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Squinting at the blinding amount of sunlight pouring in from the open curtains, I stretch and yawn, feeling the soreness from last night’s lovemaking in my muscles.
As I sit up, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I remember the night before, how lovely it was. I slip into one of my oversized shirts, running my fingers through my tangled hair before I leave the room.
Kira’s laughter fills the hallway as I make my way to the kitchen, where I find her sitting on her highchair. She has a plate with omelet and bacon in front of her. I’m surprised at how easily she’s eating when it’s usually a struggle to get her to eat anything that isn’t breastmilk.
Brandon is busy brewing fresh coffee and preparing breakfast. His eyes light up when he sees me, and his smile makes my heart flutter.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he says, walking over and giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek.
“Morning,” I respond, leaning into his embrace. “What’s got you up so early?”
“Well, Kira woke up cranky. Figured she was hungry so I had to make her something.” Leaning in, he whispers, “And you seemed pretty exhausted after last night. Thought I would impress you with some breakfast in bed too.”
“Oh, I see,” I say, trying to hide my amusement. “Well, thank you for taking care of her. And I appreciate the breakfast in bed sentiment, but I’m really hungry.”
He pokes my nose. “I’ll make you a plate.” He leads me to a barstool by the island. “Sit down.”
I do as he says and watch as he walks to the counter and starts to throw things into a plate. He fills a cup with coffee, maple syrup and creamer, just the way I like it.
He takes the food and sets it in front of me. “Breakfast for my baby girl.”
Kira’s giggle catches our attention. She claps and repeats, “Baby girl.”
Brandon and I chuckle at the same time. My daughter—our daughter—has food all over her mouth, hands and table.
“She’s cute,” Brandon says. “She reminds me of when Alessa was a baby.”
“Speaking of Alessa, I’m thinking we can take the girls to the park whenever you’re free?” I wrap my hands around the coffee cup. “She’s your daughter too, and I don’t want her to feel left out. She’s as much family as Kira is.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Anya.” He rests his forearm on the island. “Actually, there’s something I haven’t told you. Two things actually.”
The look on his face is suddenly serious.
I take a sip of my coffee. It tastes really good. “What is it?”
“I have been going to therapy. I figured I can’t be the man you girls need if I’m struggling with trauma.” He pauses and draws in a breath, “The therapist suggested that there is still much healing to be done. But she also knows that with my family and your support, I will find my way back to happiness. Also, I’m going to pay Nathan a visit today. I haven’t seen him since we got back from the deployment. I haven’t answered his calls or even tried to find out how he’s doing. Talking to him will do me good too.”
“I’m proud of you, Brandon,” I say, reaching out to squeeze his hand in support. “It takes strength to seek help and face your past.” I can see the conflict in his eyes, the weight of unresolved emotions bearing down on him. “And visiting Nathan is a step in the right direction. Closure is important for both of you.”
Brandon nods, his jaw clenched. “I owe it to him…and to myself. I can’t keep running away from what happened.” He takes a deep breath, his gaze meeting mine. “I have to.”
Hope and relief wash over me. I’d wanted to suggest it to him, but I had no idea how to bring it up, so I hadn’t. I would have eventually, but I’m happy he’s taking that step on his own. Now all I have to do is be there and support him.
“Kira and I will be here for you every step of the way,” I assure him, “You’re not alone in this, Brandon.”
He smiles gratefully at me, his eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and relief. “Thank you, Anya. For everything.” Brandon leans in and kisses my forehead softly before turning his attention back to Kira, who’s happily playing with what’s left of her food. “I owe being a better person to all three of you girls.”
I take a bite out of a sausage on my plate. “So, what’s the second piece of breaking news?”
“The second piece of news is that…” He pauses as if he’s conflicted about sharing whatever it is he wants to tell me.
“You don’t have to say if you’re not ready to,” I tell him. “There’s still plenty of time for us to share secrets and all. Don’t push yourself too much.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s important that I tell you, because I want to share the rest of my life with you.”
My stomach flips, and my heart beats faster. “Do you mean what you just said? That you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
Because I want that too. I’ve come to love and rely on Brandon a lot in the past few weeks, and I don’t think I can imagine a future he’s not a part of.
