“She’s so beautiful, Katy.”
I crossed my arms and stood in the doorway watching her washing her granddaughter. “She looks like her daddy. Of course she’s beautiful.”
“I’ll have to get out the baby pictures, so you can show her. It’s uncanny, really. When I saw her I knew she was his.” I couldn’t remember seeing her so happy. My little miracle had that kind of effect on people.
“I just wish Brooks could have been home when she was born. He’s missed so much being away.”
Danica sat back on the tile floor. “Don’t let that get to you. I think you both needed the time apart. I don’t mean that like you’re assuming. What I mean is that you needed the time to figure out your feelings. Between the two of us, I think you probably always knew. You’ve favored Brooks since the three of you were babies.”
I laughed. “I never really thought about it. When we were kids we all three loved each other. It was so innocent back then.”
“Honey, we all grow up. We make mistakes and we learn from them. I wish that you all didn’t have to hurt each other so much, but everyone’s happy now. Even Branch seems content with his life.”
“He won’t be happy to know I’m here. I’m sure I’m the last person he and Melissa ever want to see again.” Not that I wanted to see him. I was going to shove my foot as far up his ass as it would go, if I ever did.
“Katy, it’s none of my business, but maybe it would do you all some good to work things out.”
I shrugged, not feeling like talking about seeing Branch, at all. “I don’t know. I can’t make a decision like that without Brooks.”
I knew she was disappointed, wanting her whole family together again, especially since knowing about B.
She removed B from the tub and wrapped her in a towel. The guys were in the bedroom, putting up the rails that had been covered in plastic. We pulled it off, while Danica helped her get pajamas on. I reached in her bag and got out her favorite book. “B, do you want Mama or Daddy to read it?”
“Daddy and Mama.”
We looked at each other and laughed. More than her asking us both to do it together, she’d once again called Brooks “Daddy”, which I knew melted his heart.
Danica and Walt both gave her kisses before leaving us to be alone. I turned all of my attention to my two B’s, watching them interacting together and loving every minute of it. Even after she’d fallen sleep, we lay there, all three of us together, in the quiet room, until Brooks sat up and reached for me to join him.
We found his parents downstairs in the family room, drinking wine. They had two glasses for us, and I was too embarrassed to tell them that I really didn’t drink. Brooks sat down with his arm around my back. I knew, as long as we were together, we could get through anything.
“We’ve been talking while you were putting B down. Listen, I know you’ll both have a hard time with it, but we want to have your brother and Melissa over before you leave. We’re a family, all of us. So much time has passed and we never know when something could happen.” Danica’s words cut like a knife through me. I knew we had to face Branch and even Melissa. We didn’t have to be best friends, but at least be cordial so that Danica and Walt could finally feel like they had their family back. Throughout the day I’d seen how much they missed us. With Branch and Melissa still living at least an hour away, they were lonely. Now, with a new granddaughter, they wanted a fresh start.
“Okay.”
Brooks turned and looked at me like he was in disbelief. “Wait, did you just say okay?”
“Yeah. We can handle Branch and even my ex best-friend Melissa. Some more of this wine might be necessary though.”
Everyone laughed.
We talked more about where we were living and if they could come and visit. I wasn’t sure if things would calm down by Christmas, so Brooks and I promised to visit for the holidays. His schedule, being that he was injured was questionable. Based on the fact that my house was paid for, and Brooks made good money, I wouldn’t need to work. Any reason to stay home with B was a good one for me.
While sitting with his parents we were planning our future without them knowing that we hadn’t done it already. Brooks never stopped touching me. No matter what he was doing or how he was sitting, his hand was always somewhere on me. I took comfort in knowing that if I fell he’d always catch me. I didn’t know how, but I was falling more in love in with the man by the minute.
When it got late, we said our goodnights and headed up to go to sleep. Brooks checked on B before meeting me in his bedroom across the hall. After a little too many glasses of wine, I was feeling like I could conquer the world, and an erotic dance.