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I wrap my arms around him and hug him tight. He has changed so much in the past year; he’s taller, he’s losing that little boy look, and he looks so much like Hank. “How was your day?”
“It was good and I’m hungry.”
He’s always hungry, but Hank was the same way.
“I have crackers in my bottom drawer, baby.”
He helps himself to some Cheez-Its while I wipe down the desks and straighten up the room. It takes me about twenty minutes to get everything wrapped up.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask him.
Tripp hops up and throws away the paper towel with cracker crumbs on it. He grabs my hand and we head out. Walking to my car, he chatters away happily. He’s so resilient after everything that happened with Tracey and Austin. Speaking of those two—they’re both in prison and will be there for five years or more.
Austin, that first year, would try to call me. Hank finally told him he’d pay him a visit if he didn’t leave me alone. Also, he’d report him for harassment. Thankfully he stopped. We haven’t heard from Tracey, thankfully.
I officially adopted Tripp right after Hank and I got married. We did it in his parents’ living room with just them, Tripp, Derrick, and Riley, who has finally moved home. It was everything I could’ve hoped for.
Above our sofa on the wall is a huge portrait that Hank’s parents had made. It’s a picture of us with the kids, the boys are in dark-blue suits, and Fallon and I were in off-white dresses. It was a candid shot, Fallon was shoving her fist in her daddy’s mouth while she was in my arms. Tripp had his head thrown back, laughing.
“Mommy, what’s for dinner?”
The first time Tripp called me Mom, or Mommy, I cried. It felt so right for him to call me that. I love him, he’s my son, biology means nothing. “I was thinking about making those homemade chicken strips you like. How does that sound?”
“Yummy.” He pumps his other fist. “Yeah, baby.”
God, he makes me laugh a lot. Opening the back door for him, he climbs in and buckles himself in. We head across town to pick up Fallon.
The minute we pull into the driveway and I shut the car off, Tripp is out and running up to the front door. Hank’s mom greets us in the living with my little spitfire in her arms. “Hey, how was your day?” I ask as I step toward them, kissing Mom on the cheek and taking my daughter, who hugs me tight.
“It was good. We went to story time at the library and then to the park. Her nap was about two and half hours today.” She says while I kiss all over Fallon’s face. I set her down, and she runs/waddles over to her brother, who gets down on his knees to hug her.
They love each other so much. At home, she follows her big brother everywhere he goes and when he does something she can’t, Fallon lets us all know she’s unhappy about it.
Judy grabs us a couple of glasses of lemonade, and we sit at the kitchen counter. “How are you doing, sweetheart?” she asks, grabbing my hand.
I smile widely. “I feel amazing. Things are great at home. Both kids are great. Hank’s great. I’m so lucky and have a lot to be thankful for.”
“I’m so glad you two found your way back to each other.” She says and then moves to look at the kids who are playing on the carpet. “Could my grandbabies be any cuter? Do you guys think you’ll have any more?”
That’s been the topic of conversation lately. “No, we talked for a long time about it. It was mentally exhausting when Fallon was a newborn. I’m not sure I want to do that again.”
“I completely understand. You have to do what’s best for you and your family.” Judy pulls me into a hug. “I love you, sweetheart.”
My mother-in-law is so amazing. I’m lucky to have the one I do. “I love you, too.”
The kids and I head home, and I’m pulling the kids’ dinner out of the oven when the front door opens.
“Daddy,” Tripp shouts.
“Dada,” Fallon copies her big brother.
Smiling, I walk into the living room finding my sexy husband with our daughter in his arms and our son hugging him around the waist. I walk toward them, and Hank gives me that smile that makes my insides melt.
I reach him and grab the front of his T-shirt, pulling him down to kiss him deeply. Pulling back, I smile. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey, beautiful. Did you have a good day?”
I nod. “I did.”
