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“That can be a house full of foster kids. Or kids we adopt. But the main part of this dream is to have you with me. I love you, Jenni Finely, and that will never change.”
“You really mean that?”
“Of course I do.”
“I love you too, Langston,” she says.
“So what does that mean for us?” I ask.
She reaches out and takes my hand. “It means I want to be with you. If you’ll have me.”
I can’t wait a moment longer. I pull her into my arms, and she melts into my embrace, feeling perfectly in place. “I’ll have you. I want to keep you around forever.”
“You sure about that? Forever is a really long time for you to put up with me.”
I laugh. “I think I can handle it.”
She steps on her tiptoes and covers my laugh with her mouth. Her sweet lips are on mine as I pull her tighter against my body. I deepen the kiss, and it stretches on until my head spins and I’m floating. I’ve never felt so much joy and bliss move through me in my life.
She pulls back and sighs against my lips, her breath tickling me, sending a shudder through me.
“You’re really good at that. I think I might have to try it again sometime.”
I can’t keep the grin off my face. “I sure hope you do.”
* * *
Jenni and I spend the rest of the weekend together. Our parents are overjoyed with the news that we’re back together, and everyone is so kind and supportive toward Jenni now that her infertility secret is out.
Hayden seems to be the happiest of all, and when he found out Jenni was back in the picture, he gave her the biggest hug.
At the end of the weekend, I head out to take Hayden back to Amanda’s place while Jenni soaks in a much needed bubble bath. Not that I was in there or anything. I just heard it was going to happen. Jenni’s a wait-until-marriage kind of girl. And I’m okay with that, but it does get me thinking about marriage. I won’t lie.
But regardless of that, I would be thinking of marriage. Because I love this woman so much, and it feels like this is a long time coming. I’m happy to date for a while longer, to make sure things are settling okay, but I’m already thinking about proposing within the next few months. Maybe my mom has rubbed off on me some. Or maybe I’m just a fool in love, but Jenni is wife material in every possible way.
Anyway, I don’t want Jenni’s parents getting any more big ideas about that guy in India they think is so great for her. I’m happy to seal the deal before that guy can come near her.
“Dad, I had so much fun with you. It’s not as fun at Mom’s house. I love her and everything, but she’s always so sick. She hardly pays attention to me anymore and I have to do a lot for myself because she’s too tired to do it.”
“It’s okay for you to help her around the house a little, but if it’s too much for you, I hope you know you can always tell me and I’ll try to get your mom some help. Does she at least have a nurse who could come help her?”
He shakes his head. “No. She doesn’t think she needs one.”
I don’t like the sound of that.
We pull up to her house, and Amanda comes out to the car, waving at Hayden. He climbs out and runs to hug her. “Hey, Hayden! Why don’t you run inside and watch some TV? I need to talk to your dad for a minute.”
“Okay, Mom.” He looks back at me. “Bye, Dad. I love you.”
My heart practically stops in my chest. He’s never told me that before.
Amanda doesn’t seem to miss it either. “Wow. He’s come a long way,” she says after he’s in the house.
“He has. Things are going better than I’d expected with him,” I say.
“Hayden is like a different child these days. He’s so happy to be here.” She pauses for a minute and then raises her gaze to mine. “I owe you an apology, Langston. I never should have kept Hayden away from you like this. I’ve been in therapy since my diagnosis. I just found a new therapist here in town, and he’s helped me see some of the reasons why I took off with Hayden back then. I was afraid you were going to turn out like my dad. He abandoned us when I was little. He had money too, but he found a new family and never paid us child support. So we really struggled growing up. When I discovered that I was pregnant, I just freaked out, thinking you would be just like my dad and leave us. So I left you first. But my therapist has helped me understand that I was dealing with trauma and likely have PTSD from my childhood abandonment. I see now that you’re nothing like my dad. You’re willing to be there for Hayden.”
I nod. “All I want is whatever’s best for Hayden.”