I move past Bella, paddling right out past Will into the deepest part of the pool, right over the spot where I fell in.
I scoop a leaf from the trap, and study it for a moment before making my way back to the man I love and our beautiful baby girl.
I hold the leaf up, studying it.
I ask Will one more time, for the last time, if he’s been teaching Bella anything else apart from how to swim, like I dunno… maybe how to talk?
His face is clear and his eyes tell me it’s the truth.
Bella laughs, and splashes us both.
I figure there’s no better way to get to the bottom of this than to ask her myself, seeing as she’s in the mood to talk.
“Who taught you how to talk, Bells?” I ask, not even trying to baby her. Asking her like she’s a real life grown up...baby.
“An’ ah,” she gurgles, spitting some pool water out as I motion for Will to lift her up.
“Who?” I ask again.
“An’ ah,” she says loudly with even more determination, face palming herself when she sees we just can’t understand.
And then it clicks.
Will and I look at each other, right as he comes through the gate, whistling with his pool equipment in hand.
“An’ ah!” Bella shrieks, pointing as I wave to my dad.
Will and I both look at each other and he winks, a little tear in the corner of one eye.
“That damned pool guy,” he says grinning, moving over to me and kissing me tenderly.
“I love you Piper,” he says in a rough voice, turning his body so my dad can’t see him get emotional.
“And I love you, Will. You’re my hero. My real pool boy fantasy,” I tell him, pecking his cheek and taking Bella from him, only so I can pass her up to her Grandpa, who comes every day it seems.
“To clean the pool, and maybe just see how young Bella is doing. How you all are doing.”
We’re doing just fine, dad. Just fine.
