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I can’t help but laugh. “If you really want to.”
“He’s not nearly as stinky now as he used to be,” Laurie says. “He earned the name Mr. Stinky Pants when he was a baby. You don’t even want to know what he smelled like back then.” She pinches her nose and waves a hand in front of her face like she’s blowing the stench away.
That gets a bubble of laughter from Hayden. “My mom’s friend has a baby. He sure smells bad too.”
“I’m afraid we’re all stinky from time to time,” Laurie says.
“Even you, Grandma?”
Laurie looks like she’s not sure whether she wants to laugh at his question or cry at the fact that he’s calling her grandma.
“Not her,” I say. “She only smells like roses all the time.”
Hayden laughs. “I think I like it here.”
“I’ve raised five boys. I’m not afraid of a little potty humor,” Laurie says.
Hayden looks over at me. “Are you going to marry my dad?”
My mouth falls open. That was the last question I expected him to ask. This just got a whole lot more complicated. I look over to Laurie for help, silently begging her to change the subject.
But then Lidia comes into the room. “Dinner is ready.”
Hayden pops up from the couch, but then he looks back at the TV. “I didn’t get to finish my game though.”
“Don’t worry, Hayden,” Laurie says. “You can come right back up here after you’re finished with your dinner. You won’t regret it. Lidia’s tacos will melt right in your mouth.”
“Okay.” He sets his controller down and gets up to follow us back downstairs. As we’re walking down the hall, Hayden turns and looks up at me with a nervous look on his face. “Do you think my dad is going to like me? Sometimes I don’t remember to hang my backpack up after school, and I leave my coat in the middle of the floor.”
I stop and turn to look him in the eyes. “Hayden, it doesn’t matter what you do. Your dad is going to love you with every fiber of his being.”
“But how do you know?”
“Because your dad is one of the best people I’ve ever met.” And as I say it, I know it’s true. He’s kind and selfless and funny.
Laurie is speechless for once. She’s just looking at me over his head, and I realize she’s holding back tears and doesn’t want him to see. She has a hand covering her mouth like she’s hoping to silence any cries that might escape.
Amanda and Langston are sitting at the table when we get down there.
I meet his eyes and take a seat next to him. His eyes are full of tenderness when he sees Hayden.
“Hey, buddy. I heard you were up playing video games. I’m sorry I didn’t know who you were before, but your mom told me, and we’re good now. But I did have a feeling about it.” He twists toward Hayden, who is passing behind his chair to the other side of him. “You kind of look like me.” He looks over at me and mouths, “Did you know?”
I nod and lean over and whisper in his ear. “Hayden told your mom and me.”
“Can I sit by you, Dad?” Hayden stands behind the empty chair next to Langston.
Langston looks at Hayden like he’s the most precious creature on earth, and my heart is melting watching the two of them together. “Of course.” Langston pats the chair on the other side of him.
Amanda is sitting across from us, watching the interchange with a neutral expression on her face. I still can’t help but wonder why she kept Hayden away from us for so long.
Laurie sits at the head of the table where Langston’s dad usually sits. He’s been away on a business trip and probably doesn’t know anything about his new grandson. Laurie hasn’t had a moment to tell him. But I have no doubt that she’ll be picking up the phone as soon as she can.
Langston is a natural with Hayden. The two of them are cracking jokes back and forth all through dinner, like estranged friends making up for lost time.
After dinner, Amanda, Langston, Laurie, and I go to sit in the living room. Lidia takes Hayden back upstairs to play video games.
Langston begins, “You’ve probably figured it out by now that Hayden is my son.”