Page 107 of Truth or More Truth
I stroke my hand down her hair. “She’s easy to love.”
“I’m pretty sure you’d love her just as much if she was hard to love.”
I smile at her. “I think you’re right. There was a time when I didn’t believe I was capable of loving someone as much as I love my little girl, but I’ve proved myself wrong.”
“Yeah,” she lays her head back down, “you’re just a big softie, remember, B.S.?”
“I do.” I think that’s the nickname I love the most, because it’s a side of myself I don’t let many people see.
“And you love me, too.” I feel her smile against my skin.
“I do.” I love her so much it both makes my chest ache and makes me feel like I’m floating, which is a strange combination, but it’s the only way to describe it. I want to go ahead and tell her we’ve all agreed to move to Chicago as long as she’s on board with that, but I promised Kelli I wouldn’t say anything without her being there, and I promised Melissa I would let her be part of the decision-making process.
There is one thing I think I can safely talk about, though, without bringing my daughter’s wrath down upon me. “Diego offered Nanette a job, no matter where we live.”
“I know.”
“You do?” I crane my neck so I can see her face, and she tilts her head to look at me.
“Yeah, he called me to ask for advice.”
“On whether or not to offer my ex-wife a job?” I’m not sure how I feel about that.
“No, he already had his mind made up on that. He wanted to know if he should have you or me tell Nanette, or if he should contact her directly.”
“Ah.” I nod. “You made the right decision.”
“Of course I did.”
I tickle her side, and she squeals and swats me away before lifting up onto her elbow to look down on me.
“I love you so much, Bobby Joe.”
A cheeky grin takes over his face, and he glances over at the alarm clock. “We have plenty of time for you to prove that to me once again before my daughter comes knocking.”
When we finally roll out of bed, it’s still not nine o’clock, and Melissa asks if my pool is heated. When I answer in the affirmative,she cheers and digs a bikini out of her suitcase. She holds it up like a trophy.
“To the pool!”
“Just a warning,” I say wryly, “the second Kelli spots you out there, she’ll be joining you. And I can almost guarantee she’s currently either already outside or camped out by a window watching for any sign of you.”
“Sounds good to me. Swimming is no fun alone.” She waltzes into the bathroom with her swimsuit in hand.
While I’d love to join her in the pool, I decide to let the two of them spend some time getting to know each other without my presence. So I head to the kitchen and start prepping for breakfast, which is when we’ll be talking about the move. That way we’ll get it out of the way and can move on with enjoying the rest of the weekend.
Several kitchen windows, as well as the glass door, face the pool, and I watch Kelli race out of her mom’s house in her pink-and-white striped swimsuit within minutes of Melissa heading outside. Every time I glance out, they’re laughing and splashing or playing some kind of game. Twenty minutes later, Nanette joins them. I watch as they interact, and I’m smiling like a fool, but I don’t care. I want the three most important women in my life to love each other as much as I love all of them, and it appears that’s exactly what’s beginning to happen in my pool.
I give them fifteen more minutes before wandering outside, and I drop down to the edge of the pool to let my legs dangle in the water. Kelli immediately splashes me, which makes Melissa dissolve into giggles.
“Pull him in! Pull him in!” my girlfriend begins chanting, as she wades toward me.
The other two join in, and I don’t put up much resistance as the three of them each grab a limb to pull me into the pool. Expecting something of this sort to happen, I had donned a pair of swim trunks and a thin t-shirt instead of regular clothes when I dressed earlier. Kelli latches onto my back like a monkey and tries to dunk my head under. After resisting her efforts for a few seconds, I let her push me under, but then I twirl around underthe water, grab her waist, and launch her up and out toward the deep end. She resurfaces with a splutter and gives me the evil eye while trying not to smile.
“Sharks and Minnows!” Kelli yells. “Dad, you’re the shark!”
Melissa screeches as I lunge toward her, and she glides away. “Hey, you gotta stay in the middle of the pool, Mister Jaws!”
We play a few rounds of the game before I declare it breakfast time. I head inside to change out of my wet clothes, and the women are still drying off and goofing around poolside as I bring the food and drinks out to the large outdoor table. I crank open the red-and-yellow umbrella to give us some shade while they don colorful robes Nanette brought out for the three of them.
