26. RHETT #3
“Good. And I know I’m pushing, but I would do the same for Rafe or Calliope. You know that, don’t you?”
Both Avery and I chuckle at Nora’s use of Callie’s given name. She would have a fit if she knew her mom was using it so openly with us.
“I do.”
“Okay, well, you make sure that you give our girl a big hug from me. I miss you both so much, and my invite is still open. Rafe would love for you to be at the fundraiser this weekend. Callie is coming and bringing the children…”
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s more than enough to make me happy right now,” Nora sighs. “And bring your plus-one, of course.”
“Of course.” Avery looks up at me with a soft lopsided grin as she squeezes my hand a little harder while bringing it to her chest.
“Well, I better let you go.”
“Thank you for checking up on me, Nora.”
“Don’t be silly. You’re family, and you know how important that is to me.”
There it is, that teary smile that shows how overwhelmed she is by the kind words alone.
We’re almost at the school when Nora hangs up.
The car line is already halfway down the block, so we opt to park a few streets over and take the short walk.
It’s obvious Avery’s got a lot on her mind from the way she’s quiet.
“Do you think I’m being disrespectful toward my dad?” she asks pensively. “You know, by not arranging the reading and avoiding the attorney?”
“I think you have a lot on your mind and shoulders, sweetheart.”
“But am I doing the wrong thing?” Pausing in the middle of the street, she looks up at me with a nervous gnaw of her lip.
“Avery,” I murmur, using my thumb to free her pout from her bite. “There is no right or wrong when it comes to mourning the loss of someone you love. It’s okay to be overwhelmed and to take your time in dealing with your feelings and putting them before the litigation.”
“But should I be better and just deal with it all? Honor his wishes? Am I being selfish?”
“You know, you keep saying you need to be better. A better mom. A better friend. A better daughter. The truth is that you are the best mom, a great friend, and a wonderful daughter. There is nothing about you that needs improvement. You’re not selfish because you’re focusing on yourself and Iris.
In fact, there isn’t a single selfish bone in your body, and believe me, I’ve come to know your body pretty damn well. ”
A deep blush tinges her cheeks as the trill of her laughter fills the air around us. It makes me chuckle right along with her as I wrap my arm around her shoulders and draw her to me, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as we start for the school again.
“Take your time and do what feels right for you and Iris. Everything else can wait until you’re ready.”
“Not everything.” She shrugs, pressing closer to my side. “And you need to stop moving your patients around so that you can hold my hand during drop-off and pickup.”
“Maybe I do, but I’m choosing to focus on what matters, and the whole point of having another partner in the practice is that we can share the workload. Now that the pediatric patients aren’t on my roster, I have more time, and I want to spend it with you.”
Burrowing her face into the side of my chest, she wraps her arms around me tight enough that we have to pause for a moment.
When she looks up at me, I kiss her warm lips, savoring every second of the feel of her shaky breaths on my skin.
I love that it doesn’t matter how many times we kiss, she still gets breathless every time and my heart never knows what to do with itself.
It never gets old or habitual. Every kiss is something new and better than the last.
“I wish things were simpler…that they were easier,” she rasps into my slightly gaping mouth.
“Nothing that’s worth having is simple or easy, sweetheart, and you are the most precious thing I’ve ever had and ever will have. You and our girl…who’s going to kick our asses if we’re not there when the bell rings.”
With a snicker and a nod, she threads her fingers with mine, pulling my arm tauter around her as we continue toward the school.
“You keep calling Iris our girl…” she sighs happily. “She likes that. I like that.”
“Well, you’re mine and she’s yours. Ergo, she’s ours.”
“That simple, huh?”
“Not simple. It just is. It’s a default…and I love you both so…”
It really is that basic. I love Avery and Avery loves me, and we both love the smiley girl looking for us eagerly on the top step.
The minute she sees us, Iris points us out to her teacher and comes barreling toward us. One of her front teeth, the one that was wobbling last night, is missing, and she doesn’t waste time pulling the small envelope from her coat pocket and shaking it at Avery and me.
“So now we put it under my pillow, and the tooth fairy will finally have to come visit me!” She jumps up and down with excitement, and when she leaps into my arms, I know that there is nothing I won’t do to keep her and her momma safe.
No matter what, I’ll make sure that she always has that beautiful smile on her pretty face. At all costs.