Epilogue
FIVE YEARS LATER
Aria
A loud thud hits the side of the couch, followed by the sound of crying.
I look over the edge to see a little blonde head of curls slumped over.
“Hey, come here.” I offer, lifting her and bringing her to my lap.
“What happened? Did you get an owie?” Her little tear-filled blue eyes look up at me as she nods her head.
“Oh no! How can I make it better?”
“Kith.” Her little lisp makes me smile as I gently place a kiss on the knee she is holding.
“Do you know what makes my owies feel better?” Lettie shakes her head, her curls bouncing wildly.
“Ice cream,” I whisper, and immediately she perks up.
“Yeth!” she squeaks.
“Should we go tell Daddy we need ice cream?”
“Ith ceeem!”
Theo walks up behind me and lowers himself to whisper in my ear.
“I really don't like you referring to another man as Daddy ,” he growls.
“I am not going to refer to him as Eddie to his daughter.” I laugh.
“Then I guess I will just have to continue punishing you every time you do.” His warm breath against my neck has my core tightening. I think I could go for a punishment right about now.
“What is this I hear about ice cream?” Eddie walks into the living room, holding the sweetest little girl in the world.
“She got hurt, and dessert always makes me feel better when I get hurt. I thought she should have some to make her knee feel better.” I smile.
He puts Lettie on the floor. “Go sit at the table, I need to tell Auntie Aria something before I grab you a bowl.” His tone is so sweet.
Watching him become a dad has been so cool to see.
He turns to me, and his tone is not the nice, sweet version he used with his daughter.
“How about we don't offer sugary treats at nine o'clock at night right before bedtime, unless you are going to get her to sleep? I'm on my own here, guys.”
“I’ll get her to bed. She loves Auntie put-downs.” I laugh. The tension in his shoulders disappears. “When does my bestie come home?”
I start making my way to the kitchen to find the good ice cream at the back of Eddie’s freezer.
“Her flight lands tomorrow afternoon.”
“Ok, I will be here around 11:30 to pick up Lettie, and she can spend the night with me.”
“Wait, you're bringing the toddler to our home?” Theo interjects.
“Is that a problem?” He goes to respond, but I cut him off before he gets a chance.
“What is your favorite thing to do when I come home from a work trip you weren't able to attend?” I see the gears turning in his head.
He stays quiet because he knows what he wants to say can't be said around my niece’s precious ears.
“We don’t have kids, so we get to play the way we want whenever we want. You can go one night without me in bed, so that our friends can have a child-free night.”
“I like her, you should keep her,” Eddie interjects as he steals my spoon full of ice cream.
“Well, he did marry me, so he is kind of stuck with me.”
“You understand that you are choosing to tell me no.”
“And that means when we drop Lettie back off with her lovely parents, it's your turn to play?”
“Yes,”
“And I welcome it.” Theo grabs my waist and pulls me in.
“You’re in trouble.”
“Daddy, I am trouble.”