Chapter 53
CONNOR
“Pull your sleeves down!” Mildred’s tone is chastising as she tugs the black fabric until my tattoos and my bracelet proclaiming me as Mildred’s Sweet Villain are hidden. “The arm porn is too much for these women. Have a heart.”
“See you next week!” A pair of young moms waves at us as they leave the mom-and-tots circle at the library.
“Bye, girls! Don’t forget to grab a onesie and extra snacks on the way out!” Mildred calls after them.
“The number of moms has doubled since Connor started showing up,” Everly observes, draping herself over Mildred like a cape. “Are we going now?”
“Right after we clean up.” Mildred pats her hand. “Go help your brother.”
Everly flits over to Victor, who’s already put most of the chairs away. Mildred watches them with a smile.
I kiss her temple. “Soon.”
She looks up and I drop a kiss on her lips. “I know. I’m just impatient.”
Since Mildred moved back home with Dewey a few weeks ago, we’ve been working to push through the paperwork to become foster parents. We want Victor and Everly to have a place they can call home, and we want it to be with us.
We finish tidying, collect Meems, who’s been happily snuggling one of the babies, and drive over to the arena. Callie’s team is in first place and heading for a championship tournament.
Fifteen minutes later we park and head inside. The girls link arms, and Victor hangs back with me, wearing a pleased smile.
“Everything good?” I ask.
“Yeah, everything is great. Everly is the happiest she’s ever been,” he notes.
“She seems more settled these days,” I agree.
“She is. She’s doing a lot better in school. She’s not really getting in trouble.”
“I feel that. I’m a better hockey player thanks to Mildred, and more settled too.”
“She has that effect on people.” Victor nods.
I want to tell him that soon we’ll be able to make this sense of security permanent, that we’ll be able to give him the stability and love he craves and deserves. But I can’t yet. We’re almost there, and we want to wait until all the paperwork is complete.
We join Lexi, Fee, and her best friend, Cammie, in the stands. Everly flops into a seat and pulls Victor down beside her.
“Perfect timing!” Lexi cradles baby Ariel to her chest. “They’ve almost finished warmups.”
“Look at that sweet face.” Mildred slides into the seat next to her and rests her cheek on Lexi’s shoulder. “You’re pretty too, Lexi.”
Lexi laughs. “Do you want to hold her?”
“I would absolutely love to hold this sweet, tiny nugget of adorableness.”
Lexi passes Ariel to my wife, who coos at her.
Roman, who was talking to one of the coaches, comes over and wedges himself into the seat next to mine—they aren’t built for guys over six three—with a smirk.
“You gonna be next on the baby brigade?”
“Calm down, bro. We have to see some kids off to college first,” I murmur.
Understanding and compassion lights up his face, and he drops his voice to a whisper. “You get everything finalized?”
“We’re close.” Roman and Lexi have been helpful on this journey since Lexi is the legal guardian of her sisters, and Roman formally adopted them last fall. Now they’re officially his.
Everly’s head appears between mine and Mildred’s. “Fee and Cammie are going to the concession stand.”
I pull a twenty out of my wallet and pass it over my shoulder. “Please bring me the change, if there is any.”
“Thank you!” She kisses us both on the cheek and disappears.
Callie skates past, waving at us as she heads for her net, but then she circles back and stops in front of Victor. He smiles and taps the glass with his fist.
“How have I been so easily replaced?” I mutter.
Mildred grins and kisses my cheek as Callie skates away, pulling out some figure skating moves as she goes.
“She’s the only girl who ever loved me without even knowing me,” I lament.
“You’ll get over it.” Mildred nudges my shoulder. “Here, hold this adorable baby.”
I put out my arms.
“Push your sleeves up first, though.”
I do as my wife asks, then take Ariel into the crook of my elbow.
“Ahh, there’s the magic…” Mildred snaps several pictures, her eyes sparking with heat and full of promise.
I see our entire life writing itself for us; a home full of love and family, kids and grandkids and Terror reunions. I want it all. And I want it with Mildred at my side.