Page 211 of Pucking Strong

“Look!”

I look down at the screen, but I see nothing except the screen saver photo Hanna took of Teddy, Karro, and me at the beach a few weeks ago. “What am I looking at?”

He presses in next to me, grabbing my wrist to turn the phone. “I was just holding it, and it just buzzed in my hand. Babe, you got an email.”

“Okay—”

“It’s from Cheryl.”

My breath freezes solid in my chest. “You’re sure?”

He huffs, dropping his hand from my wrist. “Well, my god, check it and see!”

Noting something wrong, Poppy swoops forward and takes Karolina by the hand. “Karro, honey, have you seen the back of the chair yet? It’s so cool. Come check it out.” She tugs her a few feet away, exclaiming loudly about the lights and designs on the back of the chair.

Heart in my throat, I open my inbox and tap the new email from the case worker. Teddy stands at my side, both hands gripping tight to my arm. The anxiety is rolling off him in waves. “Well?”

I read the email twice through, making sure I miss nothing in the English-to-Swedish translation in my head. Then I let out the breath I’ve been holding for four long months. “She’s ours.”

Teddy cries out with relief, wrapping his arms around me. “Oh god, really?”

I nod, holding him to me with one arm, my other arm trapped between our chests, my hand still holding the phone. “She says we still have to follow through with the remaining protocols. But the judge has changed our status from temporary custody to full custody.”

He presses a kiss to my neck. Then he pulls away and reaches for the phone, reading the message for himself. Just behind him, Jake has tears in his eyes. “I’m really happy for you, Karlsson.”

I nod, my own eyes feeling misty. “I know it’s what my sister would have wanted for her.”

Jake smiles, glancing from Teddy back to me. “That’s not quite what I meant, but I’m happy for all of it. You deserve good things.” He holds out a hand to me.

I take it, clasping his hand in both of mine. “Thank you, Jake.”

Teddy finishes the email and sinks against me, wrapping both arms around my waist, burying his face against my shoulder. “Oh god, babe, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I’ve just been borrowing air for weeks, feeling like I’m suffocating.”

“I know.” I drop Jake’s hand, wrapping both arms tight around my Teddy. I kiss his temple, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. “Thank you,” I whisper between each press of my lips.

“Thank you? For what?”

I lean away, cupping his face. “Without you, none of this would have been possible. Without you, they would have taken her from me. I’m not sure I could have fought it—”

“You would have,” he assures me. “Henrik, you’re so strong. She gets that from you, as much as from her mother. I see that now. You would have fought for her.”

I smile. The love of my life is happy in my arms. His tacky blinking sweater is now dusted in glitter from the one I wear. I feel lighter than air. The only things keeping me tethered to the ground are Teddy’s hands on me. “Now what do we do?”

He laughs, the sound joyous and full. “Now we finally get to make plans for our future, starting with Montana for Christmas. Then you’re gonna marry me again.”

I nod, relaxing my hold on him. “I was thinking something small.”

“For Christmas? What, like a small present?”

“No, for the wedding. I was thinking we plan something small. You know, just Karolina, your family, and our close friends.”

“Oh, honey.” He lovingly pats my cheek. “That’s why you’re not planning it.”

“Did you have fun tonight, lamm?” Henrik sits at the head of Karolina’s bed, tucking her in, while I lie across the foot of it.

She gives a sleepy nod, still clutching the picture book we bought for her at Deck the Chairs.

“We have a surprise for you tomorrow,” he says.

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