Tinsley
After securing the blindfold on Sami, I hand her the stick. She’s the last one up at the piñata. The other kids have hit everything except the actual object they are supposed to hit. Spinning her a few times, I release her and she stumbles a little as she swings the stick in the air, missing completely. She lets out a low growl and I giggle. Taking another swing, she nails the piñata perfectly. Candy spills out onto the ground like a waterfall and all the kids fall to their knees, scrambling after and grabbing handfuls from the grass. It’s like a feeding frenzy with a bunch of hungry sharks. Strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.
“She whacked that thing pretty good. I may have to sign her up for T-ball,” he says, pride beaming from him, his lips next to my ear and his warm breath sending chills through my body. He’s such a wonderful father. In her eyes, there’s no one braver, smarter, or stronger than her daddy. And his world revolves around that sweet little girl. In the beginning, I was so worried there would be no place for me because of how close the two of them are. I was worried Sami might be jealous of me for taking some of her father’s affections, but she opened her arms to me and welcomed me in so easily, and I’ve done the same. This little girl has wormed her way into my heart and taken a piece I’ll never get back, nor ever want to. She deserves everything in the world and more.
“That’s not a bad idea,” I respond. The feeding frenzy slows and the kids start scattering to their parents, looking for someone to hold their candy. Sami looks around until she spots us and her smile widens. It’s almost as if she senses how happy we are and that makes her happy. She looks over at a little boy who is pouting as he inspects the little amount of candy he was able to collect. Without a second thought, she places both handfuls of candy she has into his hands, and the boy’s face lights up in excitement. Turning back to us, Sami heads our way, and my lips part in shock she comes to me first. I had expected her to go straight to her daddy. Pulling free from Damien, I bend down and take her in my arms.
“That was really nice of you to give that little boy your candy,” I tell her as I hug her tightly. She hugs me back before shrugging.
“He only had a couple pieces,” she states, as if it’s no big deal.
“Are you having a good time?” I ask, hoping I’ve given her everything she wanted and more. I’ve been so nervous about this party, and not necessarily because I thought she wouldn’t like it, more because I want this to be her best day to date. I want her to know and understand the love she has surrounding her, and I want her to embrace that love in all her four-year-old ways
“Yes!” she exclaims. “Thank you, Daddy and Mommy!” My heart slams against my chest. “You are the best Mommy and Daddy in the whole wide world.” Damien looks at me, worry in his eyes, but he has nothing to be worried about. Hearing Sami call me mommy is probably the best thing I have ever heard. I smile wide at him, hoping it will show him I’m completely fine with it—but more than that, I want it.
“I’m so glad you’re having fun. Ready for your cake?” I ask, changing tactics to make the situation less awkward, while not correcting her. I want Sami to call me whatever she wants to, and I want her to feel comfortable doing it on her own. Licking her lips, she claps her hands together, and I turn toward Damien. “Babe, can you round up all the kids to the table while I get the cake?” Damien pulls me into him.
“I love you so damn much,” he growls, placing a chaste kiss on my lips, and picks Sami up before corralling the children.
In the kitchen, I place four pink sparkly candles on the huge pink and white sheet cake. Airbrushed on the cake is a beautiful castle with a princess who looks like Sami with golden blonde ringlets. I look out the window and watch Damien and Sami laughing at each other, knowing with everything in me I have the family I’ve always wanted.
“Do you need any help?” I spin around at the sound of Kassidy’s voice. “I’ve seen that deer in the headlights look on you before. What’s wrong?”
“Sami called me mommy. Don’t get me wrong, I love that she did. It’s just…I have fallen just as hard for her as I have her father. What if something happens again? It would kill me to lose them both,” I spit out, then take a deep breath, trying to keep myself from passing out. Why am I getting so freaked out?
“Stop it right now,” Kas scolds. “For once in your life, just go with the flow. Stop over thinking things and expecting the worst possible outcome.” She sighs, then grabs me by the shoulders. “I love you, T, but you need to let yourself be happy. You deserve it. Damien loves you. I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at you. He’s not going anywhere.”
“I know. I see it too. I’m just scared. I’ve been burned twice and the worst one was Damien. It’s hard not to wonder if he’ll do it again even though in my heart I know he loves me and means everything he tells me,” I explain to her. I know I sound like a broken record all the time. Just when I think I’ve gotten over it all and have moved on, my damn insecurities rear their ugly head again.
“Come on, there are a crap ton of kids out there waiting for cake. We can talk about this later.” I furrow my brows at her weird behavior. Kassidy never blows me off like that. She’s up to something, but I don’t have time to think about that now. There are almost thirty kids outside chanting “cake”, and a bunch of rioting four to six-year-olds is not my idea of fun. I light the candles and Kassidy helps me carry the cake outside to the table. As soon as the kids see us walking out, they all begin to cheer and the parents look relieved. We set the cake down in front of Sami, and her eyes widen. Damien starts us all singing Happy Birthday. Sami smiles wide and blushes from all the attention.
I begin to cut the cake, but Dahlia takes the knife from my hands. “Let me do that,” she says, a sly grin on her face, and my wariness and curiosity kicks into overdrive. There’s something I’m missing…
Damien grabs my hand, pulling me away from the table, and I follow until we are at the end of the block, my brows furrowed. I’m about to ask what’s going on when he drops to one knee. A gasp escapes and my hand shoots up to cover my mouth as he pulls a black velvet box from his pocket. My hands shake as tears pool in my eyes. My lower lip trembles, knowing what’s coming, and I suck it into my mouth, hoping to ward off the onslaught of emotion.
“Ten years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life by pushing you away and letting you go. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you to do so, and I hope by now you know I did it for the right reasons even though it was the wrong way. And kneeling before you now, I want to say that I don’t regret it.” He pauses, and my forehead creases. I open my mouth to retort, but he kisses me silent and rubs his nose against mine, leaving me breathless. Shifting back to kneel, he says, “Just hear me out, okay?” I nod my head, my heart one step away from an arrhythmia, but a smile still seems to spread across my face.
“I don’t regret the time we’ve spent apart, because do you know what happened during those years? We’ve lived. We went our own paths, did our own things, made our own mistakes, made our biggest fortunes, and just…lived. For ten years, you’ve stayed in my heart. You’ve always been inside me, like a piece I knew was missing, but you lived. You got to experience things, and I had Sami, and in the end, it led us straight back to where I think we were always meant to be. That’s why I don’t regret an ounce of it. Because this time, I feel like we really have what it takes. Now, we’re older, more mature, and our feelings have only grown into something more passionate. But one thing hasn’t changed. Even after all this time, I know this like I know my own body.
“Today, and every day going forward, I want you in every way. I want our forever-love, and everything that comes with it. Ten years ago, I did what I had to do for you, but I wasn’t willing to fight for you. Now, here, today, I’m willing to fight tooth and nail to always make you happy. To be the best man I can be for you and my little girl. I would walk to the ends of the earth to make you the happiest woman alive. Will you do the same for me? Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on this earth?”
The tears spill over and slide down my face. He opens the box and the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen shines in the sunlight. Every fear I have seems to fade away. I nod my head, unable to speak. Taking the ring from the box, he holds it out to me, and I offer my shaky hand, allowing him to slide the ring on my finger. Pulling me into his arms, he places his lips on mine, giving me that forever-love kind of passion that’s been so prominent since we’ve been back together. This is it. He’s it. He was my first love, and he will be my last. He’s my everything. I knew it then, but I really know it now.
Clapping and cheering surrounds us, and I break the kiss, smiling against his lips. “You’ve made me more than happy, Damien. Forever. Always.”
“Forever. Always, Tinsley. I promise with everything in me.”
Sami’s screeching voice sounds out, and I turn as she comes barreling down the dock and jumps into my arms. Damien holds me so I don’t fall on my ass. “Did you say yes?” she asks.
“I did.”
“Does that mean you’ll be my mommy?” Her voice is so hopeful. I quickly glance back at Damien, looking for an answer. Smiling at me, he winks, and I say the most natural seven words that have ever left my lips.
“I would love to be your mommy.”
Sami wraps her arms around me, squealing in excitement, and I hold her tight, reveling in the unconditional love for this little girl and her daddy.