps Rodrigo with some financial responsibilities, and I play outside with Camilia. We play hide-and-seek. She’s a clever little thing. She’s also smaller than I am, which means she finds plenty of places to hide. More times than not I have to give up and beg her to come out.
