Page 154 of The Re-Proposal

Sara, the little cutie, bawls louder because mommy’s crying and she needs no other reason.

“I don’t mean to cut this snot fest short,” Laura pipes up, “but I’m dying to see the inside.”

“Laura,” Ms. Phoebe scolds.

“Sorry. Was that insensitive?”

“Very,” I mutter with a smile. “But we still love you.”

“Love you too.” Laura grins. “Now can we go in?”

I laugh and lead the way up the cobblestoned path that me and Vanya painstakingly put together. Sara points at all the trees and Maggie goes nuts when she sees the little balcony area off the front porch.

Inside, Maggie’s tears flow again.

“I don’t deserve this,” she keeps muttering. “I’m nobody special.”

“Yes, you are. And yes you do. Soak it in, Maggie,” I say, leading her into the kitchen. “It all belongs to you.”

Her knees buckle when she sees the brand new stainless-steel appliances, marble counter tops and stunning backsplash.

Sunny did all the rooms beautifully, but shefoughtto have every one of her design concepts realized in this kitchen. Based on the way Maggie’s eyes are almost rolling back in her head, I can say she delivered.

“I can’t… I need to sit down,” Maggie says.

“Sit down, mommy.” Sara plunks on the floor.

“Yeah, sit down.” I sit beside Maggie’s daughter.

Laura and Ms. Phoebe join us, although it takes the older woman a little more time to ease herself down.

Cody leans against the wall and watches.

I catch his eye, appreciating the fact that he’s here and not on his phone. Vargas is outside, pacing up and down with his phone in one hand and his tablet in the other. Given his frazzled state, this unexpected addition to Cody’s schedule is probably screwing everything up.

But Cody wears no sign of impatience on his face.

His lips curl up and he winks at me.

Shyly, I glance away.

Maggie tilts her head back against the dishwasher. “I must look so terrible. I can’t stop crying.”

“Go ahead and let the tears out,” Ms. Phoebe says.

Maggie breathes a bit and we wait until she’s collected enough to see the master bedroom with the miraculously attached bathroom.

After she nearly collapses inthatroom, we get a nice cheerful dance break in Sara’s room. The little one hugs all the stuffed bears Kenya bought for her and then jumps on top of her princess-themed bed.

Maggie’s tear ducts get a break…

Oh.

Spoke too soon.

Maggie cries when she sees her daughter so happy.

I’m starting to see a trail of tear drops behind her like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs.

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