“I sit wiff you,” she says in a small voice. How in the hell can I deny her that? I can’t. Period. So, I sit down and place her on my lap. I reach for the small bowl I had just set down in front of her seat and hand her the spoon. She digs in with gusto.
I look up and notice Avery staring at us, watching very closely. When she meets my gaze, she gives me a little smile. I slide the second bowl in front of her chair and point at her to sit. She does, and together we sit quietly eating our ice cream.
“She’s going to need another bath,” Avery says.
“That’s what I had planned after ice cream tonight. Though, she wasn’t factored into my original plans,” I share coyly with a half grin.
“Sorry tonight got all messed up.”
“It didn’t. It might not have gone exactly as I was planning, but this is just as good.” I take another bite of the ice cream and give her a big smile.
Chapter 23
Avery
When the ice cream bowls are all but licked clean and mouths have been washed off, Maddox gets up with Brooklyn and takes her into the living room. I hear the TV flip on, and he doesn’t seem to have any trouble finding some cartoons, even being after nine o’clock at night. I set out to straightening up the kitchen. Since Brooklyn seems content and there is no noise from the living room except the television, I take the opportunity to wash up a few dishes.
After the dishes are clean and drying in the rack, I head to the living room to check on Brooklyn. When I walk in the room, the sight before me stops me dead in my tracks. Maddox is sitting on the couch, head back, legs stretched out in front of him, and Brooklyn is curled up on his chest, both sound asleep.
I’ve happily raised Brooklyn her entire little life by myself, with no one to help with the day-to-day meals, laundry, or bedtime, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d do it exactly the same all over again and not have a singleregret.
Yet, sometimes I wonder if she’ll resent me when she gets older for not making it work with Drake or finding another dad for her. She’s missing out on so much in that regard. I’ve never really thought about it until this moment when I see her curled up in his protective arms, sleeping on his chest. When will my quick answer to the “where’s my daddy?” questions no longer be enough? When will she want to know about Drake and why he’s not in her life? My heart aches for her and what she’s missing out on by not having a relationship with her dad.
I won’t force someone like Drake to spend time with her or love her. I want to give her a real daddy. A good daddy. The best daddy. Someone who will protect her and love her like she’s his own flesh and blood. Someone who will do anything for her like I would. Maybe someone like Maddox.
Lost in my own thoughts, I watch them sleep for several more minutes before I decide it’s time to put Brooklyn in her own bed. I start to slip my arms underneath her body when Maddox startles awake. His eyes lock on mine, arms protectively wrapping around Brooklyn. “Sorry, I guess we dozed off.”
“It’s okay. She needs to rest. I want to take her temperature again, get another dose of medicine to make sure the fever is still comingdown, and then get her in bed.”
“I’ll help you,” he says as he stands with her tucked securely in his arms. We walk to the bathroom where I use the ear thermometer to take her temperature again. Down to one hundred one point two.
“Much better,” I say as I pull the Children’s Tylenol from the cabinet. I draw the right dosage in the little syringe administrator as Maddox goes about waking her up. She stirs a little but doesn’t fully wake up.
“Wake up, sugar. Your mommy has a little medicine for you to take,” he urges as he rubs her forehead and back.
She opens her eyes, which are still glassy and sick looking, and opens her mouth for her medicine.
“Good girl,” I say.
“Maddox, take me nigh-nigh.”
He walks her across the hall and lays her down in her bed. He starts to cover her up, but I interrupt. “Only the sheet. I don’t want her to get too hot and spike the fever again.” He gently lays the sheet over her little body and bends down to kiss her forehead.
“Good night, Bean.”
“Nigh-nigh, Maddox.”
I walk over and crouch down next to her bed. “Mommy’s going to wake you up in a while for more medicine, so you better get to sleep.” I bend down and kiss her little lips. “Night, Brooklyn.”
“Nigh-nigh, Mommy. I wove you.”
“I love you too, sweetie,” I say as I start to walk toward Maddox, who is standing in the doorway.
“I wove you, Maddox,” she says as she drifts off to sleep.
Maddox and I stand here, watching each other for a few moments, not really knowing what to say. We walk back into the living room, and he slides up behind me, arms around my waist, pressing his soft lips into my neck.
“What more do you have to do before you can go to bed?”
