Three Words, I Love You ✔️

28: There were days where he was able to make me smile

|28: There were days where he was able to make me smile|

Nemo and I sit in his living room, playing with Leigh-Anne and her toys. She's got such a variety it honestly makes me jealous. I never had this many toys as a kid. I barely had a doll or a toy car. Mom just made me sit in my room and use my imagination.

Nemo had shoved both of the couches out farther than the spot they once were in, and put pillows on the ground, surrounding us. He said it allows more space for him and Leigh-Anne to play around without knocking anything over or hurting themselves.

Leigh-Anne and Nemo are more in the middle, and I'm more on the outside. It's nice to just watch them. They're adorable when they interact. I don't want to ruin such cute moments.

"Vroom! Watch out baba!" Leigh-Anne yells with laughter while running by, flying her plane. She skids to a stop in front of Nemo, purposely bumping the tip of the plane onto his nose.

"And I'm down," Nemo gasps while falling back to perfectly land on some pillows, spreading his limbs out.

I watch with a small smile as Leigh-Anne laughs, dropping her plane and carefully sitting on Nemo's stomach.

"Here come monster Leigh-Anne!" she exclaims in a gargled voice, gently hitting Nemo's chest.

Nemo flinches with every fake hit before his body goes limp, not moving an inch.

I chuckle to myself with a small sliver of disbelief.

I've never seen the man act such a way. It's funny!

Nemo just... seems so relaxed around her. And she seems so relaxed around him.

It honestly makes me wonder about her mom. Leigh, I think is what Anne told me her name is. Or was... I'm confused. Like, where is she? Who is she?

It feels like Nemo has been raising Leigh-Anne on his own, with the help of Anne (I hope). Has he really been a single dad this whole time? Does Leigh-Anne realize that her mom is never around?

All these questions are ones I so desperately want to ask. But... I can risk upsetting and possibly losing Nemo. And I don't want that.

He can tell me on his own. Whenever he's ready, I'll be ready too.

"Ada! Come play with us!" Leigh-Anne calls to me as she rolls off of Nemo and onto the pillow.

"Um, okay," I chuckle while crawling over to them on my knees. Nemo sits up, watching me approach slowly.

As I reposition myself into a criss crossed seating, I place my arms on my knees and look at Leigh-Anne.

"What do you feel like playing?" I ask her and she taps her chin with a stuck out lip.

"Ooo! I know," she gIgGLeS, "We play family! You be momma, baba be... baba, and I be baby!"

I glance at Nemo and see his face filled with regret, amusement and embarrassment.

"Alright..." I say to Leigh-Anne as she stares at me with pure excitement, "We can play family,"

"Yay!" Leigh-Anne cheers and places a medium sized doll into my lap with a small brush.

"Because you momma, you brush hair," Leigh-Anne explains and sits directly in front of me. She crosses her small legs, scooting closer.

I send another glance towards Nemo and he just shrugs. I hesitantly start brushing the dolls hair, chucking unsurely as I do.

"Why am I doing this, Leigh-Anne?" I ask her and she smiles.

"This is baby sister! You and baba had 'nother baby together," she states and I feel my cheeks heat up.