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Colby grew an inch from my man-to-man comment and stared at me intently, like he sensed what I had to say was important.
“Are we friends?” I asked, glancing directly at Colby to gauge his true reaction to my question.
“I hope so,” he replied, eagerly.
“Good, I’m very glad you think so,” I praised, as I moved my head to the side still watching him carefully.
“You know your mom and dad don’t live with one another anymore?”
“Yes,” he replied, nodding.
“How are you feeling about that?”
“I used to have a knot in my stomach about it, like why couldn’t one like the other?”
“You want your mom and dad to get back together?” I asked. My stomach felt heavy at the thought of them together.
“No … no I don’t,” he replied, just as quickly as my question about us being friends.
“May I ask why not?” I wasn’t sure why I had taken this line of inquiry, but I knew whatever was said between us had to be ‘Colby centered’ if I was to ascertain his true feelings.
“My mom’s happier with you,” he offered. My heart swelled with his words and I nodded, feeling a little choked that at his young age he could read this into their situation.
“You know I’m glad you said this, because I think your mom is happy too. Can you think why I make her happy?
“You make me laugh,” he replied with a shrug. “I mean she is more fun than she was when my dad lived here.”
“You think? What makes you say that?”
“When my dad was here, we had to be quiet so he could work, and we didn’t do all the fun things that we do with you.”
“That’s it?”
“Some of it, there’s more, but I can’t think of everything right now,” he answered honestly, and I was impressed he hadn’t made a big deal out of it or fabricated his answer.
“Okay, so let me recap. You like me, and your mom is much happier since she doesn’t live with your dad?”
Colby nodded. “And she loves you,” he added further. I grinned.
“She does,” I confirmed, and I saw him look a little uncertain. “What would you say if I said I loved your mom back?”
“I’d say she deserves it,” he replied, with no hint of mockery in his tone.
“Why do you think your mom loves me?”
“Hm, she goes all googly-eyed when she hears your motorcycle coming up the street.” I smiled fondly, instantly imagining how Billie looked when she saw something she liked, and chuckled.
“Why are you asking me lots of questions?” he asked, sitting straighter and pressing his feet flat on the floor.
“I’m asking because I have an even bigger question to ask. It’s a very serious question, and because it’s a very important one, I want you to think hard before you answer.”
“All right,” he replied, looking as if he were in the final of the regional spelling bee or something.
“Okay, here goes. If you have any questions for me when I ask you, feel free to ask me. Like I said before, we didn’t expect this to happen, not this fast at any rate,” I explained. “You know I love your mom and she loves me?” He nodded. “Well, as man of the house and your mom’s protector, I would really love to ask you if I can marry your mom. Colby’s hands slid out from under his thighs, he grabbed a scatter cushion and hugged it to his chest. I continued but with care, mindful of his feelings. “What I’m saying, Colby, is I won’t ask your mom to marry me unless you think it’s a good idea.”
“Where would you live if you married her?” he asked, his focus dropping to the cushion while he toyed with one corner.
“I’d live with you and your mom, or you would live with me at my house by the beach. Whatever you felt comfortable with, because I wouldn’t only be marrying your mom, I’d be a stepdad to you too.”
