Chapter 72
Colby
Theo rings the bell at the top of the highest rock wall and I cheer wildly. I’m about two feet below him and to his left, secured by a rope running parallel to his. I could have smoked him to the top, of course. But I’ve hung back to watch him as he climbed, making sure I could help him out if he needed it. But, I’ll be damned, Theo barely needed a single word of instruction.
“You slayed it, buddy!” I say, my excitement equaling his. I ascend the last few feet, reach the top of the wall, and ring the bell on my side. “You’re getting so good at this, Theo-Leo. Better than me, that’s for sure.”
“I’m not better than you. I asked for help a bunch of times. And you’re on the harder side of the wall.”
“Yeah, but I’m six foot three. Look at my arms and legs versus yours. Pound for pound, inch for inch, you’re way better at this than me, dude. Swear to God.”
Theo positively beams at me.
“Hey, don’t belay down yet,” I say. “Sit back on your harness for just a sec. I want to ask you something while we’re sitting on top of the world together.”
Theo looks at me expectantly.
I quickly signal to the Climb & Conquer staffers managing our ropes below that we’re staying put for a second and they shoot me a thumbs-up. I return to Theo. “You know I love your mom with all my heart, right?”
He nods.
“Just between you and me, I’m going to ask her to marry me later today at the party, and I’m hoping as the man of the household for three years before I came along you’ll give me your blessing.”
“My blessing? You mean like my permission?”
“Well, no. I don’t need your permission. I’m going to ask her later today, no matter what.”
“Then what are you asking me to do?”
“Give me your blessing.”
Theo looks at me like I’m a moron.
“Okay, never mind. Belay down, you punk. This isn’t going as planned, at all.”
Theo laughs, calls down to the staffer below, and begins belaying down. Shaking my head, I follow suit.
When we get to firm ground and begin taking off our harnesses, Theo says, “So what happens if I say no? If I don’t give you my blessing?” He snorts.
“Then I’d give you a knuckle sandwich, you smart-alec.”
Theo laughs.
“Are you planning to say no?” I ask.
“No. I’m not planning to say anything. It’s not up to me. Asking an eleven-year-old kid for permission to marry his mom is just weird.”
“I’m not asking for permission.” I sigh. “It was a gesture, you little smart-ass. A gesture. It’s like, you know, a ritual. Excuse me, but I just thought it would be a cool thing to do. Like, you know. A moment. I stand corrected.”
Theo’s laughing his head off and soon I’m joining him and the moment is just patently ridiculous.
“Well, just so you know,” Theo says. “Not that I need to give you permission or anything, but I’ve been dying for you to ask my mom to marry you forever.”
“You have?”
“Dying.”
“Oh. Well, good. Because I’m going to ask her and nothing and no one could have stopped me, not even you, you little punk.”
“Good. Because I want you to ask my mom to marry you, so you’re playing right into my hand.”
“Good.”
Theo laughs. “Good.”
“You know, this could have been a poignant moment if you’d just played along,” I say. “You’re totally screwing with my Hallmark moment.”
Theo chuckles. “Hey, you’re the one who asked an eleven-year-old permission to marry his mother. Why do you think they don’t let eleven-year-olds get married? Because we’re not mature enough to make decisions like that.”
I lose my shit laughing. “Oh my God. You slay me.” I wrap my smart-ass boy in a bear hug. “You’ve been hanging around my brothers way too much, you know that?” I kiss the top of Theo’s head. “They’re teaching you to talk like a Morgan. So not good.”
We pull apart and Theo’s smile is wide and beautiful.
“So, you’re gonna ask her today?” he asks.
“Yeah, at the party for Dax this afternoon.”
I’m talking about Dax’s going-away party. In a few days, my baby brother will move to LA with his two bandmates in 22 Goats, Fish and Colin. There, the threesome will move into an apartment building owned by Reed Rivers, finish writing songs for their debut album, and eventually begin to record said songs with one of the top producers in the music industry. To say it’s a dream come true for Dax and his friends would be the understatement of the century. And so, of course, my family, being who they are, is using the occasion as an excuse to get together to party with the ones we love the most. Plus, with little Gracie’s arrival three months ago and Ryan’s baby news coming just last week, it seemed like a good time for all of us to get together all around.
“So you’re gonna ask Mom in front of our whole family?” Theo asks.
My heart lurches. It didn’t escape my notice Theo said our whole family... not your whole family. “That’s the plan,” I say. “Why? Are you going to tell me that’s a lame idea, too?”
“No, I think it’s a great idea. The sooner the better. Are you gonna give her a big ol’ diamond ring? She’s never had one, you know. I think she wants one.”
“Well, of course, I got your momma a big ol’ diamond ring. I got your momma the biggest and prettiest diamond ring you ever did see, son. She’s going to need a crane to cart her hand around whenever she wears it.”
Theo nods his approval. “Kewl. And, bee tee dubs, when I say that, I’m spelling it k-e-w-l. Because that’s next level cool.”
“Oh my God! No! Keane’s brainwashed you!”
We both laugh.
“So, um, Theo...” A flock of butterflies releases into my stomach. “There’s actually one more thing I wanted to talk to you about today.” I take a deep breath. I suddenly feel overcome with nerves. “Do me a favor and let me get everything I want to say out before you reply, okay? Just hear me out.”
He nods.
Oh, God, I feel like my stomach is stuffed into my throat. “Even though I’ve never met your dad, I’ve come to feel like I know him through your mom and you kids. And the way I feel about him, he’s like my brother.” I take a deep breath. Holy shit, I’ve never been this nervous to say something in my entire life. “I’d never, ever want to take your dad’s place. You know that, right? He’s your dad and always will be and that’s that.” My chest is tight. My breathing is shallow. “But that said, I want you to know I love you and your sisters like you’re mine. As far as I’m concerned I couldn’t love you any more if you were my own blood. You’re my family, the same as Ryan or Keane or any other Morgan.”
Theo’s face turns red.
I swallow hard. “So, um, after I marry your mom, I was thinking I’d very much like to legally adopt you and your sisters. I don’t need a piece of paper from the government to feel like you three are mine. I already do. But the legal paperwork would tell the world you’re mine, no matter the situation. It would make things easier with school registrations and stuff. And it would give me peace of mind to know that if something were to happen to your mom—not that it’s going to, but you’ve got to think about these things when you’re an adult—nobody could ever take you away from me. This way, you’d be a bona fide Morgan in the eyes of the government and the world. Of course, you wouldn’t have to call me dad. You could keep calling me Colby. And you’d still be a Decker. But I just think that—”
“Colby,” Theo says sharply, forcefully enough to instantly shut me the hell up. “I know I agreed to wait for you to finish talking before I say anything, but can I just say yes now?”
I press my lips tightly together. If I speak, I’ll surely lose it. So I simply nod and open my arms to my boy. And I might be imagining it... I probably am... but when Theo crushes himself into my belly, I’m almost positive I hear him whisper, in the faintest little voice, “Dad.”