She raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her worn jeans and oversized flannel. “I’m literally wearing your old work shirt, and I didn’t brush my hair this morning.”
“Beautiful,” I repeated, crossing to her and pulling her close despite Leo giggling at us. “And I love that shirt on you.”
“You’re weird,” she said, but she was smiling as she kissed me. “But you’re my weird.”
“Forever?” I asked, keeping my voice light even though the question was anything but casual.
“Forever,” she confirmed without hesitation.
That afternoon, while Chloe napped upstairs, Leo and I sat at the kitchen table with crayons and paper spread between us. He was working on yet another family portrait featuring dogs.
“Leo, buddy, I want to talk to you about something important.”
He looked up from his purple dog with green spots.
“You asked earlier about why Chloe-mama and I don’t have matching rings like Uncle Jack and Aunty Harper.” I chose my words carefully. “Do you remember what I told you?”
“That rings means legal!” Leo nodded enthusiastically. “Like paperwork!”
“Exactly. Leo, what would you think if I asked Chloe-mama to marry me? That means we’d wear matching rings.”
Leo’s eyes got huge. “Matching rings!”
“Matching rings,” I confirmed. “But here’s the thing – I don’t just want to ask her to marry me. I also want to ask her if she wants to adopt you. Do you know what adoption means?”
Leo’s forehead scrunched up in concentration. “Is it good or bad?”
“It’s very good. Adoption means Chloe would become your legal mama. Right now, she’s your mama because we live together and she takes care of you and loves you. But if she adopts you, the courts and the government would say ‘yes, Chloeis Leo’s mama’ on official papers. Just like how I’m your daddy on official papers.”
“Like the papers Arthur has?”
“Yes. And after she adopts you, if you want, you could have the same last name as us. You could be Leo Mitchell, like I’m Sam Mitchell, and Chloe would be Chloe Mitchell.”
Leo’s mouth dropped open. “Really? Really? We’d all have the same name? We’d be a real family?”
“We’re already a real family,” I said gently. “But yes, we’d all have the same name.”
“And Chloe-mama would be my mama forever? Even when I’m old? Even if I’m naughty?”
My chest tightened at the vulnerability in his question. “Leo, you’re going to make mistakes sometimes. We all do. But that doesn’t change that we’re a family. Chloe-mama will always be your mama, no matter what.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Leo was quiet for a moment, processing. Then his face split into the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Can I help ask her? Please, please, please? I wanna help!”
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I want us to do it together, because you’re part of this family too.”
“YES!” Leo bounced in his chair so hard it squeaked. “But I dunno how to ask someone to ’dopt me! What do we do?”
“I don’t really know either,” I admitted. “I’ve never done this before. But Chloe-mama told you something once, remember? About asking for things clearly?”
Leo’s face lit up with recognition. “When I wanted to ask for extra cookies,” he nodded. “She said you gotta say important things clearly and with lots of love! Not whiny!”
“Exactly. So we should ask her clearly, and tell her we love her, and make sure she knows how much she means to us.”
Leo nodded seriously, then his face brightened. “Emma says girls like flowers! Do you think Chloe-mama likes flowers?”
