Chapter Thirty-One
A knock on the door interrupted Maddie on Tuesday afternoon while she and Aiden were building one of his new Lego sets. She was afraid to hope that Justin was on the other side. She still hadn’t heard from him since their blow up, and every hour, every minute that ticked by had her more on edge. She’d dashed him a text yesterday after meeting with Jen, just asking if they could talk. He’d answered with a vague response.
Soon.
She hopped up and threw a look at Aiden, who was so engrossed in his task that he hadn’t noticed. She wrapped her hand around the door handle and drew in a quick breath. No matter who was standing on the other side, she had this. She was stronger than she had been before.
Okay, here goes nothing.
When she pulled the door open, it wasn’t Justin on the other side.
“Miss Maddie!” Sofia practically flung herself into Maddie’s arms.
Maddie caught the little girl and hugged her tight for a minute. Holding Sofia calmed her racing heart and soothed her anxiety. But soon enough, she was forced to acknowledge something wasn’t right. She released Sofia and sank down to her level. “What are you doing here, honey?” It was then that Maddie noticed the dog leash clutched firmly in Sofia’s grasp. “And why do you have Pepper with you?”
She really didn’t understand. There was no way Wanda would have dropped Sofia off. Had Serena done something? That would explain Pepper’s presence, too.
“Oh, here.” Sofia shoved a thick envelope into Maddie’s hand and ran past her into the house, Pepper’s yips trailing behind her as he scrambled to keep up with the energetic six-year-old.
Maddie heard Sofia scream “Aiden” from behind her while she stood in the doorway, mouth gaping, with the envelope in her hand. This entire incident had her baffled. Maybe the letter could explain why Sofia and Aiden were currently huddled on the floor playing with a puppy who was eating up every bit of attention.
She slid a thick stack of papers from the envelope and unfolded them.
State of Pennsylvania Department of Social Services
Application for Foster Services
Maddie frantically flipped through the stack. Each of the papers was filled out—completely—and on the final page, Justin’s broad signature and today’s date. A tear sprang to her eye. This couldn’t be real, could it?
She raised her head to find Justin standing at the bottom of the steps, a bouquet of lilies clutched in his hand and a duffel slung over his shoulder. Seeing him, a hesitant smile on his face, was the final straw. She no longer had the strength to hold back the tears, and she offered him a watery smile.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” She was afraid to hope, afraid that if she blinked, this moment, and Justin, would be gone.
Justin climbed one step. “What do you think it means?”
“That you’ve forgiven me?”
He climbed another step, putting him at eye level with her. In the hazel depths of his eyes swirled anguish and regret. But also hope and desire… and love. “I’m the one who needs forgiveness. I’m so sorry that I went off like that, Maddie. I wasn’t upset about Sofia at all.”
“I should have discussed her with you before I invited her to come over. I realize now that I was impulsive and inconsiderate of your feelings.”
He extended his hand. “It sounds like both of us have to work on our communication skills. I’d really like to do that… together.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
He took the final step so he stood in right in front of her, so close that if she reached out, she could touch him. To make sure that he was really standing in front of her, offering her everything she had hoped for. “Really.”
“I didn’t think you were ready to apply for us to be foster parents to Sofia.”
“All I needed was a chance to think about it. You’re right, I love Sofia. And I love you. All I want is for you to be happy. For us to be happy. As a family. And look…” He gestured behind her and she turned to see the two of them, Aiden and Sofia, squeezed into Justin’s recliner, heads pressed together over a book. Pepper was sprawled across both of their laps, his head hanging off one end and his huge puppy paws off the other. “That’s our family. Right there.”
Justin’s arms came around her from behind and his chin settled on her shoulder. She sank back into him, wanting to soak in every bit of this moment with her husband.
“I filed the papers with Wanda today. She expects that we’ll pass with flying colors. But Sofia and Pepper, they’re a package deal. Serena was all too happy to equip me with everything we needed to bring Pepper home today.”
Maddie laughed. She loved his family. She tilted her head so she could look him in the eye. “Home?”
“As long as you’re ready for me to come back.”
“Ready? I’ve been ready since the day you moved out. I know why you did, and you were right to take the break that I never would have had the strength to suggest. But why the quick turnaround? On Saturday, I thought you weren’t ready.”
“I was. I was going to tell you at the end of the day. But then I went and did something stupid and didn’t listen to what my wife needed—”
“And I didn’t talk to my husband before I decided something that affected him, too.”
“We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?”
Maddie snuggled into him, her gaze locking on the kids… her kids… her family. “I don’t know, I think we’re pretty perfect for each other.”