“How are those burgers coming along?” I ask, pursing my lips when I see the pretend stern look on his face.
He acts like he’s exasperated wearing the costume, but he’s not fooling anyone. I know he secretly loves that this gives him a chance to rebuild connections with a nephew whose life he missed out on, a nephew I kept him from getting to know, if I’m being honest. And Pearl, who has become family through Troy.
It’s a guilt I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for, but looking at him now, seeing the way the kids just accept him as their own, I wonder if he’s already claiming the space his absence left behind.
He straightens his skewed tiara, walking inside and putting the tongs down on the counter. “They’ve got a few minutes to go.” He gently wiggles the serrated knife from my hand, placing it on the cutting board before cradling my face. “How about I get you some sparkling water and you go put your legs up on the couch? I can take over here. Once the burgers are done, we’ll head out to the yard.”
“There’s macaroni baking in the oven, too.”
“I can get it out once it’s done.” He leans over to look inside the oven. “Jesus, sweetheart, you planning to feed an army?”
“I made extra to box up for a few of my friends at the shelter,” I say, thinking about Hector and Abby.
Abby’s been on my mind lately. And though I still don’t know why she’s here or what she’s looking for, she’s getting more comfortable being around me, different from the fidgety,almost-silent woman I first met. Part of me thinks I could even broach the subject . . . offer to help her find whatever it is she’s looking for without her clamming up on me.
I reach for the knife. “Patton, you don’t need to do everything. I can slice a few vegetables. I’m pregnant, not an invalid.”
“I never said you’re an invalid. But I’d hate for this sexy apron-tiara-wings combo to not reach its maximum potential. Let me show you how good I look cutting vegetables.”
I tilt my head, giving him a be-for-real look.
Patton pinches my chin, tilting my head up to brush his lips over mine. “Please? Let me feed and water you.”
My chest squeezes as memories of him saying that same silly line to me so many times dances in my vision. And just like that, between his gentle caress and those ridiculous fairy wings, I cave faster than a five-minute Target run that ends with three cartfuls of throw pillows I didn’t need.
Ugh, the man makes it so hard to negotiate. Or think straight.
“Ew! Aunt Nisha?!” Rome cries, flinging himself onto the couch with his hands plastered over his eyes like he has sand in them. “You and Uncle Patton kissing is making my eyes burn.”
Pearl immediately copies him, launching herself next to him. She has no idea why she’s doing it, but if her brother is being dramatic, then she’s going all in.
I take in the one-earringed fairy-man still cradling my face, the two melodramatic kids in my living room, and the horse-like dog with Darth Vader’s head sticking out of one end of his mouth and wonder where it all went wrong. How did I end up with this off-brand cast of The Muppets movie directed by Tim Burton?
And yet, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Fine!” I say, throwing up my arms. “But only because you look cute, and apparently, I have a weakness for men with wings.”
Patton kisses my forehead. “That’s my girl.”
I settle onto the couch between the two drama queens, who are still covering their eyes like they’re shielding themselves from a gruesome scene in a horror movie.
“You two are ridiculous,” I say, tickling both their sides and making them wiggle until they’re squealing. When they catch their breaths, I look over at Rome, signing as I speak. “That reminds me . . . I made you both something.”
“What is it?”Pearl signs, her red hair now a complete mess.“Is it another friendship bracelet?”
“No.”I shake my head, recalling how the three of us strung friendship bracelets together the last time they were here. I sign the rest to both Rome and Pearl, my hands moving to form each word.“It’s in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Want to go hunt for it? You’ll know which one is yours.”
“Yes!” Rome calls out, already heading to my room with an excited Pearl in tow.
Bob gets up from his spot near the window to follow the kids, coming back when he’s halfway there to pick up the dildo he forgot. It continues to say,“I’m your father,”all the way to my room.
I sigh, leaning my head back on the couch, watching Patton move around in the kitchen, his fairy wings getting in the way of practically everything. When he catches me watching him, he shakes his shoulders and waggles his brows at me like he’s Tinkerbell’s weird and inappropriate cousin.
I burst out laughing, feeling my chest flood with a warmth I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, not even for him. It’s like someone snuck a space heater inside my ribs. I thought I’d felt it all before when it came to this man, but this . . . this feelsdifferent. It’s not a new feeling per se, but one that feels like it’s been dialed up to the max setting.
Rome’s voice fills the room as both he and Pearl come running back, having found their gifts. “You knitted all the planets in the solar system on this scarf!”
“Not just that,” I say and sign. Both kids are admiring their new scarves with so much love, you’d think I’d gifted them their own ponies. “The planets should all be proportionally correct. I did my research, little man.”
