I’d longed for the kind of family time we were having with Laurie and Katie. I just hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it until that very moment.
Laurie was reminding me of all sorts of things I’d always wanted. Realizing that there was a possibility I could still have them made me happy.
Not the run-in-the-street-and-shout-it-from-the-rooftops kind of happy. It was more of a deep-seated happiness—the kind that fed my soul and had me smiling like a moron while sitting in the dark.
The very last thing I wanted to do was leave. I’d have been more than okay with staying over again.
As I stroked Allie’s hair in my lap, squeezed my arm around Laurie, and watched Katie sleep on Laurie’s other side with a soft smile of her own, I seriously considered closing my eyes and sleeping right where I was.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t always get what I wanted. Especially not when it came to things that affected other people.
Katie had been in awe of the house when they’d first gotten home. She’d run around and pointed out a whole bunch of her mother’s things to Allie.
Laurie and I had overheard her explaining where everything used to be in their old house, but we’d also heard the emotion in her voice when she spoke about it. Having seen how difficult it’d been for Laurie to be confronted with so much of her sister, I couldn’t even imagine how Katie must’ve felt.
She was an incredibly resilient kid, though. She’d bounced back within minutes and had joined us in the living room to play games soon after. We’d laughed the night away, but those emotions were still inside there somewhere.
There was no doubt in my mind that she and Laurie would want some privacy in the morning, and I had to get Allie home to her own bed anyway. She probably wouldn’t have minded another sleepover, but I didn’t want us to impose, and it was important that my relationship with Laurie didn’t confuse Allie.
If we were really going to do it, we’d have to tread lightly and be mindful of the two little girls who were involved. Just because being with them felt right didn’t mean we were a family already—no matter how much it felt like we were sometimes.
We’d have to talk to them about what was happening and make sure we didn’t confuse them. Our date last night and subsequent dinner and movie night that evening might’ve done exactly that already. I’d have to sit down with Allie about it sometime, but that would have to wait until tomorrow.
The important thing tonight was getting her home. Gently shaking her shoulder, I bent over to whisper in her ear.
“Allie, baby. You have to wake up, sweetheart. It’s time to go.”
She stirred, covering a yawn with her hand while squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m sleeping, Daddy.”
“I know, my angel. You can keep sleeping in the car. I’ll carry you to bed when we get home.”
“Can’t we just sleep here?” she groaned softly.
Laurie’s eyes blinked open, and I felt her turning into my side. “You’re welcome to sleep here if you want. It hardly seems fair to turn you out into the cold when we’re all so warm and comfy.”
Allie still had her eyes closed, so I thought it was safe to turn my head and give Laurie a soft kiss on her forehead. “We should get home. Need any help getting Katie to bed?”
“No, we’re okay. Let me walk you out.”
I started to shake my head, but she silenced me with pursed lips.
“I’m walking you out,” she whispered firmly. “Just give me a second to get up without waking Katie.”
“Sure thing.” I wiggled Allie’s shoulder again. “Come on, sleepyhead. I can carry you to the car, but you know you’ll just wake up again while I’m strapping you in.”
Like all other kids I’d ever heard of, Allie loved sleeping in the car. Ever since she’d been a baby, she’d be out as soon as the wheels started turning. Getting her into the car, however, was not so easy.
Without fail, she would wake up as I started lowering her into her seat. Taking her out of it was fine, but getting her strapped in always seemed to wake her.
She groaned again, rubbed her eyes, and nodded before sitting up. “Okay. Okay.”
Moving like a hundred-and-something-year-old, she climbed off the couch and stretched while waiting for us. I followed after her and Laurie scooted sideways slowly, gently lowering Katie’s head until she was lying flat.
“Can I help you guys gather anything?” she asked. “Also, remember to take your food.”
“You really don’t have to send us home with leftovers,” I said, repeating the same statement I’d made about ten times a few hours earlier. “We loved the food, but I’m sure you’ll appreciate having some left over for tomorrow.”
“We’re not talking about that again,” she said. “There’s plenty for us. It will make me feel better for keeping you all day if I know you’re fed tomorrow as well.”
“Thank you, Laurie,” Allie said, much more gracious about accepting the home-cooked meal than I was. “Daddy might not want to take your food, but I will.”
She smiled sweetly before moving forward and opening her arms to give Laurie a hug. “Thanks for dinner and for watching movies with us.”
Laurie opened her arms to return the hug, holding Allie close while kissing the top of her head. “You’re welcome, sweetheart. I’ll cook for you again sometime soon, okay?”
“Okay.” Allie yawned again when she stepped away, folding her arms around her midsection as she tilted her head in the direction of the garage. “I’m going to climb into the car. Katie and I already put my backpack in there earlier.”
She stifled another yawn before turning around and heading off. Laurie had already packed up our food and handed over the bag she went to collect from the kitchen.
“No complaining about it anymore,” she said. “I like feeling like I’m helping take care of you.”
It took everything in my power not to kiss her, but Allie could come back in at any moment and Katie could open her eyes. Enveloping her in my arms instead, I gave her a lingering hug and relished the feel of her body against mine.
When I glanced at Katie lying on the couch, I found her awake and watching our every move. She smiled when we made eye contact, then closed her eyes and burrowed deeper into the cushion underneath her.
Laurie kissed me softly on my chest, right over my heart, and let me go. “Thanks again for everything today. You were a real lifesaver.”
“Anything you need, I’m only a phone call away.” I meant it, too. “I have some work to do tomorrow, but I’ll see you at our meeting on Monday?”
“I’ll be there.” She brought her hand to mine but didn’t take it. Giving my fingers a light squeeze, she nodded toward the hallway. “You should get going. I’m sure Allie’s eager to get back to sleep.”
“I wish we could stay.”
“Same, but I understand why you can’t. We’ll see each other on Monday, right? The weekend will be over before you know it.”
“Doubt it.” I grabbed her hand once we were out of the living room, holding it tightly for the few seconds we had until I had to let her go again. “Have a good night, Laurie. Sleep well.”