"You've done a terrific job and now it's time to get some rest."
He waited until David raced from the room before turning her face up to his.
"I love you, completely. I appreciate you and vow to spend the rest of my life showing you how much."
Tears glistened in her eyes.
"You already did."
"There's more."
He promised, laying his lips on hers for a long drawn out kiss that had her getting dreamy. Leaning into him, she welcomed the rest of the family as they streamed into the room.
*****
"Dad?"
It still gave him a jolt to hear himself addressed that way. He was a biological father to a son who was now a month old, but hearing his adopted son readily call him dad did something to his heart.
"Yes son?"
David climbed out of the pool, dripping water as he reached for a towel. It was a lovely summer afternoon with the sounds of birds chirping and not a cloud in the clear blue sky. And it was a Saturday, where Rodney had decided that it was family time.
The rush to get the Lancashire Palace completed had been taking a lot of his time and taking him away from his family. His wife was out with some of the other wives, visiting several women's shelters and he was keeping the boys.
Lifting Deon over his left shoulder, he rubbed the baby's back and was satisfied when he heard the burp.
"I don't want to go to camp."
David announced. Wrapping the towel around his shoulders, he padded over to stare at his baby brother in wonder. It still amazed him that he was here to watch the baby grow.
He did nothing now, except sleep and drink his mom's yucky milk from her breast (gross!) and make a mess in his diaper. It seemed like he was always making a mess. But his parents did not seem to mind. In fact, to his shock, they laughed as if the baby had done something wild, like running a marathon or scoring high on a game.
"And why is that?"
He shrugged.
"I want to be here to take care of mom and my brother. What happens when you have to leave again?"
"Well, I'm not planning on leaving for the next couple of months."
Rodney stared at him quizzically.
"Does this have anything to do with that incident with your best friend Corey?"
He ducked his head and dug his toe into the smooth tiles surrounding the pool.
"He's a dork."
"And your best friend."
"He said some mean things about my brother."
"That he looks like a tomato. And he smells."
Rodney nodded. Putting the baby in his mobile, he tucked the blanket around his little body and watched as his long lashes drifted shut. It was nap time for little Deon.
Turning his attention to his other son, he drew him down to sit beside him.
