Anna got down to Margie’s level and wrapped her in a hug. “I’ll try to come see you tomorrow. Would you like that?”
Margie nodded her head and sniffed. I watched as Anna wiped her tears away, and Margie made Anna promise to visit her again. Then she wrapped her little arms around Anna’s neck. Anna hugged her back, and they stayed like that for a full minute before Margie finally let go.
“You’re the best. You know that?” I said and pulled Anna into a hug.
“Thanks, Justin. So are you. And Margie,” she said.
“Thank you for the dress, Anna. Really, it means a lot.”
“It’s no problem at all. I felt honored to do that for her.”
I gave her another hug and kiss and then she got into her car. “Have a good night, you guys,” she said.
“You too,” Margie and I said at the same time. We both laughed.
We stood there and watched as Anna drove away, and I couldn’t help but feel like I had just fallen even more in love with her.
I walked with Margie back to our car and helped her get buckled up in her booster seat. She fell asleep on the way home. The only time she really took naps anymore was when she was in the car. I glanced at her in the rearview mirror, and my heart swelled with pride. I loved my daughter more than life itself and had never known a love like that until she was born.
When we got home, I decided I hadn’t been spending as much time with her as I would have liked. So, I made us macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and a side salad. Then, I let her pick out a movie for us to watch.
She chose a Winnie The Pooh movie she got for her birthday. It was her favorite, and though I had seen it a million times, I was happy to watch it again with her. Spending time with her was more important than the actual activity we were doing.
“Can I wear my new dress tomorrow?” she asked me.
“Yes, you can. It’s very pretty. Did you thank Anna for buying that for you?” I asked.
“Yes. I love my Anna,” she said.
“Me, too,” I said.
The rest of the night was so peaceful. We watched the movie, I gave her a bath, and after that, we laid in her bed as I read her stories. I knew I wouldn’t mind spending every night for the rest of my life doing the exact same thing.
But, I knew there was one thing missing: Anna. If Anna was there, then our lives would be complete. She was the best thing that ever happened to Margie and me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anna
It was Friday night, and I went to Justin’s fight with Ally. I had to her tag along because I was on pins and needles. I needed someone to keep me from completely losing it, but it turned out that Ally was just as nervous as me. Bringing her along wasn’t the distraction I hoped it would be.
The place was jam-packed full of people. It was as if they were all there to see Justin, so many people were yelling his name and holding up signs. It was amazing to hear the excitement in their voices as they chanted his name.
Margie stayed with my parents, who offered to watch her during the fight. Margie was so excited to stay with them. She brought an assortment of toys with her so she could show them her favorite ones. I had them watch her at my house instead of at Ally’s, where they had been staying.
Ally leaned into me and said, “I never thought you would be with someone that was into something so dangerous.”
“Me either,” I said. It was true. I had always been a timid person, and I hated watching action movies because of the violence. Now, I was dating a guy who was an MMA fighter, which, according to fans, was way more badass than wrestling or boxing.
“But I can’t picture you with anyone else now,” she said with a smile.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Yeah. Besides, mom and dad are never going to let Margie go now. You do realize that, right?”
I laughed. “That’s probably true.”
“Oh, it is. They’ve wanted a grandchild they could spoil, and now they have that, and I didn’t have to be the one to push the baby out of me. It’s a win-win for all of us.”