You, Me, and Riley

chapter 28

Hayden

"I'm home." Dana said walking into the quiet house at the end of another long work day "sorry I'm late, Mike's transfer isn't going as smoothly as we had hoped." She said with a sigh as she walked around the corner.

I was sitting on the couch with my back against the armrest and legs stretched out reading a book with Lion King paused on the TV. Riley was fast asleep curled up on my chest Leo clutched in one hand and the thumb of her other placed firmly in her mouth.

"That's okay." I said quietly shutting my book and running my fingers through her curls "We just had a quiet day in." I said with a smile.

"Anything?" she asked walking into the room and sitting on the couch next to our feet. Riley hadn't been little since she came home a few days ago and even though we were more than happy to have her back we didn't know what was holding her back.

"Nothing." I said kissing the top of her head "but it will happen when it happens."

"Mike asked about having us over for dinner tomorrow, but I don't want Riley to feel like we're bringing her around the kids to force her into little space." she said with a sigh "I want her to feel completely comfortable with us again."

"I agree." I said nodding my head "Sherri said her and Jessica got together a lot during that month but she doesn't think they were ever little together."

"I've been thinking" Dana said looking at me with nervous eyes "I think we should take Riley to the meadow at the top of the hill."

"I don't know Dana." I said after a second "It's just not the same anymore."

"But it could be" She said with a smile "and Riley would love it, you know she would. We can't let Lacy ruin what we could have with Riley. Let's make new memories there."

I took a deep breath as I lost myself in thought. The meadow on top of the hill was a place that Dana and I used to walk to on a regular basis. We would pack a meal and head out for a couple of hours sometimes watch the sunset sometimes just sit and talk; eventually our first little, Lacy, started to come with us. A lot of memories were made there but the magic of the meadow was ruined by Lacy.

"Maybe you're right." I said looking between my two girls. "Let's make new memories."

"Yes!" Dana screamed jumping up in excitement running out of the room and startle Riley awake.

"Hey baby." I said softly, rubbing her back as she sat up in my lap and looked around the room with big eyes. "Mama didn't mean to scare you she's just really excited." I said with a smile when she looked down at me.

"Why is she so excited?" She asked rubbing her eyes before laying back down on my chest.

"Well Mama and I know how much you love to be outside so we thought it would be fun to have dinner in a beautiful meadow we know about."

"Really?" She asked sitting back up with a smile "like a picnic?"

"Exactly like a picnic." I said with a laugh "how about we go change into play clothes and then help Mama pack dinner." I said helping her off my lap and following her upstairs to her room. She quickly picked out the clothes she wanted to wear and then raced me to the kitchen to finish packing our food.

"Are we ready?" Dana asked walking back into the house with a backpack thrown over her shoulder and big smile on her face.

"Can I bring Leo?" Riley asked running into the living room to grab her bunny "he wants to see the meadow too, he told me."

"Of course you can sweetheart." I said running my fingers through her curls "but if Mama or I ask for him you have to hand him over okay?"

"Why?" She asked looking at us with suspicious eyes and holding Leo tight to her chest.