“I can’t complain,” I reply, feeling my mood lighten even more. I give her a brief hug before taking the bag. It looks like snack foods and toys. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to,” Mandy says. “You have no idea how much Brian talks about Owen. They’re best friends in school. We really should have done this sooner.”
“It’s been a busy couple of months getting settled and—oh, Owen, not the pool again! I’m going to dump that water. How about you show your friends your room?” I turn to Mandy. “Since this is a rare time it’s actually clean.”
“I feel that,” she laughs. “But anyway, show me where I can put this stuff. My brother said something about a blanket fort, so I brought extra sheets as well.”
“Your entire family is the best. Seriously. Your mom is amazing too.”
“Hold on.” She sets the bag down on the counter and spins to face me, her hand on her hip and a grin on her face. “When did you meet our parents?”
“Owen and I took a trip with Gabe last Friday. We’ve been invited to Thanksgiving dinner and also Christmas. And New Years is going to be here at my house with everyone.”
“Yeah, totally sounds like my family.” We both pause at a round of laughter coming from Owen’s room. It’s music to my ears. “Speaking of being awesome and stuff, this is my official offer to have Owen come home with Brian after school whenever you need it. They’re in the same class and I pick Bry up from school every day, so I’m thereanyway.”
I step forward and wrap my arms around her tightly. She lets out a startled sound but hugs me back. We’re still standing like that when the door opens again.
“I leave for half an hour and you’re already making moves on my man.” I smile at my Daddy’s voice and let his sister go.
“I can’t thank you both enough for being so amazing.” I look between them. Gabe is holding a new duffel bag. I’m not sure what’s in it, but he excuses himself to take it to my room, so I can only imagine the contents. I hear him greet all three kids and ask what they’re playing.
“He is so good with kids,” Mandy says. “Always has been.”
“Owen adores him,” I agree. “He’s been a blessing, and I don’t think he realizes it.”
The doorbell rings once more and the others come out of Owen’s room with smiles. All three kids are barefoot and the sound of smacking feet against vinyl floors fills the house. Gabe motions for me to meet him in my bedroom. His sister gives me an eyebrow waggle, but I don’t say anything.
Gabe’s back is turned to me when I step into the room and close the door. The bags are sitting on my bed, and Gabe is rummaging through one of them. “I’m not sure how the evening is going to go, but I figured that we might need some reinforcements when we’re alone.”
I move to stand beside him and look at the items. I see bed sheets first. “These are for the epic blanket fort. I also brought clamps to secure the blankets. This, though, is for you.” He holds up a pale-yellow blanket. It’s small, but I lift my hand and run it between my fingers.
“It’s so soft, Daddy.” I slide it against my cheek slowly. “Thisis really just for me?”
“It is, baby. I was walking home from the bar yesterday and we stopped by the store to get some snacks and electrolytes. The blankets were on the other side of the aisle, and I couldn’t resist.”
“It’s perfect.” I sigh, still rubbing the corner against my face.
“I’m glad you like it. We’ll snuggle up tonight with it and get some much-needed sleep okay?”
“You’re the best, Daddy. Thank you for everything.”
Wrapping my arms around him, I bury my face against his chest with a smile. We stay like that for a long minute before I hear someone call out that it’s pizza time. We walk out of the room together to the sound of chatter, laughter, and the kids talking way too loudly, but I love every moment of it.
“I like the look of a full house here,” I whisper to my Daddy as we walk hand-in-hand down the hallway.
***
Three movies later, it’s beyond past everyone’s bedtime when the super fun night officially ends.
“Go tuck Owen in bed and I’ll tuck you in afterward,” Daddy whispers in my ear.
The others left after the last movie with a promise to do this again. Even Marshall and Izzy agreed to join another hang out. Marshall had been one of the kids, helping to put the fort together and then playing PawPatrol and more superheroes throughout the first movie. By the second one, he was falling asleep on Izzy’s shoulder on one end of the couch.
I scoop a sleeping Owen from the floor and head down the hallway. He stirs when I lay him down and looks up at me withthose big, green eyes. My heart swells with love and I lean forward to kiss his forehead.
“Did you have fun tonight?” I ask quietly as I pull the blanket from under him. He nods silently. “We’ll have to tell Gabe and everyone thank you tomorrow.”
“Daddy?” Owen’s voice is barely a whisper, and I can see that little crease in his forehead that says he’s thinking way too hard for a five-year-old.
