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“What?” asked Luca curiously.
“I think that you and these superheroes have kept you and your mom safe. Batman and Spiderman are very important superheroes and they would not hang out with just anybody. They chose you because they know how special you and your mom are.”
I’d never seen Luca hug anyone but Addie or me but that just changed before my eyes. I actually witnessed my shy little boy reach up and grab Zane’s neck and pull him into a hug. Zane immediately returned the gesture and picked Luca up. My heart was full as I watched them hold each other like they never wanted to let go. It made me realize I did not want to let go either.
Zane finally released Luca and suddenly his excitement returned.
“Hey Luc, I have a surprise for you. Do you want to bring Batman and Spiderman with you while we go check it out?”
I loved that he included Luca’s special toys in the surprise. It showed me that he cared about Luca’s feelings as much as mine. That alone meant everything. Never again would I be with a man who didn’t love my son also. I followed Zane and Luca down the hall and into the spare bedroom where he had hidden Luca’s surprise.
Luca was stunned into temporary silence when he opened the door. He could only stare at the gigantic stuffed Mickey Mouse that sat in the middle of the room on top of a Spiderman sleeping bag. Luca’s love for Disney knew no bounds, and when he finally got his wits back, he ran into the room and crashed into the big plushie toy. “I love it!” he said.
“Good!” Zane came over and Luca hugged him again. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be too big.” He looked back at me guiltily. “Sorry if it takes up too much space in his room, but I just couldn’t resist when I saw it earlier today.”
“Can Mickey sit with us for the movie?”
I laughed. “He can sit on the floor by the couch,” I said. “Otherwise, there won’t be enough room for the rest of us.”
Luca struggled to carry the thing all by himself, but Zane helped him, and soon enough Luca had got settled on the floor by the couch again and got lost in play. I pulled Zane aside into the kitchen and gave him a look. “Tell me honestly, was that the original surprise?”
Zane rubbed the back of his neck. “That was part of it…”
“There was more.”
He nodded. “Yeah. A lot more. I basically went a little crazy at the toy store today, and if you hadn’t said that thing on the phone earlier, Luca would’ve walked into that room and seen $500 worth of new stuff. The rest is all hidden in the hall closet. I figured I can give him another toy on his birthday, and another one at Christmas.”
I stretched up onto my tiptoes and kissed him. “Thank you for understanding. I know you only bought that stuff because you wanted to make him happy, and I appreciate it but I also want to make sure that Luca knows that sometimes there aren’t going to be new toys, but that he can still play with his old ones and be happy.” I frowned. “I don’t know if I’m explaining this right… I just…”
“I get it,” he said. “You don’t want him to think that happiness comes from getting new things. You want him to be able to enjoy other things in life.”
“Exactly,” I said. “And he already loves spending time with you so much… You don’t have to get him anything, because just having you around is a gift in and of itself.”
Zane smiled. “I feel the same way.” He then reached for me and held me close. “But also, with your permission, I would really like to give Luca this one other thing I bought him at the store. It doesn’t have to be tonight, but maybe soon. I bought these matching nerf guns that look really fun. Honestly, buying them for him was really just so that I could have an excuse to play with them too, seeing as Kenlee is still a little too young for a nerf war.”
I laughed as I imagined Zane and Luca running around chasing each other with the nerf guns. “I guess that would be okay,” I said. “As long as you’re the one who has to go around picking up all the loose bullets afterwards.”
“I’d be happy to.”
The pizza arrived a few minutes later and Zane went to get Luca while I set the table. I opted for paper plates and napkins for easier cleanup. I poured Luca a glass of milk and Zane and I each a glass of wine, and soon we were all sitting around the table together. The pizza was delicious and when we were finished, I began to clear the table before Zane stopped me.
“Leave that. It will still be there in the morning,” he said, drawing me into his muscular arms.
I felt so safe when he held me, so I gave in and sank into the hug. And if I was being honest, a night off from cleaning did sound pretty nice.
“Come on, I haveStrange Worldqueued up on Disney +. I heard that’s a good one,” he said, taking mine and Luca’s hands and leading us to his bedroom.
“I thought we could watch it in my room. There is more space for us all to sit and the television is better,” he said, turning on the TV.
“Your bedroom is fine,” I replied. Making himself at home, Luca kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. He’d been dying to see this movie, so I knew he was excited. Zane got him a pillow and he set up a front-row seat. He laid on his stomach with his little face propped on his hands and his legs bent. I might be biased, but I didn’t think there had ever been anything more adorable. The movie entranced him which gave Zane and me a chance to talk in hushed voices amongst ourselves.
I sat next to him and he had his arm around me playing with my hair while we chatted about nothing in particular. About halfway through the movie, however, he looked down at me and his tone shifted into a more serious one.
“So, Katya, I have a question.”
Curious, I raised an eyebrow. “Okay, and what is your question?”
“Don’t get me wrong and please do not be offended, but I’ve been thinking about it, and I was wondering if being a maid at a ski lodge was perhaps not the job you dreamed about having when you were a little girl.”
