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27
Alex
“I’ve tried notto push these past two weeks, but Pippa comes home today, and…” Freddy trails off.
“And you want to know if I’m going to stay on.”
“Among other things.”
I’ve spent most of this week trying to find reasons not to stay.
Were things perfect? No. I’d be concerned if they were. But it turns out Freddy and I are a couple of reasonable individuals capable of working out our differences amicably. “We’ve had two weeks with just you and me. I’d like to see how we do with two weeks with the three of us.”
Freddy’s grin flashes wide, and some of my fear drops away.
That evening as we’re tucking Pippa in bed, she smooshes Freddy’s cheeks between her palms.
“Daddy, I think Alex should marry us.”
“I do too, Poppet. I have asked—”
Pippa turns to me, her eyes shiny with the tears about to fall.
“I thought you loved us,” she wails.
“I do love you.”
“How can you when you won’t marry us?”
“Oh, sweetheart. Do you know when sometimes you’re told to do something, and you don’t want to just because you were told to do it? I have a whole bunch of people saying I have to marry your dad. And I don’t want to be told by anyone who I should marry.”
“Not even me?”
“Pippa, I’m not saying I wouldn’t ever marry your dad. It’s just not the right thing for now. I love you both with all my heart, but things are complicated, and getting married isn’t the way to fix things.”
“You’re not going to leave us are you?”
“No. It doesn’t ever matter how things work out between your dad and me, I’m never leavingyou. Your dad and I agreed on that first thing after we found out you were going to be a big sister.”
“Promise?”
“I promise. I love you to itty-bitty pieces.”
“I love you, too.”
28
Alex
Freddy is holdingmy hand tight as the ultrasound technician squirts warm gel on my belly. “Let’s have a look,” she says as she spreads the gooey stuff all over my skin with the probe.
“Well, now, there’s a surprise.”
“What?” Freddy and I ask at the same time.
“It would appear that another generation of twins is on the way.”
“Two? Are you sure?”
