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“I love you.”
“I know,” she grinned as she danced her way out of my arms. “Asher loves me,” she sang as she shook her hips, dancing, and I bit my tongue to stop myself from laughing. “Oh, I’m gonna tell everyone in your building!”
“Brooke!” I warned, and she laughed as she ran across the street, yelling how everybody was about to know that I was a mushy, soft person rather a mean man. I was mushy for her. “I love you!”
“Ahh!” she squealed and cupped her cheeks as she ran up the road, and I laughed as I watched her run away.
“Oh, Asher is in L-O-V-E!” some of the guys sang, and I stopped smiling as I turned to stare at them.
“Don’t you have some equipment cleaning to do?”
“Yes, sir!” They quickly ran back inside, and I shook my head as I followed behind them.
I am in love.
“Dad, what’s the surprise?” Anne groaned again. She had been asking me what her surprise was since I had fetched her from day care, and I kept my mouth zipped.
“You’re about to see it; can’t you be patient?” I asked as the elevator doors opened, and Brady took the lead by walking out of the elevator first. I had just fetched them from Elise’s apartment, and she seemed to already know what the surprise was with the grin she gave me.
“Okay, just a hint?” she begged, and Brady stopped before the door and wagged his tail as he shuffled his feet. Here was another person who knew that there was a surprise waiting for him on the other side.
“Hmm, you’ll be happy. That’s your hint,” I told her as I pushed the door open.
“That’s not a hint, it always comes with a sur—“ she gasped when she saw her standing in the living room, glowing. “Brooke!” Anne immediately cried as she ran to Brooke and jumped on her.
“Hey, sweetie,” Brooke whimpered as she hugged Anne tightly, both crying as they reunited after an incredibly difficult month. “I missed you so much.”
Anne responded by crying harder. I unclipped Brady’s leash, and he quickly joined the women in our lives. My heart ached both sadly and happily because our reunion could’ve been much earlier if only I had been braver.
“You’re not going to leave again, right?” Anne whispered as she pulled away from the hug, and Brooke shook her head and wiped Anne’s tears away.
“No. It sucks to be away from you.”
“I was sad,” Anne admitted, and it broke my heart as I joined them on the floor. “But now I’m happy,” she grinned, and Brooke cooed as she held Anne’s face and pressed a kiss on her cheek.
“Baby, I’m happy, too.” She pressed another kiss on Anne’s forehead.
I was the most blessed man out there.
“Are you going to move back next door?” Anne asked after she calmed down and sat on Brooke’s lap. Brooke and I shared a look, and she laughed softly.
“I don’t think I can. There’s someone living there now, sweetie.” Anne pouted as she played with Brooke’s hands.
“You could move in with us.” My heart stilled as I looked at Brooke, who was shocked by my offer.
“Yes! And then that way I won’t have to miss you,” Anne agreed excitedly as she wrapped her arms around Brooke’s neck and clung to her.
“Are you sure?” Brooke whispered, and I nodded as I took her hand in mine and gently stroked her skin.
“Positive. We all want you here, especially me.”
Brooke didn’t even seem to think about it before she nodded her head in agreement and smiled as she pressed her head against my shoulder.
“Yes! Let’s all live together.”
There was nothing in the world that could compare to the relief and happiness I felt in this moment as we sat on the floor of our living room, discussing all the things we could do together as a family from now on.
My life felt complete.
