Page 64 of Forever Player

“Maybe we can grab breakfast together at a restaurant and then I can drive you to work,” I offer.

“That sounds perfect. Thanks, Brett. This isn’t an easy transition but I want you to know I appreciate everything you’re doing.” She pinches her lips, giving me a small smile and it seems like a small win with Willow.

“Please don’t thank me. We’re family now. That’s what family does,” I remind her.

She blinks and nods.

“Maddie put Maylee’s bath in your bathroom, but I can take it to mine and get her ready for bed,” I suggest.

“You don’t have to; you must be tired too.”

“I’m okay. I got our girl.” I wink.

“Thanks. Maybe bring her to me after the bath and I’ll breastfeed her, my breasts are feeling very full and heavy.” I know those are words that are not supposed to turn me on, but they do and my eyes drop to her full chest.

I lick my lips and a rose color rises on her cheeks.

“On it,” I say. I take Maylee to my room. We ordered an extra playpen for her with a bassinet and a mobile on it so I can have her in my room if I need to. So I place my baby in the bassinet and turn on the mobile. I also notice a pink blanket in the bassinet that has Maylee’s name embroidered on it. Maddie must have gifted that. I’ll need to thank her.

I prepare Maylee’s bath on the counter in my bathroom, while I think about how much meaning she and Willow have brought to my life. My father also pops into my head. The way he came home on his death bed because he had no other place to go and no one to turn to. If we hadn’t taken him in, he would have died alone. Even though he didn’t raise me and didn’t do much for me in my life, the thought of someone dying alone makes me feel a profound sadness. It also makes me realize the importance of family. I’ve never had a significant other but Maddie, Henry, and my mom are people I rely on. I also get the strong sense that I want to build a life with Willow. Back at the farm it seemed like she was taking care of everyone, as opposed to the other way around. I want to show her what it’s like to be cared for. I know from the way I grew up that it was me taking care of everyone too. Mom worked all the time. Henry was younger than me and Maddie was the youngest of us siblings. I always watched out for them and eventually I took care of them. It can be tiring always worrying about everyone else’s happiness, which is why I preferred to be on my own for so long, but I clearly had life all wrong.

With the bath ready, I head to my room and undress Maylee. I carry her over to the bath and she smiles when I place her in the water.

“You love your bath, don’t you?” I say. Then I start singing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” as I soap up a cloth and wash her.

She kicks her feet out, splashing the water, and I love this moment so much. I’m going to miss these bath times when I’m on the road.

After the bath, I wrap Maylee up in a towel and take her to my bed. Maddie loaded up the playpen full with diapers, bum cream, undershirts, and sleepers so I take one of each and get Maylee dressed.

“Oh,” Willow’s voice pulls me to the door. She’s wearing a pair of short shorts and a tank top and her hair falls wet on her shoulders. “I forgot you didn’t have a change of clothes and diapers, but I see you do.”

“Maddie went a little overboard preparing for our homecoming.” I chuckle. “Got a whole package of diapers, butt cream, and sleepers over here.” I motion to the playpen.

“She’s really great,” Willow says.

“She is,” I agree fondly.

“You two are really close, huh?” she observes.

“We are, Dad was an alcoholic who took off on us all the time. Mom was working and Maddie, Henry, and I were always together. When my siblings were younger, it was me taking care of them but as they got older, we took care of each other,” I explain.

“That’s nice. It was kind of like that in my family too, but since we are all grown up it seems like everyone has their own lives. We aren’t so close anymore,” she says. I kind of noticed that while I stayed on the farm.

“Maddie wasn’t always living here. She was in Jersey and we didn’t see each other half as often as now, but we always spoke on the phone. We always know what is going on in each other’s lives. It’s like that with my brother Henry too. He lives out in Connecticut but we chat by phone when we can.”

“I should take her and feed her,” Willow says.

“You can feed her here on my bed if you like. It’s nice to be talking and learning about each other.”

“Okay.” She nods. With Maylee all dressed, I pass her over to her mom, and Willow climbs on my bed and lifts up her shirt. I have to adjust the semi growing in my pants at the sight.

“How come you grew apart with your siblings?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I moved to New York. Jacob was in the NHL, for a while, so he was busy. Jack is in college in New Haven. Lev is Lev, he keeps to himself, and Finn is either playing hockey, spending time with Chelsea, or doing homework,” she explains.

“And your mom?” I ask.

“Isn’t a typical mom,” she jokes dryly.

---