“Why the hell not?” Billy answered with an equal amount of indignation.
“I heard all about your proposal last night. Put me and the little song I wrote for Liv when I proposed to shame.”
Renie hugged Ben. “Your proposal to my mom couldn’t have been more perfect, and you know it.”
Ben smiled.
“Ready?” Billy asked.
“Yep, let’s go. Bye, Ben. Say goodbye to the boys for me, too. They’re downstairs fighting, and I don’t want to get in the middle of it this morning.”
“Wait, what? You’re leaving? I made breakfast.” He waved his hands over the huge breakfast he’d just finished preparing.
“Sorry, Ben,” said Renie. “We’re having breakfast at home this morning.”
“Good luck with that,” he mumbled. “You don’t have a refrigerator, let alone anything to cook breakfast with.”
“Oh…yeah…I guess I left that part out. We don’t exactly have anything in the house yet. We just have the house.”
“Then we’ll stop and get coffee and some of your favorite pastries on our way.”
“See?” Billy said to Ben. “See how she is? And she’s mine. All mine. She’s perfect, and she’s all mine.”
Ben rolled his eyes but smiled as he waved them off.
22
“Well, hi there,” Liv said softly when Billy and Renie walked in the back door.
“Is she asleep?” he asked.
“Just dozed off,” she whispered.
Billy took Willow out of Liv’s arms. When he did, she rubbed her face against his chest. “Dadada,” she murmured and smiled. Her voice sounded so sleepy, but she picked up her head and looked at Renie.
“Bah,” she said and then continued on with an unintelligible string of babble.
Renie got closer to Willow and her daddy. “Hi,” she said softly.
Willow tucked her face into Billy’s chest again, then turned and gave Renie a shy smile.
Not knowing what her reaction might be, Renie took a deep breath, and held her hands out to see if Willow would come to her. She didn’t even hesitate.
Billy thought he might pass out, he’d been holding his breath so long. He watched as Renie walked over to the blanket Liv had spread out on the floor. It was covered with Willow’s toys and books. She sat down, still holding Willow in her arms, and picked up a stuffed monkey with one hand.
“Who’s this?” she asked.
“Mun,” Willow answered taking the monkey from Renie’s hand. She held it up to Renie’s lips. Renie gave the monkey a kiss. Then Willow brought the monkey to her lips and kissed it too.
Billy turned to look at Liv, who was trying to wipe the tears away before anyone noticed. They were falling from her eyes too quickly for her to catch them all.
He put his arm around her. “Thanks,” he said.
She rested her head on his shoulder. “They’re beautiful,” she answered.
Willow put her head down on the pillow and stretched her little body out. She patted the pillow. “Seep,” she said pointing at the blanket.
Renie stretched out right beside her. She tucked her arm under Willow’s head, and the baby snuggled up against her.