Breaking

Healed

Tobias

A little over a year later...
For the first time in what feels like a long time, my alarm wakes me. I shut it off before it wakes Brenda, then I jump out of bed and hurry out of the room. I barge into Arabella's room to find her sleeping on the loveseat with Wanda in her arms.

I take a few steps closer and Arabella's eyes pop open. Instantly, she carefully pulls Wanda closer.

"Sorry," I whisper and sit next to them. But no matter how quiet and careful I am, the slightest movement wakes Wanda and she peers up at us. "What are you doing here?"

Arabella shrugs, softly cradling her baby sister. "I thought you and momma deserved a morning to sleep in." Her small response brings a large and wholesome smile to my face. I asked Brenda to be my wife only a week ago. It was sudden, I didn't even have a ring, but she said yes and told me it took me long enough. Arabella was the first to know-of course, and instantly, she started to call Brenda mom.

Arabella calls Brenda mom. Brenda calls Arabella her daughter. And it all feels so natural.

"Have you slept?" I ask my oldest.

She shrugs again. "I don't mind spending extra time with her."

I take Wanda from her. "Go lie down. I got her." She places a gentle kiss on Wanda's head, gives me a side hug, then gets up and leaves the room.

I hate how Arabella volunteered her room for Wanda's nursery. Brenda and I didn't mind remodeling our room, we're up all night and morning anyway, but Arabella instead we use her room. I know it's because she leaves for college soon.

I turn on the lamp near the love seat and peer down at my six months old daughter. She has brown eyes that remind me so much of Arabella's. It warms my heart how much they look alike.

"How's she doing?" I snap my head up at the sound of Brenda's voice. She's in the doorway, leaning on the frame.

"Fine. Thanks to her big sister." She crosses the room to us, takes Wanda from me, and sits on my lap. "Thank you," I tell her.

"Huh?"

"Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" She chuckles.

"Because you deserve to be thanked. Thank you for giving birth to our Wanda. Thank you for accepting Arabella as your own long before I asked you to marry me. Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me. Thank you for kissing me because even though we were getting along, I was nervous as hell." She laughs at that one. "Thank you for sticking with me, with us."

"You and Arabella made it damn near impossible to stay away. Actually, Arabella is the only reason why I stayed," she jokes.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yep, incredible sex was just a bonus." I laugh and kiss her shoulder. "Since we're thanking each other...thank you for not giving up on creating a life."

Arabella walks back into the room with a bowl of cereal in her hands. She sits next to us and puts her feet up, taking a spoonful of Frosted Flakes. "I said go lie down," I tell her. She smiles and pulls out the recliner. Brenda laughs. "Smartass."

"This doesn't count as lying down?"

"No. Give me some." I gesture to her bowl of cereal with my chin. She rolls her eyes but feeds me. "What time is the thing with Patrick and Grace and Cameron?"

"The adoption is at ten," Brenda answers. "And you need to wear a suit." She turns to Arabella. "Are you wearing a dress or a pants suit?"

"Pants suit. I'm taking the first shower."