Page 85 of Power Forward

“Yeah!” Ryan beams, a proud glint in his eye.

“Oh, yes.” Mom opens her bag and pulls out a small plastic bag. “Here it is.”

Ryan takes it carefully and hands it over to Hayden. Isabela lets go of his hand and starts jumping excitedly in front of him.

“Open it!” She giggles.

Hayden casts me an amused look, then opens the bag. He pulls out a coffee mug that has illustrations of Bluey and Bingo on it with tiny pink hearts. He examines it in his hands, turning it over, and then he looks inside. He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyebrows furrowing as he begins to blink rapidly. I walk over, wondering what could cause him to get upset, and then I see it. Written inside the rim of the cup are the words “Remember, I’m always here for you.”

Pride blooms in my chest. I look at my kids, and their faces are lit up with their bright smiles. There’s a chance they got it purely because it’sBluey, but the words couldn’t have been more perfect for Hayden. We’re always going to be here for him, and I’ll make sure he remembers it.

“Do you like it?” Ryan asks.

Hayden nods, lips still pressed together. He lifts his head, eyes glassy behind his glasses. “I love it. I’m going to use it every day.”

They cheer, then engulf him in a hug. He crouches down, wrapping an arm around both of them. He squeezes his eyes shut as a tear falls down his cheek. A lump forms in my throat.

I’m very lucky to have the life I do, and there’s never a day that I take it for granted.

But this?

Seeing the man I love embrace my kids with such love and affection. To know that their happiness is just as important as mine to him. It’s everything.

They are my entire world.

“I’m going to get going,” Mom says, her voice a little tighter than usual.

I round the island and bring her into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, sweetie.” She returns my hug and pats my back. She gives herself a small shake when she lets go. “Okay, kids, give Gigi a hug, and make sure you’re good for your dad and Hayden.”

Ryan and Isabela give her a hug goodbye, and then she steps up to Hayden. A smile spreads across his lips.

“Welcome to the Wilde family, sweetie, and let me warn you, we’re not called the Wildes for nothing.” She winks and pulls him in for a hug too.

Once my mom leaves, I whip up a batch of pancakes like I promised, and then I make Hayden a coffee in his new mug. He’s still smiling at it when we sit down in the living room to tell the kids about us.

“Okay, me and Hayden have something we want to tell you,” I begin, sitting on the other side of the sectional so I can face them. Isabela is sitting next to Hayden, trying to tug the sleeve of his sweatshirt up his arm.

“Are you boyfriends?” Ryan asks, then smiles coyly. “I was kinda hoping you were. Hayden’s really cool.”

My head snaps to Hayden. He looks as shocked as I am.

“Yeah, we’re boyfriends, and if it’s okay with you two, I’d like it if Hayden lived with us.”

“Yes!” Isabela throws her arms up in the air in such adramatic way I can’t help but start laughing. I turn to Ryan, waiting for his response.

“I’d really like that, Dad.” He tilts his head up to Hayden. “Will you stay? I promise not to use real pucks in the house again.”

“What?” I shriek.

Hayden holds his fist out to Ryan to bump. “That sounds like a deal to me.”

“Can we watchBlueynow?” Isabela asks. Before we can answer, she’s picked up the TV remote and loads up the streaming app.

“I guess so,” I chuckle.

With the kids occupied, I scoot across the cushion and press my shoulder into Hayden’s.

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