Page 72 of The One I Love
I chuckle at his wording, but I’m glad he asked this. These two need to know I’m in it for the long haul. And I want them to know that from the jump. “I love your mom. I always have. My intentions are to make her happy. I want the only tears she ever cries again are to be happy ones. I want to be her partner. I want to share my life with her. And not just her, but you two as well. I want to be a family. Maybe not the traditional one, but one that we know is right for us. That is, if y’all want me?”
I look over to Amelia, who at some point started crying. I turn back to Luke and Mariah, and there’s no more hiding—the smiles on their faces say it all.
“Good answer,” Luke says.
Mariah gets up from the couch and wedges herself between me and Amelia. “Great answer.”
I reposition my arm to hug her while silently saying a thank you that this is all going to be okay.
“Wait!” Mariah pops back up off the couch. “Is this why you had me get you a new lipstick?”
I look over to Amelia and grin. “Was the new lipstick for me?”
“I’m already not liking you two ganging up on me,” Amelia says.
“Mom! Now I’m actually mad you didn’t tell me. I was just pretending before. I could’ve done your makeup! And your hair. Oh God, who is dressing you?”
“Don’t worry. Aunt Whitley has me covered.”
“Phew, that’s good,” Mariah says. “I love you, but I don’t want Uncle Shane having to see you after a failed makeup attempt. Wait! Do I not call you Uncle Shane anymore? Or do I? Is that weird? What if you two get married? Then what?”
We all laugh at Mariah’s dramatics. “Let’s slow down. Thisis new still. Remember, you’re now persons five and six who know this. And we need to tell everyone in our own way, on our own time.”
“That makes sense,” Luke says. “Grandma is going to flip.”
“So will Uncle Oliver.”
“Oh my God! I need to be there when Dad finds out,” Mariah says. “He’s going to lose his mind.”
“Exactly. To all of that,” I say. “So, we need to keep this quiet as we tell everyone on our own time. I know there’s a lot to figure out. And we will. But at least now I don’t have to keep coming over under the ruse of mowing the lawn.”
“Aw, man,” Luke groans. “Now I have to go back to doing that, don’t I?”
I laugh. “How about we split it?”
Luke stands up and extends his hand for me. “Deal.”
We shake on it, and I think we both know that this is more than just shaking about the lawn. This is about him trusting me to be part of his mother’s life. This is him welcoming me as more than a surrogate uncle, but as now a member of this family.
“Okay,” Amelia says. “I need coffee, and I’m guessing you guys haven’t eaten. What do want to do for breakfast.”
“Mona’s.” The three of us answer in unison.
Amelia smiles. “Fine. Everyone go get cleaned up and we’ll go.”
Luke heads upstairs, and Mariah gives me a hug before she makes her way as well. I look back to Amelia, whose is all smiles, a rare event pre-caffeinated.
“So that happened,” she says.
“Yes, it did,” I bring her into my arms. “I think it went pretty well.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one whose panties are still in the kitchen.”
“True,” I say as I drop my forehead to hers. “But now they know. Two down. A bunch to go.”
“Two down.”
Amelia flashes me a smile before tilting her head up to find my lips. I reflexively pull her in tighter when I hear a groan from the top of the stairs.
