“You bought cotton,” I say, teasing her.
She rolls her eyes again and takes the bag off the island to pull out a little outfit. Holding it up in front of her, she points at something in the center of her chest.
“Look! It has a little duck on it. Isn’t that cute?”
I lean in and see a little yellow duck with an orange bill on the onesie. “A little duck for my Duck.”
Instantly, I realize what I said and smile as I look at Eden. “That’s it! I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. I’ve got the kid’s nickname already. Little Duck. Duck and Little Duck. It’s perfect!”
Eden folds the outfit and slides it back into the bag. “You are too cute. Do you know that? I love that you’re as thrilled as I am about us having a baby.”
I take her in my arms and hold her to me before kissing her. “Whatever makes you happy, Duck, makes me happy. What is it they say? Happy wife, happy life.”
For some reason, that makes her frown. I want to ask why, but Matthias warned me about pregnant women’s hormones. The last thing I want to do is make her cry.
“Marius, I want you to be happy all on your own. I love that you want me to be happy, but it’s important you’re happy too. Tell me. Are you really happy?”
Now I understand. She misunderstood. Okay, I can fix this.
I pull her to me and say, “Duck, I’ve never been happier in my life. Seeing you happy makes me happy. I don’t know how else to explain it. I’ve had everything anyone could want in this world, except what you give me.”
“And what’s that?”
“Your love. I don’t need anything but that. I have everything else. But without it, I’d have nothing.”
Now she starts crying for real. First come the sniffles, and then a second later, tears fill her eyes.
“That’s so beautiful, Marius. How did I get so lucky to find a man like you?” she asks, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.
I kiss the top of her head and whisper against her soft hair, “Well, you see, there was this guy, and he was a real jackass. I saw this gorgeous woman and decided I wanted her for my own. Luckily for me, he made it easy.”
She lifts her head and wipes the tears from under her eyes. “So if it was hard, would you have still wanted me?”
I lightly tap the tip of her nose. “I would always want you, Duck.”
Eden begins talking about how much we have to get ready for the movers and how she’s so glad Matthias and Ava are willing to let us crash at their house until our new place is ready in a couple weeks. I’m not really listening, though, because all I can think about is at this time next year, it’ll be three of us.
My Duck and my Little Duck. And me.
EPILOGUE
Eden
Lily finishesher mint chocolate chip ice cream and proudly sits up in her chair to show me she’s done. Pointing at her empty dish, she smiles broadly.
“All done, Mommy.”
“I see, honey. Good job. You didn’t get brain freeze either. I’m impressed.”
Whenever my five-year-old daughter gets around ice cream, she gobbles it up like a starving soul who hasn’t seen food in a week. Invariably, that results in her getting brain freeze, which then is followed by crying. Thankfully, that didn’t happen today.
I clean her face and pull her chair out for us to leave just as I see a familiar face walk into the ice cream shop. It’s been years since I saw Maia, possibly high school, and she hasn’t changed a bit.
Not that I’ve changed that much. My hair still looks the same, although it’s a little shorter now that I’m a mother. I don’t have the time I used to have to take care of it with Lily around. Still,I’m not surprised when she recognizes me and starts to walk over to where my daughter and I are sitting.
“Eden? Is that you?” she asks with a big smile.
“Maia? What a blast from the past! How are you?” I ask as Lily stands up from her chair and takes my hand.