22. Chapter 22
When I walk Noah out to his car, he turns back to look at me.
What is it?he asks.
I don”t want to leave Carlee alone tonight, not with all this going on. Is it possible to stay with her?
He pauses for a moment, and then a huge smile lights up his face.
Yeah, I was hoping you”d want to, but I didn”t want to push you if you weren”t ready. Having you around will be good for her. Just let me know if you need anything.
Noah gets in his car, and after he is gone, I still stand in the driveway, giving myself a few minutes to gather my thoughts.
When I go back inside, Carlee is on the couch where I left her. I hate that I let my doubts get the better of me and suggest that I leave. The second I said it, I regretted it.
Picking her up, I pull her into my lap and hold her tight to me. The stress of the day is evident in the tenseness of her body. Fortunately, she snuggles up against me, and relaxes with an audible breath. I love that I can be that safe place for her.
My dad didn”t know that Mom was doing this. I could see it in his face, but he wouldn”t contradict her in front of us. Though, I”m pretty sure they”re having it out right now.
Come on, let”s get you lunch. Liz is going to be home soon, and we need you in tip-top shape, so we don”t worry her,I say, causing her to look at the clock.
Thankfully, she doesn”t fight me. We make our way into the kitchen, and I make her a sandwich. Even though she’s eating, it’s obvious she”s not herself and a million miles away.
As Liz walks in the door, Carlee ate the last bite of her sandwich. But she schools her features fast, so thankfully, Liz doesn”t seem to notice as she comes bouncing into the kitchen and grabs a snack from the pantry. She waves a piece of paper in Carlee”s face and has a huge smile on her face.
CarleeLook straight A”s, Liz says.
Glancing over Carlee”s shoulder, I see the report card in her hand and sure enough Liz has straight A”s for the last quarter.
This is amazing. I am cooking you whatever you want for dinner tonight.I tell her.
Can it be baked mac and cheese? My mom always made me it when I got straight A”s. It”s my favorite.
When Liz”s smile falters, I know she”s thinking about her mother. But then she smiles again and walks over to the counter where there”s a little plastic box. She opens it and starts flipping through the index cards before pulling one out.
This is her recipe,she says.
When she hands to me, I look it over, and see we have all the ingredients that we need.
I”ll get started on it, and you think about what you want for dessert. I”m so proud of you.
In return, she gives me a big grin. Then she shocks me by walking over and giving me a hug.
We’ve gotten into a routine that works for us. Liz will sit down at the dining room table, pull out her homework, which, for the most part, is either math or her spelling words, and gets right to it.
After she finishes, and while I cook, she and Carlee talk.
Since she has been living with Carlee, Liz is thriving. Although she was a straight A student even before her parents’ accident, the fact that she”s been able to keep it up is a testament to Carlee”s love and support. How her mom can think that she can”t handle this is beyond me.
I make a note to plan for both of them to have a girls’ day. Maybe go to the spa and get their nails done. Something fun. Carlee needs some stress relief, and Liz deserves it after working so hard. I think a little bonding time will do them both good. I”ll have Noah ask Lexi for recommendations on places to go and make sure I set it up to give them a fun day.
After chatting with Carlee, Liz goes to the family room to watch one of her shows.
Before long, dinner is ready, and Lexi calls her to the table.
This tastes just like my mom”s! Thank you, Zane, Liz says. Then she proceeds to stuff her mouth full of macaroni and cheese. I”ve never seen this girl eat so much. No surprise that after eating four large helpings, she groans about having a tummy ache.
That”s what happens when you eat too much. You have to pace yourself. Let me get you some medicine, and then you can lie down on the couch for a little while before you get ready for bed,Carlee says.
While I work on cleaning up the kitchen, our night goes on like normal. Once Liz is in bed, Carlee joins me in the kitchen. She walks right up to me and hugs me as I wrap my arms around her. We stand there for a minute before I pick her up and set her on the kitchen counter so that she”s almost at eye level with me.
With everything going on tonight, I really don”t want to leave you alone, so I talked to Noah. As long as it”s all right with you, he gave me the okay to spend the night. We can use it as a trial run. What do you think?I ask, holding my breath, waiting for her answer.She breaks out into the first genuine smile I”ve seen on her all day.
I would like that because I was not looking forward to being alone tonight either. But be warned, I am very used to sleeping on my own and I think I”m a bed hog.
Oh, I”m not worried about that. I plan on keeping my hands on you, so there will be more snuggling than bed-hogging going on. I lean in and kiss her.
Running my hands up her sides and back down to her hips, I’m enjoying the feel of her. I could stand here and kiss her all day, and that”s a feeling that I have never had before with anyone.
When I’m about to end the kiss, she groans and wraps her legs around my waist, holding me to her.
Then, with a smile on my face, I pick her up and carry her to the bedroom.
I wake up to a hand stroking my face, and when I open my eyes, Carlee is there looking at me with a smile lighting up her eyes. For a moment, we stare at each other and I know without a doubt this is how I want to wake up every morning.
You said last night that you wanted to be up to help get Liz ready for school. My alarm just went off, so I thought I”d wake you up.
I don”t know what their morning routine is. But I know with all my heart that I want to be a part of it. Just like I’ve been part of their evening routine.
Why don”t you get ready and help get Liz up? While you’re doing that, I will make some breakfast,I say.
Smiling, she nods her agreement, so we get up out of bed and face the day. After she wakes Liz up, I head to the kitchen. For breakfast, I decide to make some eggs and bacon to go with some of the leftovers from the night before last.
By the time Liz comes stumbling into the kitchen, dressed for school, she looks completely unhappy to be awake so early, not that I can blame her. When she sees me, she smiles big.
I like having you here for breakfast,she says.
Her words touch my heart, making me glad that I have her and Carlee.
I like being here, too, and being able to take care of both of you,I say as Carlee walks into the room.
Immediately, she pours herself a cup of coffee. I”ll eat after I get her off to the bus.
We watch as Liz shovels food into her mouth. Though she’s barely able to finish everything on her plate, before Carlee has to rush her off to be at the end of the driveway for the bus. As they go out the door, I start making our breakfast.
When she walks back in, I ask, How do you like your bacon cooked? I want to know everything I can about her so that I can make her breakfast without having to ask.
Limp, she says.
Excuse me?I ask, not sure that I read the sign right.
She smiles once again and says, I like my bacon limp.
At this point, she”s laughing, and I stalk over to her letting out a growl.
That is the only thing that is going to be limp in this house,I say as I pick her up, tossing her over my shoulder and smacking her ass.
She knows exactly what she was doing. On the counter next to the stove, I keep one hand on her as I use the other to cook the bacon and eggs.
Noah sent me an email with the info for the lawyer that he suggested last night. I just saw it while I was checking my email this morning,she says as we”re eating at the table.
Well, it looks like our next step is to go talk to the lawyer.She smiles for a minute, though I”m not quite sure why.
I was hoping you”d want to go with me. Noah volunteered to go as a translator for you. At least until we can get someone who can help out on a more regular basis.
There is nowhere else I’d rather be than by your side. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth.
This woman is making me do and say things I never thought I would, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.