Ordinary – Alex Warren

Addie

Six months later

“A ddie.” Loud rustling, followed by annoyed groans, fill the closet of the master bedroom of Declan’s home—our home. “Help me!”

I sigh and drop the large cardboard box I’m carrying in from the garage to save my boyfriend from his outfit disaster. Had I known this event would cause such a ruckus in our lives, I never would have suggested he attend.

But now, Declan is sparing no expense to make this night ‘the most magical night ever.’ His words, not mine. While he’s hitting the dance floor and sipping on fruit punch, I’ll be unpacking the dozen boxes we hauled over from my old apartment that now sit in the entryway.

And rearranging the entire kitchen. His organizational regime would make Deon’s skin crawl.

The soft groans lead me to Declan, who’s in the closet, tangled in the bird tie Nora gifted him for Christmas. It’s hideous, but he’s worn it before every game, and now, his very first Daddy-Daughter Dance.

A soft laugh pulls from my chest when he glances up with concern.

“I’m tangled,” he says, letting the tie fall against his chest.

“I can see that.”

The blue-jays and cardinals on his tie bring out the blue in his eyes, and when I step closer, he releases a sigh—gentle and peaceful. There’s a small tremor in his hand when he cups my face, and I lay my hand over his.

“It’s going to be perfect,” I assure him.

I’ll never shake the memory of when Nora brought home the invitation from school and said she was going to ask Declan. The moment is almost as special as when she asked him, he cried, and she consoled him.

My two empaths. Taking care of each other.

“Maren needs to hurry up,” he says, jerking around as I attempt to fix his tie. I tug on the fabric, and he pauses. “The limo will be here at seven.”

The what?!

“You did not.”

I shouldn’t be surprised. He does nothing half-assed. We returned from Florida and my name was on all of his accounts, he made me his emergency contact at work, and publicly declared—in front of the entire Seattle Mavericks staff, players included—that we were canoodling and if anyone had an issue with it, he could take it up with him.

Obviously, no one had any issue.

And once the world knew we were together, he set his sights on convincing us we needed to move in with him, since Nora already had her room decorated, and he owned a karaoke machine.

He made a hard bargain, and now, here I am, head-over-heels in love, trudging boxes into our new home and helping him get ready to take Nora to her first Daddy-Daughter Dance.

“She deserves the world,” he responds, as if that’s the only acceptable response for his over-the-top gestures. I roll my eyes, and he adds, “How was your session?”

It’s my turn to sigh.

Tough.

It’s the only word I can find to describe the therapy sessions with my parents. Each one is easier than the last, but there are years of pain and resentment built up, and I’m still learning how to forgive them.

But I want to, and the sessions without Declan are always harder because he’s not there to hold my hand, but I’m doing it, and on the bad days, I vent to the girl's in our group chat.

“They want to visit this summer.”

“Oh?”

“I’m thinking about it.” I slip into his open arms, and he wraps me in a tight hug. “Maybe we can go to Vancouver Island.”

“A wonderful idea.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “Charge the card.”

I groan against his chest. “I do.”

“A two-dollar Kit Kat is not what I mean.”

“Don’t you need to get ready?” I slip from his embrace and dawdle around the large closet, half-empty and waiting for my clothes. The salmon suit in the corner catches my eye. “Wear this, it will match Nora’s dress.”

“I love that one.”

Of course, he does—it’s an assault to the eyes.

I’ve learned his closet is a treasure trove of bright colors and gaudy shirts, and he loves to wear them at any opportunity. Grocery store. After-school pick-up. Therapy with my parents. It wasn’t something I realized he had stopped doing until Nathalie cried at Book Club about how we brought the light back into his life, and with that, his eccentric wardrobe.

I pull out the suit set and hand it to him. “Get dressed. She’s going to be here any minute.”

He takes the clothing, and I watch as he slips off his loungewear and slowly buttons the dress shirt.

“Enjoying the show?”

I wink. “Always.”

He dips his head to press a soft kiss below my ear, then allows me to slip the tie over his head. The silence between us is charged as I adjust the tie. I let my hands linger on his abdomen, reveling in the way his muscles twitch and twist beneath my palm.

“Addie, please ,” he mumbles when my hand travels lower.

A soft giggle escapes me, but I step back and adjust the jacket. “You look incredibly handsome.”

Instead of a response, Declan wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me into the air, carrying me over to the bed and dropping me with a thud. He hovers over me, long strands of hair falling over his face.

The kiss he offers is tender and slow, and when he cracks his eyes open, he whispers, “I can’t believe this is all real.”

I can relate. Nine months ago, I was on the world’s worst date with very little hope for my love life. Now, I’m moving in with the man who shows Nora and me unconditional, unwavering affection, and ensures we will never worry about anything—not with him.

“I love you.”

Every day, I make sure to remind him how much so. He’s spent too long questioning himself. No more.

“We’re here.” A voice yells from the living room. It’s followed by the loud clacking of plastic heels. “Make yourselves presentable.”

“Mommy! Daddy!”

Declan’s face lights up into a surprised smile, how it does every time she calls him ‘Dad’ and he helps me off the bed and into the living room to see our girl.

Maren insisted she get her hair and makeup done for the dance, and no one really wins a battle against her, except Jack, so we caved pretty quickly.

It also gave us some time alone .

Nora runs straight into Declan’s arms, and he lifts her, twirling her around. Her bright pink dress billows and sparkles coating her hair, fills the air and falls around us like raindrops.

“Mommy, look!” She sticks out her hand and wiggles her neon pink fingernails.

“Wow.”

Warmth blossoms in my chest as Nora burrows into Declan’s side. For so long, it was only the two of us, and at times, a small kernel of jealousy flares when she runs to him first instead of me, but it always disappears when Declan responds like it’s the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

“A delivery for you,” Maren says, setting a take-out bag on the counter. She’s halfway out the door when she yells, “Send lots of photos!

Grease fills the air, and my stomach grumbles. Declan lifts a brow in amusement. He sets Nora back onto the floor and places a kiss on my temple.

“The limo is here,” he whispers. “Enjoy your night alone.”

Every emotion I’ve been holding back—the excitement and small kernel of jealousy—rise to the surface, and tears begin to brim my eyes.

“A photo,” I demand, shaky hand pulling my phone from my back pocket.

Nora stands beside Declan and takes his hand. They both radiate joy, and when the limo honks, Nora squeals and runs to the door.

“Hug Mom goodbye,” Declan says, and she bounds back, wrapping her arms around my legs.

“Love you!”

And with that, the two pieces of my heart walk out the door and leave me to my cheeseburger and unpacking.

Declan

Oh, god, I’m going to cry. Again.

Fairy lights illuminate the gymnasium of Nora’s elementary school, and a DJ is set up in the corner, selecting songs that have left me a blubbering mess.

The current song? Butterfly Fly Away .

Nora’s plastic heels dig into my toes as we sway back and forth on the makeshift dance floor. Her arms are wrapped around me, and I press back the tears.

One day, she’s going to grow up and move away, and the mere thought is destroying me. Is this how Addie felt witnessing her milestones?

It’s soul-crushing and exhilarating.

The acoustic guitar echoes around the room, and my heart constricts when Nora’s head tips up, and she focuses on the tears in my eyes.

“Are you sad?”

I shake my head.

How do I tell her I’m imagining the day she doesn’t need me anymore, and it’s crushing my heart?

She blinks a few times, inspecting me. Her brows crunch, and she grip around my waist tightens.

“Nora, can I ask you something?” I’ve been so nervous for this moment—partially for the dance, but mostly to ask her this question. Her head bobs, and I gulp before asking, “How would you feel if I asked your mom to marry me?”

Bright blue eyes light up like fireworks on a clear night. “Right now?”

“Well, no.”

The plan is to take both of my girls on a picnic when summer finally appears and to ask Addie beneath my favorite tree—the spot where it all began.

“Why not?”

Nora pulls away as the song fades, and her hands hit her hips. Her curly hair bounces, and her lips purse.

No, no, no. I know this look.

“You can ask her now,” she declares, taking my hand and pulling me toward the door.

“That’s not how it really works.”

I try to keep my voice soft, but there’s an undertone of panic as she drags me to the limo.

This is not the time. I haven’t prepared what I wanted to say, or talked to Addie about the idea of marriage. I only wanted to ask Nora first.

“Why don’t we get some ice cream on the way home?”

Maybe that will distract her from her mission. This was not a part of my new game plan. Step one was to convince them to move in. It went splendidly. The next phase was to slowly drop hints about marriage until Addie brought up the idea and told me what our plan would be.

My daughter is ruining my agenda.

“But you need to ask Mommy to marry you.”

I release a resigned sigh as we slip into the backseat of the limo. Nora sits on the other side, feet swaying as music plays through the speakers. She readjusts the tiara on her head with a grand smile.

“We need to make a stop first.”

If I’m about to propose to Addie, I need something .

I refuse to be the asshole who proposes empty handed.

Nora in one hand, and a basket in the other, we raid the only open pharmacy. She’s focused on slipping whatever she wants into the plastic bin while I search for something that screams I love you with all my heart, will you marry me? .

Nerves flutter around my chest as I dump Kit Kats into the basket.

“Nora, baby, where are you?”

“Look what I found!” She holds up a massive plastic ring with a fake pink gemstone and silver adornments.

“Atta girl.”

I pay for our haul—and the ten nail polishes Nora managed to sneak into the basket—and we’re back into the limo and to the house in no time at all.

Panic and nerves have taken over, and I’m shaking as we step onto the curb, holding Nora’s hand as she drags me to the door. She pauses to say ‘hello’ to Drusella, our porch goose, then barrels through the front door.

“Mommy.” A loud yelp fills the living room, followed by a bang and a low groan. “Are you okay?”

I round the corner into the living room to find Nora hovering over Addie, who lies on the floor rubbing the side of her head. The bag falls from my grip, and I scramble to get her off the ground, examining her limbs for any injuries.

My heart thuds in my chest so rapidly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it exploded.

“I’m fine.” She shoves me away. “I fell one time . You don’t need to check for a concussion every time,” she grumbles. “What are you guys doing back so early anyway?”

Silverware and plates cover the floor in no explicit organizational pattern, surrounded by appliances and every basket from the pantry.

“Daddy wants to marry you!” Nora screams at the top of her lungs with zero lead-up.

Alright. Guess we’re doing this then.

I take a step toward Addie, and she scrambles away, grabs a spatula, and spears it toward my chest. The color drains from her face, and the kitchen tool shakes in her grip.

“We bought a ring,” Nora adds unhelpfully.

Addie looks like an animal backed into a corner, and the excited nerves fluttering in my stomach transform into dread.

“Declan, what is she talking about?”

Her voice trembles. Okay, well, maybe it’s too early for this. That’s all right. At least that’s what I’m telling myself to stop from vomiting.

“I asked Nora what she thought about a proposal. It was not meant to happen tonight.” I take a tentative step forward and steal the spatula. “But, I do want to marry you—desperately. You and Nora are my world, and nothing would bring me more joy than to call myself your husband and her father for the rest of our lives.”

Tears slip down Addie’s cheeks, and her muscles relax. I pull the plastic ring out of the bag and hold it in my palm.

“I picked the ring out,” Nora says, bouncing over to her Mom with a massive smile. She takes Addie’s hand. “It’s sparkly!”

“It’s beautiful,” Addie whispers.

It shakes in my palm as I drop down to one knee, surrounded by kitchenware and craft supplies.

“Adeline, zinging with you was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. You walked into my life, and brought joy and light, and every day beside you is better than the last.” Emotion clogs my throat, and I take Nora’s hand. “You are so special to me, too. I am so proud to be your dad.”

Tears stream down my cheeks, and I have to close my eyes and take a deep breath or the moment will tear me apart. This is more than I’ve ever imagined for my life, and at times, it’s hard to keep my emotions in check.

I love them both more than I thought possible, and the strength of that makes it difficult to breathe.

Addie peers down at me, tenderness and affection painting her features. Her head inclines slightly, and with one more shaky inhale, I ask the question.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Nora squeals, leaping into my arms.

Addie’s laughter fills the air, then she says, “I thought you’d never ask.”

She joins in on the jumbled hug, and we collapse onto the floor, giggles filling the air and elation wrapping around me like a tight blanket.

I find the ring on the floor and slip it onto Addie’s finger. She lifts it into the air, then falls into a fit of laughter.

“Can I wear the ring?” Nora asks, eyeing the plastic jewelry.

Before Addie can fully slip it off her finger, Nora snatches it away to put it on her thumb. She runs away before anyone can take it back. Her pink dress disappears from view, then a door slams shut.

I think she might have been a crow in a past life.

Ignoring our little thief, I pull Addie closer and savor her presence. When she looks at me again, my heart leaps, and I press a kiss to her lips. There’s no rush. The kiss is slow and exploratory because we have the rest of our lives for this.

For love and family and new memories.

“I love you,” she whispers, hands tangling into my hair. “Every day. From now until forever.”

“Now, until forever,” I confirm, holding her tight, with no plans of ever letting go.