Chapter 34
Melissa
I handed the final check to my landlord with a smile on my face. Brandon had bought out my lease, and I couldn’t have been happier. He called it a belated birthday present until I informed him my birthday wasn’t for another couple of months. Then, he called it an early birthday present and sent me on my way.
“You want out now,” my landlord said.
“Yes. And I’ve got a check here that covers the early release fee, plus all the rent you will lose leading up to the end of my actual lease.”
“Just like that,” he said.
“Just like that,” I said.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take some time?” he asked. “Keep your stuff there in case things don’t work out?”
“Nope. I’m sure. And since all the money’s upfront, there’s no fighting back and forth about how much it’ll cost. All I expect is for you to return what’s left of my original security deposit in the next six weeks like it states in my lease.”
He sighed as I slid the check over to him. I knew it had been hard for him to rent out that house the first time to us, but this way he had seven months of paid vacancy before he had to find someone else to take the house. But, much to his dismay, he took the check and slid it into his pocket.
“Your lease is broken. Let me go draw up some paperwork for you to sign, and then you can take copies and be on your way. Just make sure to leave me a forwarding address for your security deposit check.”
I got everything signed and left with copies. Today was the day we were moving in with Brandon. It had been about a week since he’d asked, and since then, Sarah had been bouncing off the walls. She was excited to have a new room and to play with Max. She was excited to explore her new home and participate in movie nights with the big screen Brandon had told her about.
But what she was most excited about came from her lips as I stood beside her and watched the moving crew pack everything up for us.
“I’m excited to have a new Daddy,” she said.
I looked down at her as she watched the men pack up her things in her room. I ran my hand over her head, smoothing out her hair as my mind reeled with her statement. In all these years, I hadn’t once realized how much she had missed her father. She had been so young when Carl had passed that I naturally assumed she would just adapt to it being just us.
And then, Brandon walked up beside her and took her hand.
“How about we all go to dinner tonight?” he asked. “My treat.”
“Yay!” Sarah cheered.
“That sounds wonderful,” I said, smiling. “How long will these guys be here?”
“They’ll pack up mostly everything today and then come for it tomorrow. The big furniture won’t be moved until tomorrow, which means you guys should officially have all of your stuff moved in by Monday.”
“Can I decorate my new room?” Sarah asked.
“Any way you like, sweetheart. Wanna run to the house and pick it out?”
“You’re gonna let me pick?” she asked.
“Oh, yes. You can pick whichever room you like as your own.”
I smiled while the two of them talked, but I was shocked when Sarah walked away from me hand-in-hand with Brandon. Her smile was beaming up at him while his glowing face was looking at her, and my heart melted to my toes. Tears rose to my eyes as I walked out onto the porch, watching him put her in her car seat, and then she did something that made me bury my face in my hands and sob.
She pulled his face to his and gave him a kiss.
Suddenly, I felt arms drape around me as a strong chest came to support my head. I wrapped my arms tightly around Brandon as we lightly swayed on the porch, his heartbeat calming my body. Everything felt so perfect. So right. And this was always the point in my life where things fell apart.
Where my parents kicked me out.
Where Brandon came back married.
Where Carl died.
“Nothing bad is going to happen, not while I’m around,” he said lovingly.
“I’m so sorry I’m so messed up,” I said, sniffling.
“Listen to me,” he said as he pulled me out to see him. “You’re not messed up. You’ve been through hell and back. Anyone would have the reservations you do floating around in your head. You might not be my patient, but you’re the love of my life. I’m going to help you sift through all this. One issue at a time.”
“The love of your life,” I said, smiling.
“Yes. You are. But I think Sarah’s anxious to get to the house.”
“Mommy, come on! I gotta choose my room.”
I giggled and wrapped my arms around Brandon, breathing in his scent. We eventually headed over to his house, letting Sarah and Max run all over the place while Max helped her make her decision. It didn’t shock either of us when Sarah chose the room right across the hall from Max’s, and I could just see all the late nights they’d spend running back and forth between them after bedtime.
“They’re gonna be a mess,” I said.
“A wonderful, glorious mess,” Brandon said.
We made our way into town for dinner and ended up picking Italian. The kids were wolfing down pizza while Brandon and I shared a plate of spicy chicken alfredo, and all felt right with the world. Max and Sarah were talking about all their toys and what they might want for Christmas. Then Sarah started going on about painting her room, which sparked Max wanting to paint his room.
I giggled as the kids talked, but I could feel Brandon’s eyes on me. Sarah was jabbering on about a princess room while Max was going on about a Ninja Turtle room, and I slowly panned my gaze over to him. The love lighting up his eyes robbed me of my breath, and I knew I would marry this man if he ever asked.
“Could I have a princess room, New Daddy?”
Brandon’s head whipped over to Sarah as his mind wrapped around her statement. I watched him carefully, his eyes darting back to me as I drew in a shaky breath through my nose. He reached over and took her hand, holding it warmly within his as her eyes studied his face.
“Is it okay to call you that?” she asked.
“You can call me whatever you want,” he said.
“Does that mean I can call her New Mommy?” Max asked.
“Is that what you want to call her?” Brandon asked incredulously.
“She’s my new mommy, right?” Max asked.
Brandon panned his gaze over to me and a smile graced my lips. I reached over and took Max’s hand, turning my attention to him before I leaned over and kissed the top of his head.
“You can call me whatever you wish,” I said.
“And yes, you can have a princess room,” Brandon said to Sarah. “We’ll decorate it any way you like.”
“Does that mean I get a Ninja Turtle room?” Max asked excitedly.
“Yep. And I’ll even help you put it all together,” I said, smiling.
“New Mommy, you’re so awesome,” Max said as he threw his arms around me.
My heart was filled with so much joy, I thought it was going to burst. I looked over at Sarah hugging Brandon, and I could’ve sworn tears were glimmering at the corner of his eye. I planted a massive kiss on Max’s cheek before he settled back down into his seat, and the two kids continued to talk about all the things they were going to want for their rooms. Canopy beds and couches to jump on. Televisions on the wall and curtains with their favorite characters on them. I shook my head and sighed as I leaned back into my chair, and I felt Brandon’s hand descend onto mine.
I turned to meet his gaze as a lonely tear fluttered down my cheek, and he leaned in to kiss it while the rest of the world faded into the background.
Yes. Everything was absolutely perfect. But I no longer felt anxious about it.