“No, I want to flop on the couch and not move for the rest of the night.”
I get up and round the table to give her a kiss. “Fair enough. Want some help?”
“Thanks. I’m sure I can waddle over there. Might need some help getting out of this chair, though.”
“You’re such a drama queen, Mum.” Sophie rolls her eyes.
“I’m allowed to be.”
After I’ve made sure Cassie’s safely on the couch, I turn toward Sophie.
“Dad, come on.”
I smile. That’ll never get old. When I first laid eyes on Sophie, I knew, but hearing her call me Dad makes everything alright with the world.
Getting Cassie back is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Sophie is the icing on the top.
I’m so determined never to miss a second of this new baby’s life. It’d be easy to resent Cassie for keeping Sophie from me, but we wouldn’t have the life we do now if I let it eat me up.
“You know I’m not as fast as you. It’s old age.”
“You’re notthatold.”
I turn back to Cassie. “I’ll have my phone on me. Call me if you need anything.”
She rubs her belly. “Get me my sugar fix and I’ll be happy.”
I laugh. “Okay, okay.”
After grabbing my keys from the kitchen bench, I make my way out to my car, Sophie right behind me.
It’s not a long drive—maybe ten minutes or so—and Sophie talks the whole way. She’s so excited about having a sibling.
I’m relieved to get there. The sooner we’re done, the sooner we can get out of here.
I jump out of the car and go in.
Of course there are a million donuts and I didn’t ask Cassie what she wanted.
The girl behind the counter leans forward. “Which flavours were you after?”
I’m so busy focused on the donuts, that Sophie’s elbow to the ribs comes as a surprise. “Ouch. What are you doing?”
She rolls her eyes and tilts her head toward the woman behind the counter.
I shrug. “What flavour would your mother want?”
Sophie laughs. She has dimples in her cheeks like I do when I do that, and it distracts me for a moment.
God how I love my kid.
“For someone so smart, you’re so not observant.”
“Give me a break. These all look good.”
“I’m not talking about the donuts, Dad.”
