Sophie scoots her chair back to help Rose with her walker and Rose bats her away. “I got it, I got it. Tara is already up my ass constantly, I don’t need you doin’ it too.”
I roll my eyes and give up on trying to shield Delilah from Rose’s mouth. This is her toned down version of herself anyway, I don’t think I could ask for much more censorship.
Rose and Delilah walk over to the front door together, and I watch Delilah walk slowly to pace herself with Rose. She stays by Rose’s side, like she’s a bride walking down the aisle with one slow step at a time. It’s insanely sweet, and just makes me love her that much more, if it were even possible.
Sophie and I watch both of them scoot out of the house, and down the cement pathway to the mailbox. Delilah sticks her hands out as they walk and tries to catch a butterfly floating past her. They take what feels like forever due to their slow pace, but we wait patiently in the doorway as Rose opens the mailbox and hands the few pieces of mail to Delilah.
“I don’t think it gets cuter than this,” Sophie whispers next to me.
I grin in response. “It doesn’t,” I reply softly.
As they make their way back, I glance down at my watch and decide it’s time to go. It’s time for dinner and nearly Delilah’s bedtime. I move around the house, gathering our things to leave. Delilah helps clean up the game of checkers and makes sure we have her daddy’s stash of cookies before we say our goodbyes to Rose.
Delilah runs through the sprinkler outside with Sophie, while they wait for me to set Rose up in her recliner. After covering her with a blanket and handing her the remote, I lean down and kiss her on the cheek.
“See you in a couple days?” I ask her.
“Yes. Don’t bother coming if the hellion isn’t with you,” she says without looking at me, already channel surfing.
She means Delilah. I give her a mock salute, and lock her front door behind me. After we all pile into the car, I ask Sophie to come home with Delilah and I because I can tell she’s still feeling down from the whole Beau conversation.
She came over the other day and told me all about their history. I don’t know how she’s managing being in such close contact with him. I know it’s been a decade, but damn, I don’t think I’d be able to be as chill as her if I were in her shoes.
After we get home, I unbuckle Delilah and help her out of the car. She’s still soaking wet from the sprinkler and I gasp at the coldness of her. She latches onto my leg, soaking my jeans.
I scream, feigning horror and Delilah giggles the whole time. I stare at her, hair wet and beaming from ear to ear. I suddenly feel very overwhelmed with how much I love her. I know biologically she’s not mine, but it sure as hell feels like it sometimes.
Inside, Sophie drags her niece away, calling out over her shoulder that she’ll get her washed up for dinner. I heat up three containers Wesley prepped for us, and we all sit and eat together at the dining room table. When Sophie asked how everything was ready so quickly, I explained to her the food her brother prepared before he left.
She hummed thoughtfully in response, but I didn’t miss the way she folded her lips behind her teeth, like she was stifling a smile.
“When will Daddy be home?” Delilah asks as she takes her last bite of food.
“In two days. It’ll go by like that,” I assure her with a snap of my fingers.
“Will he kiss you when he gets home?” she asks, a huge grin on her sweet face.
Sophie makes a choking noise, and takes a sip of her drink.
“Umm, I’m not sure,” I say with a nervous laugh, pushing my food around with my fork.
“You kissed at the airport,” she adds matter-of-factly.
“They did, did they?” Sophie asks smugly.
“Yeah.” Delilah beams. “Daddy kissed Iby for like, this long.” She holds her hands out far away from each other like it’s a measurement for time.
“That seems really long,” Sophie agrees.
“It was. It was so romance,” Delilah says, flailing her arm through the air whimsically.
“That does sound like romance,” Sophie says, nodding, completely serious.
“Alright! Bed time!” I cut them off before this conversation goes any further.
What is it with the Coopers making it their mission to embarrass me?
Sophie and Delilah giggle amongst each other, over god knows what while I clean up and throw the dishes in the dishwasher. I give Delilah a bath, get her into her pajamas, and brush her teeth before she and Wesley have a quick phone call to say good night.
