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“I know you love how she’s been helping you, but how do you feel about her living here? Like forever?” I pressed.
“Forever?” Libby asked. “Like you mean she’s going to be my assistant?”
“I mean I think I want to get to know her, and she might be a good person to be a second mom to you someday.”
“A second mom?” Libby asked.
“Libby,” Erin said, “No one can take the place of your mom, and I want you to know right now that I would never want to put you in a place where you felt like you had to choose. But would you be open to the idea that I could be like a second mom to you? To help you grow up and love you and be here for you like a mom?”
“It’s not going to happen right away,” I said. “I mean we’re getting to that point, but I think it would be a good thing for everyone in our family if Erin and I started being like a mom and dad for you.”
“You mean she’s your girlfriend?” Libby asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Is that okay with you?” Erin asked.
“Yes!” Libby cried. “Really? You really mean it? Does that mean you’re going to stay here forever? I want you to!”
“I want to, too!” Erin said with a laugh. “I really do.”
Libby seemed over the moon with happiness, and I felt the knot in my stomach ease a bit. I hadn’t expected things to go this well, and now that they had, I wanted to share the news with the entire world. Of course, I knew it wasn’t going to go over so well with others in our lives, and that was something we’d have to prepare for.
But, with Libby, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.
And that made me the happiest man on the planet.
I was getting a family back.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Erin
FridaydraggedbyuntilI was finally able to leave to pick up Krissy at the airport.
Neils agreed to pick up Libby that day so I would have the time to go get my friend, and I was already planning on telling her all about Neils and me on the way back to the condo. I didn’t see any reason to wait once I had her in the car, and that would give her the chance to really get used to the idea by the time we got back to the condo.
I hoped she wouldn’t make that big of a deal out of things since she was the one who largely had been telling me to date him anyway. But it was hard for me to know for sure how my best friend was going to react to the thought. I had my fingers crossed she would be excited, and I rehearsed in my mind how I was going to tell her.
I stood in the airport, checking my phone every few minutes to see how much longer I had to wait before Krissy arrived. I knew it could take time for the plane to land and get the passengers off, so I tried to be patient. But it was difficult with the excitement running through me.
At long last, Krissy showed up at the top of the stairs. Even though the airport was crowded with other people, she squealed when she saw me.
“Erin!” she called out. “That’s my best friend! That’s my best friend!”
She started her way down the escalator, doing her best to get around the people who were in front of her. Never one to be very patient, she had to push past two more people before she was able to break free and run over to me.
“You’re here! You’re here!” I called to her as she reached me. She threw her arms around my neck, and I wrapped my arms around her in return. We jumped in a circle in our embrace, laughing and talking at the same time. It was impossible for either of us to hear what the other was saying with all the talking, but neither of us cared.
We had been waiting for so long to be able to see each other, it didn’t come as a surprise to either of us that the other wasn’t able to wait to start talking.
Then, she stopped.
“All right, I’ve got a surprise for you,” she said.
“You do?” I asked. “What is it? Can I have it now, or do I have to wait until I get home?”
“You’re going to want it now,” she said. “Trust me. This can’t wait until we get home.”
