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Michael cleared his throat. “What’s today?”
“Hmm. Tuesday?”
Axl laughed. “Nooo.”
“It’s not Tuesday?” she asked.
“No.”
“Hmm. I’m pretty sure it’s Tuesday.”
“Mama!”
She peeked in and was shoved back by Axl. “Mama! Word.”
“Valentine’s Day?”
“Yay.” Axl came out like a magician with his arms open wide. “Venentines Day!”
She dropped her her knees and hugged him.
He gave her a big kiss on the cheek before wiggling free. “Dinner for you.” He tugged on her arm. “For you.”
“For me?”
“Yes.” He extended the s and rolled his eyes. “Mika!”
“I’m ready, buddy.”
Chloe crawled through the flap and found a carpet picnic set up. Bright blue bowls were full of mac and cheese and hot dogs cut up in tiny, jagged pieces. A vase with pink roses sat in the middle of the TV tray that held their water glasses.
Michael sat cross-legged at the back of the little space. She couldn’t stop grinning, probably because her guy had a huge shit-eating grin on his face.
“You did all this?”
“Nuh-uh.” Michael nodded to Axl. “This one did.”
“Oh, I see.”
Axl crawled to her with a white cloth napkin and awkwardly set it across her lap. “Dinner.” He nodded to her bowl. “Eat, Mama.”
“Yes, sir.”
Axl settled beside his bowl, then promptly dumped half of the contents on Michael’s makeshift table. They all laughed. And it was the best macaroni and cheese and hotdogs she’d ever tasted.
The next hour was a delightfully crazy family dinner. After the dishes were cleared away Michael swapped out the table for huge pillows and they all cuddled up for story time. She’d never laughed so much with her guys.
Actually, that wasn’t completely truthful. She’d laughed more in the last month than she could remember doing for two years. Michael might have moments of child-like wonder, but they were balanced with the hot looks he gave her.
He snuck kisses in over Axl’s head as they plowed through a half dozen of Axl’s favorite stories. Even her little boy’s excitement over his very own fort couldn’t keep him awake. Eventually, his head was heavy on her shoulder and his deep breathing signaled lights out.
“Why don’t you tuck him in, and I’ll clean up.”
“Are you sure? You already did way too much.”
“Axl did it.”
She shifted her not-so-light baby onto her shoulder. “Thank you, Michael. Truly. I thought this day was going to end up a complete dumpster fire.”
