Page 119

We shuffle into the den, the room cooler than the living area warmed by the morning cheer and Christmas lights. Avery moves to the closet, pushing aside coats and reaching deep inside. There's a scrape of something being dragged, and then she emerges holding one edge of a large, shapeless form covered by a dusty drop cloth.
"Here it is," she says, her voice slightly shaky, betraying the calm demeanor she's putting on.
I step closer, eyeing the mysterious object. "What's this?"
"Your gift," she replies simply, standing back to give me space.
"Can I?" I ask, gesturing toward the cloth.
"Of course," she nods.
With a slight tremor in my fingers—a cocktail of anticipation and nerves—I grasp the fabric. It slides off easily, fluttering to the floor and revealing the gift beneath it.
My breath catches. It's the mosaic Avery had been working on, her passion project. But it's no longer just a collection of tesserae; it's complete. The colors are vibrant, the image clear and alive. It's them, Avery and Olivia, their smiles captured in glass and stone, so life-like I nearly expect them to laugh out loud. But, it's not just the two of them anymore. Standing with them is me. And there we are, all three of us, depicted in front of the house that has become more home than any place I've ever known.
"Wow," escapes my lips before I can form any coherent thought. My eyes trace over the details, each tiny piece a testament to the hours, days, the care put into it.
"Look closer," Avery prompts.
And I do. There's something in Avery's hands within the mosaic, a detail I almost missed. A tiny, intricate design nestled in her palm—another piece of this beautiful puzzle. I'm trying to make out what it is, squinting to see the minute parts making up the whole.
"Is that... what I think it is?" My finger hovers over the tiny image in the mosaic, a mirror to the one Avery is holding. It's the unmistakable shape of an ultrasound photo. Heart pounding, I swivel to her, seeking confirmation.
She nods, a tidal wave of emotion crashing across her features. "Yes, we're... I'm pregnant."
I'm stunned into silence. There's a buzzing in my ears as if the world is receding and all that remains is Avery, her smile, and the monumental truth she just shared. Olivia is grinning wide, her eyes sparkling with mischief and delight; complicit in the secret now unveiled.
"Really?" The word is half choked, caught in the sudden tightness of my throat.
"Really." Avery's voice is soft but firm, a tether pulling me back from the dizzying edge of disbelief.
In two strides, I close the distance between us, my arms wrapping around Avery, lifting her off the ground. Our lips meet in a kiss that seals every unspoken promise. Olivia's laughter peals through the room, and she throws her small arms around us both, completing the circle.
"God, I love you both so much." I set Avery back on her feet, but keep her close, our foreheads touching. Tears well up, unbidden, spilling over. "You've given me a home, a family. You've made me the happiest man alive."
"Victor," Avery whispers, her own eyes glistening. "We love you too. We are your family." Her hand finds mine, squeezing tight.
And in this moment, cradled in the warmth of their embrace, everything I've ever lost or yearned for feels restored and fulfilled. I have found where I truly belong.
Olivia's tug at my sleeve is gentle, but insistent. I blink away the last of my tears and look down at her. The sheer gravity in her ten-year-old eyes makes me kneel before her, bringing us to eye level.
"Victor," she starts, "there’s one more thing. My gift." Her small hands hold out an envelope, slightly crinkled from being clutched too tight.
"Olivia?" I ask, glancing at Avery, who nods encouragingly. My fingers fumble with the flap, pulling out the contents. Inside are papers—documents—and a photograph. I unfold them slowly, my heart thudding against my chest.
"Mommy helped me," Olivia explains, her voice barely above a whisper. "We found them, Victor. Your family."
The photo is old, faded—a group of people I've never met, but whose features echo familiarly in the lines of my own face. Birth certificates, addresses, letters—they cascade through my trembling fingers.
"Whenever you're ready," Olivia continues, "we can go see them... together."
"Family isn't just blood, though," Avery chimes insoftly. "But it's part of your story, and we want to be there for all of it."
"God... I..." Words fail me; they seem too small for this.
I pull them both into an embrace, feeling the weight of years of unanswered questions begin to lift. "You two... you're the most extraordinary gifts life could have ever given me." I hold them tighter, our shared warmth a testament to the love we've built. "Thank you for making me whole."
And as we stand there, clinging to each other amidst the torn wrapping paper and ribbon, I know that this is what true happiness feels like. It's not just in finding where you come from, but in knowing where you belong. And I belong here, with these two incredible beings who have chosen me as much as I've chosen them.
The End.