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Mom hugs me as I hear Brianna screech at the top of her lungs. "A PUZZLE? HOW DID YOU KNOW I LOVE PUZZLES, BRADY?"
Mom and I start laughing as we make our way down the hall.
Brady's sitting on the couch and Dad's in his recliner. Mom sits beside Brianna on the floor as they look through the gifts we brought back from Denver.
I take a seat beside Brady, and I snuggle against him as he drapes his arm over my shoulder.
"A coloring book, too?" Brianna throws her arms up in the air.
"Wait til she sees all the crayons," Brady whispers in my ear.
"She's going to freak out," I chuckle.
"Don't you think this was a bit much?" Dad narrows his eyes at me. "Christmas is in 10 days."
I wave him off. "They're crafts. And a puzzle."
"This will keep us busy during the snowstorm this week," Mom's face lights up. "They brought you paints, Bri."
"And an apron!" she wiggles on the floor.
When Brianna's finished sorting all her new crafts, she crawls into my lap and lays her head on Brady's chest.
"Thank you for my gifts," she says to us. "Can we watch a princess movie now?"
Brady runs a hand over her head as Dad tosses me the remote. "Your mother and I are headed out for dinner. If you need something, call."
"We will," I sigh as I snuggle closer to Brady.
"What are we going to have for dinner?" Brianna gasps.
Brady holds up his phone. "Anything you want. We'll have it delivered."
Brianna's blue eyes widen. "Ice cream."
Brady laughs. "How about spaghetti and meatballs?"
"Who told you that's my favorite food?" Brianna looks up at him.
"I guessed it," Brady lies. I totally told him in the car.
"Can we also get breadsticks?" She lays her head back on his chest.
"We can't have spaghetti and meatballs without breadsticks," he smiles, and it takes my breath away.
I turn on a movie and the three of us cuddle on the couch while we wait for the food to arrive.
For so long, I hoped my life would look like this. That someone would want to sit on a couch on a Sunday evening with Brianna and me and watch a movie.
I never realized, until now, how lonely we were while Steve played video games in the next room. He was so close, yet so far.
Why didn't he want this? Why weren't we more important than a game console? Why didn't I leave sooner?
Because.
Because we were always meant to be right here.
Chapter 26
