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“I’m—” I snap my mouth closed because I don’t knowwhat to say.
It seems insanely fast, but I’d also be lying if I said I hadn’t considered what a future with the three Woodson guys would look like.
“She’s whatever you want her to be,” Chase says. “A friend or—”
“A momma!” both boys cheer, wide smiles on their cherub faces.
There’s no sense in trying to fight the tears any longer.
Both boys’ moods change just as fast as their elation arrived.
“She doesn’t want that,” Cole says, taking Cale’s hand as if he needs to comfort his brother.
“I think those are happy tears,” Chase says, and I dash them off my face and quickly smile.
“They are,” I assure him.
“Girls are weird,” Cale mutters.
“What’s good about tears?” Cole asks. “I only cry when I get hurt.”
“You cried last night when Papaw dropped something in the living room,” Cale reminds him.
Cole scowls. “I thought it was a hurricane.”
“What have you been watching? We’re too far inland to worry about hurricanes,” Chase assures him.
“Oh look, the happy couple,” Mr. Woodson says as he walks up.
“Papaw made us watch the news,” Cole tattles.
“Said we need to know what’s going on in the world,” Cale adds.
“I think we can wait until we’re a little older for that,” Chase says, the warning in his tone for his father.
“So are you or aren’t you?” Cole asks.
“What’s that?” I ask, needing to hear them actually say it together.
“Will you be our momma?” Cale asks, a hint of exasperation in his little voice.
“I’d love to,” I tell them.
They cheer like we’ve just said we’re heading to Disney, and it just sits right with my soul.
“I’m turning your room into a dance studio,” Mom says as she approaches, her forearm swiping at the sweat on her forehead. She looks at Chase. “No takebacks permitted.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Chase says, his arm around my back.
The boys, happy with the news they’ve gotten, start running back toward the house.
I roll my lips between my teeth to keep from laughing when a Husky runs out the open front door. He starts making an ungodly noise, half of a bark but also half of some sort of braying sound.
“Corbin said you were adopting him when he dropped him off earlier. Said not to worry about the fee,” Mr. Woodson says.
“Come here, Nanuk!” Cole says as he squats and pats his lap.
“Nanuk?” Chase asks. “And they came up with that all on their own?”
