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Sofia falls asleep in my arms.
I don’t want to let her go, but I have to pee and I need some water. I slowly move out of my bed, careful not to wake her before covering her up with my blanket. As I stand there, I watch her, sleeping so soundly, and I thank God for her. Just like Shea said to. Leaning down, I kiss her temple before heading to the bathroom. After doing my business and washing my hands, I put on a pair of sleep pants and head out of my room for the kitchen. When I reach the second set of stairs, I hear voices coming from the kitchen. I’m surprised to find my mom and Elli sitting at the table, laughing about something. When they see me, they flash me a grin.
I eye them suspiciously. “What are you two doing?”
“We decided to drink a bottle of wine,” my mom says, her words a little slurred.
Elli laughs as she looks at me. “She means three.”
Mom holds up three fingers. “Yes, three.”
I chuckle as I go to the fridge for a bottle of water. “You two are nuts. Did Shea head home?”
“Yeah, took the kids,” Elli says, leaning back as she holds her glass close to her lips. “There were some weird noises coming from upstairs, so we needed to clear the house.”
They both snicker as I pause at the fridge. “Yeah, we were watching Animal Planet.”
Mom snorts. “Was there an animal named ‘Oh, Ryan’?”
Their laughter runs up my back, and I’m so glad Sofia is dead asleep upstairs. She’d die from embarrassment. Me, I don’t care. Turning, I look at both of them, holding my water to my lips. “Yup, the chimpanzees.”
That sends them into a frenzy of laughter as I take a long pull of my water. Clearing my throat, I nod to them. “You two just down here, shooting the shit?”
Mom grins up at me. “We’re talking about life, love, and loud sex,” she says, holding her glass to a snickering Elli. “It’s been fun.”
“I can tell,” I say dryly, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “I don’t know if I want to be included.”
Elli taps my hand. “We’re well past what you two were doing, so you may be safe.”
I smirk at her. “Oh thank God.”
They both laugh at that as Elli takes a long sip from her glass. “But I was telling your mom we need a vacation.”
“I agree.”
“Right! So, tell your mom to take a week off and go to Vegas with me.”
“Elli, I can’t just go to Vegas. I have work.”
“You run the business. And who has a party the last week of January? Yes, the first week. But the last? No.”
I pause. “Wait? You’re going to Vegas the last week of January?”
“Yes, that’s what I just said, didn’t I?” she asks my mom, and Mom nods.
“You did, and you want me to go.”
“Yes! It would be so much fun. We can act like we’re in our twenties.”
Mom snorts at that, but I’m out of my seat and looking at the GymBulls schedule that is on my mom’s fridge.
Like I thought, they have a meet that week. I look to Elli, just as she glances up at me. “What?”
“Will you be home in time for Amelia’s meet?”
She nods. “Oh yes, we’ll be there. I promised Grace. We won’t miss it.”
Mom rolls her eyes. “I don’t know.”
I sit back down, scooting my chair to Elli and putting my face in her view. “Elli, I need a favor.”
She squints at me, and then she smiles. Taking my face in her hands, she kisses me loudly on the cheek. “You’re so cute. He looks just like Shea.”
Mom laughs. “I know. Which means he looks like me, which makes me happy.”
“Right? I love when my kids look like me. Shelli, it changes with her mood. She drives me crazy, and have I told you I hate her hair?”
“Oh my God, me too! It’s awful!”
“Right?”
I shake my head. “Elli, focus.”
She looks back to me and grins. “Yes?”
“I need a favor.”
She nods, her wine sloshing out of her glass. “Anything. Anything for you. You’re my favorite.”
This probably isn’t the best time to ask, but I’m going to anyway. “I want to surprise Sofia. Will you help me?”
“Of course!” she says happily, and my heart soars.
Because I want to continue making Sofia happy for as long as I can.
