Chapter 21 #2
They dozed lightly until the bedroom door was pushed open, and right on schedule, Tia stood in the opening, silhouetted and small in the half light of the hallway.
Janie stiffened slightly in her arms, and Solo touched her back gently.
“It’s okay,” she said and prayed it really would be.
“Look who’s here!” She uncoupled herself from Janie and switched on the bedside lamp.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Tia tumbled along the carpet in toddler-turbo running style and began to clamber onto Janie’s side of the bed. “Mommy help!”
The oxygen came back into the room with a whoosh when Janie reached out from under the comforter without further hesitation and hoisted Tia onto the bed and between the two of them.
“Good morning, baby girl.” Solo kissed the top of Tia’s head, breathing in her unique toddler scent.
“Mommy home,” Tia said, clumsily sticking her hand in Janie’s face.
“Yep,” Solo said, holding in the choking sob that reached up her throat. “Mommy came home.” She sniffed the air when Tia kicked her legs up into the air. “Smells like someone needs changing.”
Janie threw back the covers and lifted Tia into her arms. “I’ve got you. Let’s go see if your sisters are up yet.”
Solo followed Janie back to the triplets’ room, practically gliding across the carpet thanks to the joy lifting her heart.
By the time Janie had changed Tia’s diaper and gotten her into fresh clothes, Chloe was awake too, and Luna was beginning to stir gently.
When they finally seemed to register Janie was in the room, they burst into giggles and cute little exclamations.
Solo inclined her head slightly, waiting for the inevitable thundering of Griff’s heavy paws up the stairs as he realized the girls were awake and ready to play.
Seconds later, he was in the bedroom too, with that happy look on his face like it was Christmas and he’d just ripped open the hugest box of bones in the universe.
Her dad appeared in the doorway, took one look at the scene and smiled. “Good night?” he asked her quietly.
“The best,” Solo said, her heart pressing against her chest like it might burst with the amount of love contained within its walls.
He drew her into a bone-crushing hug. “Good. It’s about damn time.”
Once they got the girls dressed and ready, they went downstairs and made breakfast together.
Janie scrambled eggs while Solo handled pancakes, both of them dodging triplets who were determined to assist in their own special way.
Her dad supervised from the table, drinking coffee and offering unhelpful commentary like it was a football game and the triplets were on the offence.
“I was thinking,” he said as Janie plated the eggs. “You two seem to have things well in hand now. And Carmen’s working out great. Maybe it’s time I think about moving on.”
Solo froze, spatula suspended over the griddle.
She hadn’t wanted to think about this part of being reunited with Janie.
Having him there had been such a lifeline.
She wouldn’t have survived without his steady presence, his help with the girls, and his gentle wisdom whenever she’d faltered, which had been a lot.
“You don’t have to go,” she said quickly.
“We love having you here. Right, Janie?”
“Of course. You’re always welcome,” Janie said.
But her response was a beat too slow, and Solo caught the hesitation, filing it away to think about later. Her dad noticed too, of course he did, and he gave a sage nod.
“I’m not leaving tomorrow,” he said. “But I don’t want to overstay my welcome either. You two need to figure out your rhythm as a family again, and that’s going to be a lot easier without an extra person in the house.”
Solo flipped the pancake as it started to burn. “But—”
“We can talk about it later,” her dad said, stopping Solo in her tracks. “For now, let’s just enjoy breakfast.”
They ate together, and the triplets made their usual mess.
Solo tried to push away the sudden anxiety about her dad leaving.
She’d gotten so used to having backup, but she’d also enjoyed spending so much time with him again.
The thought of going back to just her and Janie, even though that’s what she wanted, seemed like it might be too much for the two of them to handle and too soon to try.
As if she was able to read Solo’s mind, Janie took her hand and held her gaze, her understanding clear. They’d figure it out together.
On Monday morning, Solo walked into the garage feeling mighty pleased with herself.
Sunday with Janie and the girls had been a lazy dream of a day filled with cartoons, playtime, and naps.
Janie had stayed until after dinner before heading back to her apartment.
Solo hadn’t wanted her to leave, but she had to work, and her files were there.
Solo didn’t press the issue, not wanting to pierce the bubble of happiness they’d created over the weekend.
They’d kissed goodbye at the door like teenagers, and Solo had watched Janie drive away, a smile on her face instead of an ache in her chest.
“Well, well, well,” Woody said, the moment Solo entered. “Look who’s glowing like she got some.”
“Shut up,” Solo said, then grinned widely.
“Oh my god, you did!” Woody whistled. “You totally did!”
Gabe emerged from the office, followed by Shay. “Did what?”
“Solo had sex!” Woody announced to the entire garage.
“Jesus Christ, Woody.” Solo punched RB’s shoulder, but in truth, she’d been desperate to get to work to share the news with her chosen family. “Can I have coffee before we discuss my sex life?”
“Nope.” Shay motioned to the couches. “Spill. Now.”
They gathered in the break room, and Solo told them everything.
Not the intimate details of Saturday night, but everything else about her perfect weekend.
When the conversation inevitably turned to the custody battle she and Janie were gearing up for, the lightness she’d been feeling when she walked in began to fade, and fear invaded the vacuum.
“That fucking woman,” Gabe said, her expression fierce. “What can we do? How can we help?”
“Testify as character witnesses,” Solo said. “David, our lawyer, said we need to line up people who can speak to our fitness as parents.”
“I’m in,” Gabe said.
Shay nodded. “And me.”
“Me too. I can lie as good as anyone,” Woody said and clapped Solo on the shoulder.
“Obviously.” RB shrugged. “Though I’m probably not the most credible witness given my general life choices.”
“You run a successful business, and you’re loyal to your people.” Solo kicked RB’s shin lightly. “That counts for something.”
“When’s the hearing?” Gabe asked.
“I’m not sure yet.” Solo glanced at her phone, hoping that might prompt David to call with exactly that information. “Early October maybe.”
“And how’s Janie handling it?” Shay asked.
Solo thought about Saturday night, about Janie breaking down in her arms during the hours of talking and reconnecting between the sex. “She’s scared. We both are.”
Gabe’s expression softened. “I’m proud of you for fighting for your family and being vulnerable enough to let Janie back in. You’re doing the work, and that’s amazing.”
Gabe never said shit she didn’t mean, and Solo’s throat tightened. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
“We’ve got your back,” RB said. “Whatever you need. Testimony, someone to intimidate Janie’s mother in a parking lot—”
“Not that last one,” Shay said, shaking her head.
“Fine.” RB threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. “But the offer stands if things take a turn.”
Woody leaned back in her chair. “So are we going to talk about the fact that you and Janie are back together? Like, for real?”
“We’re working on it,” Solo said, not wanting to jinx it. “We’re taking it slow. She stayed over on Saturday night, but we haven’t talked about her moving back in permanently yet.”
Shay arched her eyebrow. “But you want her to.”
“Of course I do. But I also want to do it right. We have to do the work Rae gives us and build a foundation that’s going to last. We can’t rush back in and end up falling into the same patterns that broke us the first time.”
“Smart.” Gabe gave Solo the thumbs up. “Hard, but smart.”
Solo could’ve talked more, but the demands of the workday pulled them apart.
She headed to her current project of a custom paint job on a restored Mustang and lost herself in the familiar rhythm of the work.
But all day, her mind kept drifting back to Janie and the past two days, and to the tentative, fragile hope that they really were on a solid path to reconciliation.
Her phone buzzed with a text. Thinking about you. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
Solo grinned and typed back: Me too. I love you.
I love you too. See you at seven?
Six would be better But I’ll take whatever I can get.
She pocketed her phone and returned to her work, but she couldn’t stop smiling.
They had the custody hearing looming, and now maybe her dad was leaving.
They had the daily challenges of parenting triplets, running the business, and managing Janie’s depression, and all the other complications of life.
But they had hope, and while a little of that could be a dangerous thing, maybe a truckload of it would be enough to outweigh the suffocating fear.