33. Liam
CHAPTER 33
liam
I walk through the door with brick oven pizza from Barrel House, my excitement over talking with Charlotte tonight through the roof. Hannah is extra emotional, on the verge of happy tears and barely containing them, which is keeping a thick knot in my throat as I get ready to explain this to Charlie.
After dinner, the three of us grab our blankets and move to the couch to talk, Billy and Penny crawling up into Charlotte’s lap just like they always do. For the first time in a long-ass time, I’m nervous. Hannah rubs my back as I lean forward, bracing my elbows on my knees.
“Charlie, can we talk?”
“Yep!”
“Remember the hockey game we went to and the conversation we had before we left?”
“About different kinds of families and how Evangeline should be nicer.”
“That’s right. Well, I left another type of family out by accident.”
“What kind?”
“Adoption.”
“What’s adoption?”
“You know how you have just your momma?”
“Yep. And now you and Garb-Billy and Penny now.”
“Right. Well, adoption is when a parent who didn’t birth you gets to raise you and be your parent.”
“Kinda like you, bear.”
“That’s right. I’d like to adopt you, Charlie, so that I can be your dad.”
She stops petting Billy and looks up at me, those chocolate brown eyes lighting up so big.
“You want to be my dad, bear?”
“Yeah, munchkin, I want to be your dad more than anything in the world.”
“Can I call you Dad?”
“I’d really love that.”
I can’t help the tears that flow from my eyes, but I smile through it so that she doesn’t think I’m sad.
“Don’t cry, Dad.”
And the tears flow more freely now, a slight laugh releasing as I hear those words for the first time.
“I just love you so much, munchkin.”
“I love you, my dad! And Mumma, and Billy and Penny!”
Grabbing Charlotte and tucking her in under my arm, Hannah takes up my other side, wiping away her tears that have drenched her pretty face. We smile at each other before I lean down and kiss her sweet lips. All I ever wanted was to give Hannah my love and get hers in return, but I got so much more instead. I got a family.