Page 67 of Painting Together a Family
“Let’s go upstairs, quiet as little mice.” He unlocked the door to the stairs up to the roof.
The boys tried hard to be quiet, going on tiptoes and pretending to be mice. They would have been successful too if not for the giggles, but at least those were fairly soft. They made it up to the roof where the last of the day’s sunlight shone down on them.
Dylan ran for the swings, his brother following in his footsteps, copying each move he made as they played.
He sat on the bench and kept an eye on them, chuckling as they swung and slid and swung again.
“Is this our playground?” Micah asked after going down the slide again. “Our own?”
“It is! Your dad’s got lots of plans.”
“Like what?” Dylan asked.
“Like filling the sandbox and planting a garden,” Bry’s voice sounded from behind him.
He turned and smiled. “Hey, you. Marley’s practicing, and she needs to focus, so we’re playing.”
“Ah. That makes sense. You know you can tell the boys to go play in their room if they’re in the way or being too noisy. Or come and get me to deal with them. It’s going to be too cold to play up here soon. And we’re losing daylight earlier and earlier.” Bry sat next to him, hand coming to rest on his leg.
“Well, her recital is coming up, so she’s stressed, you know?” And she’d had some worry lately, with all the changes. He thought she’d been managing pretty well actually.
“And now she’s got two little boys who are rambunctious and noisy and curious and all up in her business to contend with,” Bry noted, meeting his eyes. “I don’t want our being here to be a negative thing for her. For any of you.”
“There are going to be growing pains. She asked for quiet, and we’re giving it. That’s reasonable.” And he was proud of her for asking for what she needed instead of being a martyr.
“Okay. I guess I’m feeling a little guilty,” Bryan admitted. “We’ve known each other for barely over a month and I’m already moved in with my boys, making myself at home. I really do love you, though. I didn’t think I would ever feel this way about anyone ever again, and then I met you and started having feelings and…” Bryan’s gaze was intense, holding his the entire time Bry spoke. “I swear it’s not because of your money. It’s because of you and your girls, who you are, not what you can give us.”
“I know.” If it had been about the money, Bry wouldn’t have been so worried, so stressed. He knew how badly Bry’s ego had been hit, and he knew that they didn’t have all the answers, but they had a little family forming here that was good, really, really good.
Hell, two dads and four kids wasn’t even a little family.
“Okay.” Bryan smiled at him, squeezed his leg, and took a deep breath. Clearly, the matter had been stressing him. “We never talked about rent or anything. I want to contribute, but I don’t need it to be monetarily, ’cause I know I can never match what you’re offering us in that arena. I enjoy cooking, so I can make us meals. I can teach the girls how to cook. I can be the drop-off and pickup king so you can work. Whatever. I just want to make a significant contribution.” Bryan was so dear, so earnest.
“Good deal. We have our hands full with the kids, all the activities. That’s four full-time jobs, for sure.”
Bryan laughed, the sound bright. “You just might be right at that.”
The boys came running over at Bryan’s laughter.
“What’s funny, Daddy?” Dylan asked.
“Why laughs?” Micah added.
“Because I’m happy.”
“Me too! We have a park!” Dylan’s eyes were shining with his joy. “Our own park!”
Bryan hugged them to him and nodded. “We do. We are so lucky that Dev invited us to live in his wonderful home.” Bry smiled over their heads, heart in his eyes.
“Is he a daddy too?”
Bry nodded. “He’s Marley and?—”
Micah cheered and launched into Dev’s arms. “Daddy Devvy!”
He grabbed the little boy and held on, touched and pleased.
“Oh…” Bryan smiled. “Is that okay, Dev?”
