20
REBECCA
“Great job, kids,” I praised them as they set the table.
Ravi, Wayne, and Reiner would be here any minute now.
The kids had been thrilled to meet their dad and hadn’t left his side for a moment the day
before – especially Violet, who’d proved to be the daddy’s girl I always knew she was, falling
asleep in his arms during the walk home.
My heart nearly burst at the sight of my little girl so relaxed in his embrace, her head resting
on his shoulder. Unlike James, who was more outgoing, Violet didn’t give her heart and trust
to just anyone. Reiner was very, very lucky.
As for James… Goddess, I couldn’t believe how much that simple afternoon with his dad had impacted on him. Even though he loved spending time with Wayne and Ravi, who had been
the only men in his life until then, it was clear from the very first moments with Reiner that…
well, it was different. There was such happiness, such anticipation, such wonder in his eyes
that it nearly brought me to tears.
—
Also, Jim was a pretty rebellious kid, always trying to dodge the rules – but when Reiner had scolded him for wandering off too far, he accepted the reprimand without a fuss.
It was the first time I saw him not protest.
Yes, I thought. Yes, I did the right thing by bringing them together.
It was clear that those three already loved each other to the moon and back: what more could
I want for them than the happiness that finally being together gave them? They certainly
deserved it.
“Uncle Wayne and Uncle Wavi here,” I heard Violet say as she set the place cards she had
made that morning on the table. “Mommy in her place… and Daddy next to me.”
“NO, DADDY NEXT TO ME!” James shouted.
I hope you know the kids are fighting over who gets to sit next to you at the table, I quickly
wrote to Reiner.
He replied instantly, with a laughing emoji. Little rascals. I adore them.
“It’s not fair!” Violet protested.
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“Easy, guys,” I warned.
I popped the lasagna into the oven and walked over to them. “I understand there’s a discussion about where Daddy should sit, hmm?”
The kids nodded, glaring at each other.
“Alright. Let’s see how you’ve arranged the places… oh, there’s no problem,” I reassured them.”
We’ll put Daddy at the head of the table, and you two on either side, okay? That way, he’ll be next to both of you.”
The solution, thankfully, resolved any tension between the twins. With a smile, Violet
rearranged the place cards – just in time for the doorbell to ring.
The kids jumped in excitement at the sound and rushed to the door, miraculously avoiding a collision. Moses, curious about the noise, jumped onto the back of the couch and sat, ready to
scrutinize whoever was about to walk in.
As for me, I had no doubt about who that “whoever” was: my heart and stomach had started a peculiar dance a few seconds before the doorbell rang.
“DADDY!” the kids exclaimed, opening the door.
“Hi, guys!” Reiner smiled, hugging them tightly. “Something smells delicious here“.
“I made lasagna with Mommy and Violet made the place cards,” James told him as they
entered. “I gwated all the cheese.”
Yes, and he came this close to grating his finger, I sighed to myself. I rarely let the kids help in the kitchen – I was too afraid they’d get hurt. Their teachers, big advocates of children’s
independence, and even Ravi, who often let them help and play in his kitchen, always told me
to give them more freedom but it was very, very hard for me to do so.
–
“But nothing happened, right?”
Reiner’s voice suddenly got closer – and there he was in front of me, with that typical ” l–know–it–all” smirk of his.
I glared at him. “Have you been sneaking into my head again?”
“You had that look of yours that says yeah, and look what happened “he commented. “But considering our son seems to be in one piece, I’d say nothing happened – and therefore, you have no reason to worry. Hi, Becks,” he smiled, wrapping an arm around my waist and gently pulling me close.
His hint of a beard pleasantly tickled my cheek as his lips, soft and warm, left a light – almost
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imperceptible – kiss there: that touch was enough to bring me back to what had happened the night before.
“I’ll try to be on time,” Reiner chuckled – and I did too.
The day had been… magnificent: there were no other words to describe it. Just being next to him, watching him get to know his kids – all of us playing together as a family… it had been
magnificent.
Apparently, Reiner was thinking the same thing: his eyes, though fixed on my face, were
slightly unfocused – and veiled with tears. If that wasn’t enough to tell me what he was
thinking, his feelings were: the love, the happiness, and the longing were so intense that I felt
them stirring along our bond, like a freshly plucked harp string.
He’s beautiful.
The thought arose spontaneously in my mind: it was true. Reiner was as handsome as the
last time I saw him – but now that I saw him not just as my mate, but as the father of my
children… now that I saw the love for them on his face… he was a thousand times more
handsome.
A strange tension began to grow between us between Reiner, standing still in the doorway,
and me, just as motionless beside him: it was as if the moment we were living had frozen
as if neither of us wanted it to ever end.
And suddenly…
Oh, Goddess.
–
It was like going back four years – suddenly I was in his arms, wrapped in a breathtaking
embrace… safe again, against his solid, warm chest.
It was as if nothing had ever happened: as if we were still one. As if he still loved me. As if I
were still his Becks.
Reacting instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his waist.
Good heavens – how I missed hugging him. Feeling his body under my fingers.
“Thank you so much,” Reiner whispered, his voice low and warm and so damn close to my face. “Thank you so much for today, Becks.”
Those words broke my heart: I hated so much the idea that he felt he had to thank me for getting to know his kids… because he never should have had to.
He should have learned about the kids four years ago, with the two onesies I had bought to
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20
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break the news to him – and he should have met them when they were born, should have been there to hold them, to smell their baby scent, to cut the cords…
But he hadn’t, because of Sheila. He hadn’t had the chance to be there, because of her.
I felt a knot tighten in my throat, and tears filled my eyes… but suddenly, the hug ended.
Not that I should have expected anything else.
In the end, to him, I was just the one who had cheated on him and then kept the kids all for
herself.
I couldn’t expect him to hold me in his arms forever like he used to.
Don’t
cry, I told myself. Whatever happens, don’t start crying, damn it.
“See you tomorrow,” Reiner smiled.
I could only muster a nod before he disappeared beyond the door, closing it behind him.
It was only half an hour later that I found the strength to get up from the floor and go to bed.
“Hi, Reiner,” I smiled, trying to keep my racing heart in check – and avoid him hearing exactly
how fast it was beating.
“I brought dessert,” he informed me, placing a Magnolia Bakery box on the counter that looked (and smelled) like it contained a delicious Red Velvet cake.
My favorite cake.
“Where’s the fridge?” he asked.
“I’ll take care of it,” I said. “Don’t worry…”
“DADDY, COME ON!” Violet exclaimed, grabbing his hand and dragging him away from the kitchen with all the considerable strength of a three–year–old.
I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the kids pull him from room to room, eager to show him everything and tell him stories about whatever came to mind: they were excited and delighted to have their dad in their home, and they couldn’t wait to show it to him.
Meanwhile, Wayne and Ravi also arrived, with appetizers and a nice bottle of wine: the kids allowed Reiner to greet them before dragging him off to the magical discovery of Mommy’s
as Vi said). bathroom (where she keeps all the makeup she doesn’t let me play with
“Woah,” Ravi commented, opening the bottle of Cabernet and pouring it into the decanter to let it breathe. “I see there are two very happy little ones here.”
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I nodded. “They’re giving him a house tour. I guess that’s a good thing, right?”
If they felt so ready and eager to share their personal space with him, whom they had only met the day before… it was clear that he had made not just a good, but an incredible impression, and that they trusted him: and for me, that was the most important thing.
“Absolutely,” Ravi nodded: and he would have started a heartfelt explanation of the deeper reasons why that was a good thing if Wayne hadn’t interrupted him first.
“I don’t know about you, honey,” he commented in a low voice, with a teasing smile. “But I see
three very happy little ones.”
I thanked heaven I had already put the lasagna in the oven – because if I still had it in my
hands, I would have smashed it over his head.
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