Chapter 19 #2
“Beautiful,” I repeated, crossing to her and pulling her close despite Leo giggling at us. “And I love that shirt on you.”
“You’re weird,” she said, but she was smiling as she kissed me. “But you’re my weird.”
“Forever?” I asked, keeping my voice light even though the question was anything but casual.
“Forever,” she confirmed without hesitation.
That afternoon, while Chloe napped upstairs, Leo and I sat at the kitchen table with crayons and paper spread between us. He was working on yet another family portrait featuring dogs.
“Leo, buddy, I want to talk to you about something important.”
He looked up from his purple dog with green spots.
“You asked earlier about why Chloe-mama and I don’t have matching rings like Uncle Jack and Aunty Harper.” I chose my words carefully. “Do you remember what I told you?”
“That rings means legal!” Leo nodded enthusiastically. “Like paperwork!”
“Exactly. Leo, what would you think if I asked Chloe-mama to marry me? That means we’d wear matching rings.”
Leo’s eyes got huge. “Matching rings!”
“Matching rings,” I confirmed. “But here’s the thing – I don’t just want to ask her to marry me. I also want to ask her if she wants to adopt you. Do you know what adoption means?”
Leo’s forehead scrunched up in concentration. “Is it good or bad?”
“It’s very good. Adoption means Chloe would become your legal mama.
Right now, she’s your mama because we live together and she takes care of you and loves you.
But if she adopts you, the courts and the government would say ‘yes, Chloe is Leo’s mama’ on official papers.
Just like how I’m your daddy on official papers. ”
“Like the papers Arthur has?”
“Yes. And after she adopts you, if you want, you could have the same last name as us. You could be Leo Mitchell, like I’m Sam Mitchell, and Chloe would be Chloe Mitchell.”
Leo’s mouth dropped open. “Really? Really? We’d all have the same name? We’d be a real family?”
“We’re already a real family,” I said gently. “But yes, we’d all have the same name.”
“And Chloe-mama would be my mama forever? Even when I’m old? Even if I’m naughty?”
My chest tightened at the vulnerability in his question. “Leo, you’re going to make mistakes sometimes. We all do. But that doesn’t change that we’re a family. Chloe-mama will always be your mama, no matter what.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Leo was quiet for a moment, processing. Then his face split into the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Can I help ask her? Please, please, please? I wanna help!”
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I want us to do it together, because you’re part of this family too.”
“YES!” Leo bounced in his chair so hard it squeaked. “But I dunno how to ask someone to ’dopt me! What do we do?”
“I don’t really know either,” I admitted. “I’ve never done this before. But Chloe-mama told you something once, remember? About asking for things clearly?”
Leo’s face lit up with recognition. “When I wanted to ask for extra cookies,” he nodded. “She said you gotta say important things clearly and with lots of love! Not whiny!”
“Exactly. So we should ask her clearly, and tell her we love her, and make sure she knows how much she means to us.”
Leo nodded seriously, then his face brightened. “Emma says girls like flowers! Do you think Chloe-mama likes flowers?”
“What kind of flowers do you think she would like?”
Leo thought really hard, making his thinking face. “The kind that smell super good and make her do her happy smile. Like the pretty ones in her garden that the butterflies love!”
“Daisies,” I said, remembering how Chloe always stopped to admire the wild daisies that grew behind the clinic. “Good thinking, buddy.”
“And we should ask her somewhere super special,” Leo continued, getting more excited.
“Any ideas where?”
“The clinic!” Leo said immediately, jumping up from his chair. “That’s where I met the puppies, and Chloe-mama took care of me! That’s where our family started!”
My throat tightened with emotion. This kid had such a clear understanding of what mattered. “That’s perfect, buddy. That’s exactly where we should ask her.”
“Daddy?” Leo climbed into my lap, his small face very serious. “When we ask her, do we tell her we wanna be a family forever and ever?”
“Absolutely,” I said, pulling him close. “Because that’s exactly what we want.”
“Good!” Leo snuggled against my chest. “Can we practice? I wanna practice what to say so I don’t mess it up!”
We spent the next hour rehearsing. Leo took his role very seriously, practicing kneeling like I did, practicing saying “will you ’dopt me?” until he could say it clearly, practicing not giggling when he was supposed to be serious.
“Leo,” I said, keeping my voice serious. “This is a surprise for Chloe-mama, remember? You can’t say anything about it to her until we are ready.”
He nodded solemnly, then immediately giggled. “But it’s really hard! I’m so excited!”
“I know. Just try your best, okay?”
“Okay!” He scrambled off my lap. “Can we build a fort while we wait for Chloe-mama to wake up?”
“That sounds perfect.”
We spent the next hour constructing an elaborate fort in the living room, using every pillow and blanket we could find. Leo was in heaven, crawling through tunnels and declaring himself king of the fort.
When Chloe finally came downstairs, her hair adorably mussed from sleep, she found us inside our completed fort. “What are you two plotting in there?” she asked, peering into our blanket cave with a sleepy smile.
“Nothing!” Leo said, trying to look innocent but immediately dissolving into giggles. “We’re not doing anything, Chloe-mama!”
“Just guy stuff,” I added, earning more giggles from Leo.
Chloe raised an eyebrow, clearly fighting her own smile. “Should I be worried?”
“Nope!” Leo said, grinning from ear to ear. “You should be excited! Really, really excited!”
“Leo,” I warned gently.
“I didn’t tell the secret!” Leo protested, waving his hands frantically. “I just said she should be excited! That’s not telling!”
Chloe looked between us with growing suspicion and amusement. “You two are terrible at keeping secrets.”
“We’re not keeping secrets,” I said carefully. “We’re planning a surprise. There’s a difference.”
“A really good surprise!” Leo added, bouncing on his knees. “The bestest surprise ever!”
“The best surprise,” I confirmed, meeting Chloe’s eyes and seeing the love and trust there that made me certain we were doing exactly the right thing.
“Well then,” Chloe said, settling down cross-legged beside our fort. “I guess I’ll have to wait and see what you boys are up to.”
“You won’t have to wait too long,” Leo said, practically vibrating with excitement. “Right, Daddy? Not too long?”
“Right, buddy. Not long at all.”