Page 122 of Moose
I looked around at our little family and smiled. I stood and kissed Lily on the forehead before picking up Maddox. I gently carried him to his bedroom and placed him in his bed.
Turning to leave, Javier was paused at the door with Nova in his arms. I smiled as he brought her into her bedroom and placed her in her bed.
We both stood at the door and gazed at her. Javier cleared his throat and looked at me.
“Thanks for letting us be a part of all of this. Lil is our family, and it feels so fucking good to have her back. And to be a part of her life like this.”
“Anytime, brother. You guys were so important in her life and I know how happy she is to have you both here.”
We walked down the steps and back into the living room to find Rosa and Lily already setting up the pullout couch for Javier. Rosa was staying in the fourth bedroom upstairs.
The women said goodnight to each other and Lily came walking over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
We headed upstairs and into our bedroom to get ready for bed. Lily climbed into bed first, and I quickly followed her.
“Tonight was amazing, Moose. I’m so…. I’m just so happy.”
I softly kissed her as she laid her head on my chest.
“I’m so fucking happy too, princess.”
Iwokeuptoan empty bed and clatter coming from downstairs. I sighed and rolled out of bed. I peeked into the kids’ rooms and found them empty as well.
Moving down the stairs, I could hear a group of women chattering away. As I peeked around the corner, I could see that my kitchen was full of all the old ladies from the club, and Mama Crawford and Tia Rosa.
I stood there in the middle of the chaos and cleared my throat.
“Uh, what the fuck is going on?”
Mama Crawford smacked my arm. “Language, Jacob.”
She pushed right past me before Maddox came in the kitchen and pulled me back into the living room. Javier was sitting on the couch and they were playing a video game.
“They kicked us out of the kitchen, dad. It’s all girl shit in there.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at my son. I sat down next to Javier while Maddox popped back down on the floor.
I leaned back and watched as they both played the racing game while listening to the women talking in my kitchen.
Maddox looked at me, and I smiled. “What do you think of all of this, bud?”
He just shrugged. “Not my thing. But it makes Lily and Nova happy, so I guess it’s alright.”
Javier laughed. “Smart kid already.”
“Weddings certainly make lots of women happy, Maddox.”
He smiled. “Yeah, and that means Lily will be my mom, right?”
Javier looked at me, then back at Maddox. I sighed and leaned forward.
“Yes, and no. In the eyes of the law, she would be your step-mom. But that doesn’t make her any less of a mother.”
Maddox looked up at me. “But like, can I call her mom? I don’t want Tessa. I want Lily.”
Javier smiled and patted him on the back. “Lily is pretty cool, huh?”
I looked into the kitchen where all the women were busy, then looked back at my son.
