Chapter 46 - Andie
Chapter Forty-Six - Andie
“Spencer! Everyone will be here soon. You need to get Henry up from his nap,” I call out as I pipe a swirl of red frosting onto a Mickey Mouse cupcake.
The apartment is decorated with Mickey Mouse and his plush friends scattered everywhere on the floor.
Henry has a slight addiction to the show, it runs non-stop on our tv with him laughing at each episode.
Always dancing to the songs and screaming nonsense words to any questions Mickey asks.
I’ve learned more about a cartoon mouse in the past four months than in my entire childhood.
Finishing up the final touches to the cupcakes, I see Spencer walk in with our sleepy birthday boy. The sight of Henry resting his head on Spencer’s shoulder gives me butterflies, leaving me wanting another little one someday—a thought that would have terrified me not long ago.
Henry’s dark curls are sticking up in every direction, his chubby cheek marked with sleep lines from the sheets. His deep chocolate eyes, so similar to Cody’s, are heavy-lidded as he clutches his favorite mouse blankie. In just four and half months, he’s become my whole world.
Spencer has been amazing through everything. He changed his work schedule to stay with me in Kansas until I sold the house. It wasn’t till later that I found out Spencer bought it.
Why? The exact question I asked him. He told me he wanted to make sure Henry had a place that he could visit that would hold memories of his dad.
A place we could come, make new memories, and turn sadness into something happy.
Also making a point that it doesn’t hurt to have another vacation home, in case we want to come out to visit.
From the moment I met Henry, giving up guardianship wasn’t an option, so I immediately worked with the lawyers to move forward with formal adoption.
Since I already had guardianship and Henry had no other family—both Cody’s and Brittany’s parents passed away years ago, and neither had siblings—the process moved relatively quickly.
A few home visits to both our Chicago and Kansas home, mix in the background checks, and lots of waiting, I was finally able to truly make Henry my little boy.
Upon moving back to Chicago two months ago, I made good on our wager that day we told everyone about Henry and moved in with Spencer. Ever since then, we’ve been a happy little family. Henry adapted quickly, I’m assuming because he’s so young that he bounced easily into a routine with us.
“Those cupcakes look delicious, Sweetheart,” Spencer says, eyeing the tray with exaggerated hunger.
“Absolutely not. They’re for the party. Keep your hands off,” I warn, wielding my frosting bag like a weapon.
“Who said I was talking about the actual cupcakes?” He grins, his gaze dropping deliberately to my chest.
Some things never change. Thank god.
I laugh as I grab Henry from him, giving Spencer a quick, innocent kiss. “Well, if you can make it through this party on your best behavior, then maybe I’ll let you try them when he lays down later.”
“Absolutely.” Ignoring my request, Spencer grabs one of the newly frosted cupcakes and devours it.
I wipe my thumb across his bottom lip, getting the leftover frosting off. “Just make sure you leave some for the guests.”
I can’t help but smile at him as he gives me another little kiss and walks away to answer the doorbell.
The guests come pouring in, all gathering to celebrate Henry and his first birthday.
All our friends and family came to spend this time with us.
Even my parents, Abby, and Charlie took a trip to Chicago to celebrate.
My mother is slowly coming around. She’s at least accepted my new little family. My father still has to keep her in check, but she’s trying, which is all I can ask for. Abby has finally realized all that she’s been missing by being self-absorbed and is working on repairing our sisterly bond.
If someone had told me six months ago that everyone would be here, together, with me as a mom and Spencer playing dad, I would have had them committed.
Henry is well loved by everyone. This little boy brought happiness into our lives that we didn’t realize we were missing.
These last few months have been a whirlwind.
I watch Spencer, day after day as he comes home and loves Henry like his own flesh and blood.
He’s been incredibly supportive, encouraging me to cut hours at the hospital so I can stay home as much as I want with Henry.
The living room is filled with laughter and chatter as Henry sits in his highchair, more interested in smashing his cupcake than eating it. Red frosting covers his hands, face, and somehow his ears, while Spencer snaps photos like the paparazzi.
I feel like I’m in a fever dream watching Spencer interact with Henry throughout the entire party.
He’s taking on the role of a proud dad with such ease and joy that my heart skips a beat thinking about our future and all that we can have together.
There’s a moment of melancholy too—seeing what could have been.
But watching Spencer love this little boy so naturally, I know Cody would approve of the man who’s stepped up to raise his son.
Maddie catches my eye from across the room and gives me a knowing wink.
She’s been thriving in her new role as Aunt Maddie, spoiling Henry rotten and then conveniently having plans whenever he’s tired and cranky.
Elle is here too, she’s become a regular part of our extended family, her daughter playing with Evan and laughing as he tickles her.
Evan has, of course, happily stepped up as Uncle Evan, though I had to ban him from teaching Henry any cool tricks after catching him trying to show my eleven-month-old how to fist bump.
“You look happy,” Charlie says, wrapping his arm around me and giving me a warm embrace.
Our friendship had taken time to repair after his blowup when I announced the move. But Spencer’s unexpected conversation with Charlie that day really started the healing process. He came clean about his involvement, and we were able to start mending our hearts.
Weekly video calls with Henry gradually melted Charlie’s resistance, and now he comes out a couple times a month for a short getaway to visit his little buddy.
The time out here has not only brought us closer together, but Spencer and Charlie have begun bonding.
I never thought I’d see the day those two would be best friends, but it fills my heart with so much love.
“I am. I’m so happy,” I reply, meaning every word.
Spencer gave me a newfound sense of bliss that I thought I would never have again.
He loved me at my worst—he never gave up on me or left me.
No matter how hard I tried to push him away, he never retreated, ultimately determined to keep us together.
When I thought I had lost everything and my world was burning down, I managed to find Spencer—the man who took me from the burning ashes of my life and helped me rise out of them stronger than ever.
As I watch him gently clean frosting from Henry’s face, laughing at something my father just said, I realize that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.
Henry wasn’t planned. Losing Cody wasn’t planned, neither was moving to Chicago.
And finding Spencer definitely wasn’t planned.
But here we are, creating a beautiful life from the ashes of what was lost. And I wouldn’t change a single moment of the journey that brought us here.
Cody, if you’re watching, I think as I look up briefly, thank you for sending them both to me. I promise I’ll take good care of our boy.
Spencer catches my eye from across the room and mouths I love you, and I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be.