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I look up at Lee and smile, brightly, thankful for yet another gift this man made a reality, when his unwavering determination to make us an “us” has paid off. It was through his strength and love that we have a future so bright it burns.
This time, that burn, one I had felt differently before, was welcome. Before I had no ashes left to be reborn from, because the pain burned too strong. But now, because of the burn of his love on our life, taking away the ashes left from my guilt and suffering, I just know the new life born from the last will be overrun with love and happiness.
It’s our future.
“And this one, well, our Liam went through a stage that lasted almost six months. In that time he was naked every time we turned around. Beck thought this was hilarious, which is why there are so many pictures. I, however, did not. Do you know how embarrassing it is when your son gets buck naked in the middle of the supermarket?”
I shake my head and laugh even harder than I had in the last hour of Dee showing me old pictures of Lee. Once I got over my nerves, it was like I had been a part of this family forever. Molly has been on cloud nine too. Going from helping his mom set out the takeout—because according to Dee, she does not cook—then talking Beck’s ear off about all the things we do as a threesome, to which Beck’s handsome smile grew even larger, and those lines got even deeper.
“But I got him back, his father I mean. He didn’t think it was funny when our little nudist stopped being a nudist and started wearing my heels all over the house. Oh, he didn’t think that was funny one bit, but I did. God didn’t see it fit for us to have a girl, but he did give me a boy that had no problems walking in four-inch heels,” she laughs.
“He didn’t,” I gasp, shocked at the picture before me of Lee. He looks to be Molly’s age, huge smile, dimple sticking out and his mother’s bright red heels on his feet. “Oh my God, he did!” My giggles turn into deep belly laughs at this point.
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“What are you two in here cackling about?” Beck asks, rounding the couch and settling in next to his wife. “Oh Dee, your son is going to kill you,” he gruffs with a smile.
“Oh hush, old man. He isn’t going to do anything of the sort. ”
“If you don’t stop showing his woman all those embarrassing pictures of him, he will. ”
She turns and narrows her eyes at her husband. “I’ve been waiting his whole life for this moment. When my little man would bring home his future. All my life, John Beckett. You do not spoil this for me. ”
I wouldn’t have guessed, because she seems so soft-spoken and sweet, that his mom would have a backbone that would snap tight, but I was wrong. She may look the part of quiet and motherly, but right in this moment, I can tell where Lee got a lot of his stubborn grit.
Beck’s eyes soften and he gazes at his wife with love written all over his body. “Pull those claws back, wildcat,” he hums, his voice sounding deeper, rawer, and I instantly feel like I’m intruding on something a little too intimate.
“Would you two stop?” Lee laughs and drops down next to me. His eyes hit the open photo album seconds before shooting back to his mom. “You didn’t,” he groans.
“I did. Don’t you start on me either, Liam. I’m your mother and it’s my mother duty to share all of your embarrassing moments with your girlfriend. You haven’t given me the chance before and if I’m judging right, I won’t need another, so I’m taking it and you can just deal. ”
Lee puts his hands up, surrendering to his mom, and pulls me back to his chest.
“Molly, come here, little lady! Old grandma Dee has some funny pictures to show you. ”
Dee’s eyes narrow at his reference to her age, but when Molly comes skipping into the room, her face goes soft. “Just Grandma, honey or nanny works too. Don’t listen to that grumpy man. He’s just mad he doesn’t fit in my shoes anymore,” Dee tells her and we all laugh when Lee starts to sputter.
We continue looking through the photo albums, laughing when Lee gets embarrassed, but true to her word, his mom doesn’t stop until the last book is finished.
“That was a terrible thing to do to your only son,” he grumbles and leans back crossing his arms over his chest.
“Mommy, Leelee is having a fit,” Molly snickers.
“He sure is, little bird,” I tease.
“You just wait, Liam,” Dee starts. “You just wait. ” She looks over at me, “You make sure and take lots of pictures of Molly and any more children you’re blessed with. You’ll love this moment just as much as I have. I don’t have a daughter, but I’m sure if I did, this lump here would be doing the same thing I just did,” she says and points to Beck before laughing when he pulls her to his side.
“The hell I would,” he rumbles, giving her a soft kiss before looking at me. “But I would be cleaning every gun I own at the approximate time that any man was due to arrive,” he tells me in all seriousness.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Lee mutters to himself and I look over at him. “What?” he questions, throwing his hands up. “It’s a good idea. When Molly starts dating it’s also one I won’t forget. ”
“What?” I ask lamely.
“Darlin’, she looks like your twin now at five. Add ten years to that and I’m going to go out of my mind when boys start coming around. ”
His parents laugh and Molly joins in, but I just look at him. Right when I’m about to respond he opens his mouth and shocks me again.
“You give me more girls and I’ll have to buy more guns though. You give me some boys and I’ll make sure they know how to help me clean those guns. I figure though, with me being a cop, there isn’t going to be a single knucklehead that messes with my girl. ”
“What’s a knucklehead,” Molly questions, breaking into my thoughts.
“Boys are knuckleheads,” Lee tel
ls her. “And I don’t want knuckleheads near my girl. ”
His parent’s laughter grows.
“That’s me, right?” Molly inquires.
“That’s right, little lady. You’re all mine forever and ever. ”
She twitters a laugh that sounds like a happier version of her chirpy bird giggles.
“Mommy, I love being Leelee’s girl. ”
I don’t hear his parents laughing now. My eyes don’t leave Molly’s when I nod and tell her how much I love that too. But I don’t need to see his parents to know how happy they are for their son.
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When Molly’s arms reach out and wrap around both mine and Lee’s neck, I hug her back and close my eyes, loving every second of our little threesome. But my thoughts are confirmed when I hear his dad, gruff voice that is thick with emotion, tell his son four words that make my throat thick with emotion.
“Proud of you, son. ”
AS PROMISED, LEE’S WORK SCHEDULE and the rain finally synced up. Last night, while watching Lee and Molly have the cutest tea party I’ve ever seen, it started to rain. Not just any rain, this one shook the whole house with its power. Lee stops, teapot in hand mid pour, looks at me across the room. His smile was no less knee-melting, but it held a youthful excitement to it that had me pausing.
I’ve seen a lot of Lee smiles in the past. The ones when I first started coming around, before we came together, held mischief. After our first night together, they held promise of his determination. Then, while I was busy ignoring and avoiding, even though his smile still held that determination, there was also a small hint to what my avoidance was doing to him. A little dip on the left side that prevented his dimple from coming all the way out, a little dip that showed me it cost him to keep his distance. Now, the only smile he gives us is one that expresses his love toward Molly and me.
Until this one.
This new one that I’ve never seen.
And mixed with the love on his face, this exuberance toward something as simple as rain, gives my heart pause before picking back up as if it’s in the race of a lifetime.
It’s feels freaking amazing.
“It’s raining, darlin’,” he told me.
“Cats and dogs,” Molly jokes.
He looks across the expanse of the tea party covered table. “Yeah, little lady, huge dogs and fat cats. Do you hear how loud they are?”
