First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 116

  I wake up this morning with a clear head which kind of surprises me. Definitely better than yesterday morning. After the way the last couple days went, I expected to feel drained or shaky again today, but instead I feel settled. Like something finally eased inside me. The sunlight is soft and warm across the bed. The house is quiet except for faint voices downstairs. Taytum's low voice and KK's excited squeals. Normal. Comforting. There's no rush because today is the first day of spring break.

  I slide out of bed and pull on one of my softer shirts. My belly feels heavier today, not in a bad way, just enough to remind me I'm just a little over halfway there. I touch the curve of my growing belly for a second and breathe. The baby shifts under my palm letting me know he's awake. I stand there a moment and let that small movement settle me. There is something grounding about feeling him respond. Like he's already part of every decision I'm about to make.

  When I get downstairs, Taytum has KK sitting on the counter helping stir pancake batter. Taytum's hand covers KK's small one to keep the bowl steady. She looks so natural. Patient. Solid. Like parenting is something she was always wired for. The kitchen smells like butter and vanilla and the morning feels soft in a way I don't get often.

  Taytum looks at me and her whole face lights up. No hesitation. No checking to see if I'm okay. She just smiles like seeing me made her morning better. "Hey, beautiful," she says.

  I walk up to her and press a kiss to her cheek, feeling her smile under my lips. "Morning." I hug KK and place kisses all over her little face which causes her to squeal with excitement.

  When breakfast is ready we eat as a family. KK talks about how she dreamed she had a pet dragon. Taytum plays along as I watch them both and the same feeling keeps building in my chest. Warm. Certain. Safe and also something else. A pull, a need that has been getting louder for weeks, and now I can't ignore it anymore. It sits right under my breastbone like my heart is trying to nudge me forward.

  After breakfast, Taytum takes KK to the living room to build a fort. I clean up the dishes. My hands are busy but my head is focused. I know what I want to say. I know I can trust Taytum with it. And that's what makes all of this even stronger inside me. The air feels charged, not in a scary way, just in a way that tells me it's time.

  I walk into the living room and sit on the couch. I can't wait any longer. "Taytum? Can you come here?"

  She looks at KK first to make sure she's good, then walks over. She sits beside me and turns toward me like she's ready for whatever I need. "What's going on?" she asks calmly.

  I take her hand. "I want to talk to you about something. Something that's been on my mind for a little bit. It's not bad but I'm ready to talk about it."

  Her shoulders soften. "Okay. I'm listening."

  I breathe slowly. "I know we're engaged and I know we're getting married. But I want to get married before the baby comes." She opens her mouth but I keep going before my nerves catch up. "I want the security. I want to go into labor already your wife. I want our son born into something complete. Not waiting. Not 'after.' I want it real when he gets here."

  Taytum's exhale is instant relief. Like she's been hoping for this. "Dani... yes. Whatever timeline you want is the one we'll follow. If you want to be married before the baby comes, then that's what we'll do. I'd marry you right here, right now if I could."

  It hits so fast my eyes burn. I swallow and push forward. "I also want your last name," I say. "I want to be Danielle James. And I want our son to have your last name from the second he's born."

  Her eyes shine. Her jaw tightens like she's holding back emotion. "You don't know how much that means to me," she says. "I want that too. All of it."

  My breath shakes in relief, and once it starts I can't stop the rest from coming.

  "And... Taytum..." My voice breaks. "I want Kadence to have your last name too."

  She blinks fast, already emotional.

  "I want you to adopt her," I say. "If you want to. I want you to be her legal mother. On every school form. Every doctor form. Every emergency contact. I want her protected. I want her yours."

  Taytum grips my hand harder like she needs something to anchor her. Her face shifts through shock and love and relief and joy all at once. Her eyes flick over my face like she's trying to memorize this moment.

  I push through the tears in my own throat. "You've been her mama T since the first night she called you that. She loves you. You love her. I want it official."

  Her tears finally spill. She covers her mouth with one hand, voice breaking. "Dani... are you serious?"

  "Yes," I whisper. "I want this. I want you to be her mother."

  She pulls me into her arms, shaking from emotion instead of fear. She rests her forehead against mine. "You are giving me the biggest gift of my life," she says, voice raw as she rests a hand over my belly. "You, KK, and this little one."

  A few tears fall from me too. Not sad, just full. It's everything I've been carrying finally dropping into the right hands. My chest loosens in a way I didn't know I needed.

  "I love you," she murmurs. "I love our kids. I love our family and I will adopt KK the second you tell me I can."

  "You already have my yes," I say. "You've had it for a long time. I just needed to be brave enough to say it out loud."

  She kisses me slow, steady, grounding. I lean into it. Her thumb brushes my cheek like she's trying to comfort both of us at the same time.

  KK climbs onto the couch a second later and wedges herself between us. "Mama T, why you crying?" Her voice is curious, not scared.

  Taytum laughs through her tears. "I'm just really happy, baby."

  KK studies her for a long second, then nods like she's giving a diagnosis. "Oh. Happy crying." She leans closer. "Mommy does that sometimes too." I snort under my breath and Taytum laughs again.

  KK wipes one of her tears with her thumb. "There. Now you don't have to cry anymore." Another tear slips down anyway.

  KK sighs like she's dealing with something huge. "Mama T... you can cry if you want. I don't care." She rests her head on Taytum's shoulder. "I like when everybody's happy."

  That one lands right in Taytum's chest and she breaks a little, in a good way. She hugs KK and kisses her head. "I love you so much, princess."

  KK smiles proudly. "I love you, Mama T. And Mommy. And the baby." She nods again, serious. "So we're all okay."

  And she's right. She somehow wraps everything into one tiny sentence.

  We're all okay.