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His face lights up. “With peanut butter?”
“Sure,” I choke out. “Whatever you want.”
Erik throws himself into my arms, and I breathe in the scent of his baby shampoo. He smacks a kiss on my cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, too, buddy.”
Mia settles in behind me and places her hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. My mother does the same to my other shoulder.
“It’s time to go home, baby,” my mom says to me. “I’m ready.”
“Me, too, Mom. Me, too.” I lift Erik in my arms and stand. “You’ll like the apartment I renovated for you on the off chance you would change your mind.”
Excited, she rubs her hands together. “That means I get to decorate, cook my babies dinner, and plan our Sunday brunches. I’m looking forward to being with my family.”
“This will be good for all of us.”
With every member of my family present, my unborn daughter included, my life has never felt more complete. My mom had always told me that the right people come into our lives when we need them most, and that much was true when it came to Mia. She was the breath of fresh air I needed, the one person I could bare myself to without fear.
I turn to Mia and press my lips to hers. No matter how many days or years go by, I still feel that spark with her, a flame that only glows brighter with each new experience we share.
“Eww,” Erik says in my ear. “Daddy kissed Mommy.”
“My silly boy.” Mia pats his shaggy brown hair. “Wait until you get old enough to have a girlfriend.”
He wrinkles his nose in disgust. “Girls are gross.”
I laugh. “You won’t say that when you get older, buddy. Mommy’s not gross, and she’s a girl.”
“I love Mommy,” he coos. “Mommy pretty. Mommy makes me cookies. Can I have cookies?”
Mia cracks a smile. “When we get home, I’ll make you all the cookies you can eat.”
“Yay,” he yells in my ear. “I want to fly again, Daddy. Swing, swing, swing.”
“Okay, but one more time, and then we have to leave.”
Erik clutches both of our hands.
“Take us home, Daddy,” Mia says.
She gives me a wicked smile that I return.
“There’s no place I’d rather be.”
