Page 11 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

“I know, baby.”

There’s a knock on the door. A rather familiar one, judging by the weight of its sound.

“Hold that thought,” I tell Maisie and step over to open it. The sight before me, however, is not what I expected.

“Hi, Dakota,” Reed says.

He didn’t come alone. Archer and Maddox are with him. And so is a young boy of about seven who’s busy playing a portable video game. He has shaggy black hair, deep brown eyes, and soft caramel skin. He is completely different from his three adoptive fathers in every physical sense.

“What, um, what is happening?” I ask, trying to smile through my obvious confusion.

“We figured the kids could meet, maybe make a new friend,” Archer says. “This is Trevor, by the way.”

Trevor remains busy playing his game. My heart genuinely breaks for the kid. He’s clearly guarded, reeling from a terrible loss. I was in that same spot a long time ago. I remember how it all felt, so I smile gently as I look at him. “Hey, Trevor, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Dude, come on,” Maddox mutters and gives the kid a gentle nudge.

“Thanks,” Trevor says with a heavy sigh as he puts the video game in the back pocket of his jeans. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Maisie pops up beside me. “Hello!” She says, then frowns as she looks at the triplets. “Wow, that’s weird.”

“Honey,” I tenderly chastise her. “That’s not nice.”

“But it’s weird. They all look the same.”

The triplets laugh wholeheartedly, and Archer gets down on his knee to gingerly shake her tiny hand. “You must be Maisie,” he says. “I’m Archer. And these are my twin brothers, Maddox,” he points to Mr. tall, dark, and brooding, “and Reed.”

“Triplets?” Maisie asks, genuinely curious.

“We were born at the same time,” Archer says. “We shared our mom’s belly.”

“Whoa. How big was that belly?”

“Maisie,” I laugh and blush at the same time. “Forgive her; she has a knack for asking questions without any filter.”

Reed chuckles. “Maisie and Archer will get along just fine, then. Two peas in a pod.”

“And to answer your question,” Archer tells my daughter, “It was a really big belly. Our mom still gives us grief about it to this day. She says she felt like she was lugging around three giant watermelons.”

“Poor lady.”

“Maisie, this is Trevor,” I say, motioning for her to shake the boy’s hand.

Maisie puts on her brightest and most polite smile, always the sociable type, and reaches out. But Trevor just gives her a wary look and takes a couple of steps back, almost hiding behind Maddox, who places a protective hand on his shoulder. I find the gesture to be endearing. Tender. Fatherly. These three may feel like they are struggling with fatherhood, but I can tell that Trevor feels safe with them. That is huge in the situation they are in.

“He’s actually super friendly,” Reed says to Maisie. “He just needs a bit of time to warm up to new people.”

“That means you need to have patience, honey,” I add, looking down at my daughter.

She nods slowly and takes my hand. “Am I still going to Chelsea’s?”

I glance at the triplets, then back at her.

“I guess not. I guess you’re coming with us.”

“Single parents unite, huh?” Reed quips.

“Let’s go to the Science Museum, then!” Maisie says. “Mommy promised she’d take me today.”

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