Taevin smiles sadly at me, and I know it has everything to do with the news she received yesterday when I was unfortunately at practice instead of being beside her like I should’ve been.
Two embryos.
We have two little fighters.
And she was told the news about the future of our family alone.
I should’ve been there.
Which is exactly why as soon as she cried herself to sleep on my chest last night, I crawled out of bed and called Scarlett to inform her I’d be taking a leave of absence for each of Taevin’s chemotherapy treatments. She told me to take all the time I need and to call her after Tae’s appointment today to let her know the frequency and duration of Tae’s chemo sessions.
“What do you say to getting some ice cream?” I suggest, not even having to ask her where she’d like to go, but saying it anyway.
“The Sprinkled Cone?” we question in unison, causing us to both fall into each other in a fit of laughter.
“Is that even a question?” she finally asks moments later.
“It is, but not a very good one,” I point out as I open the passenger door of my truck for her.
“I can’t believe the place hasn’t changed a bit since we were here last,” Tae says in awe minutes later while we wait by the pickup counter for our cones.
When her gaze lands on me, I shoot her a playful wink. “You and I were both sporting new rings on our fingers the last time we were both here.”
Taevin lifts her hand and frowns down at her bare left ring finger.
Clasping our hands together, I bring her left hand to my mouth and place delicate kisses on the back of it. “Don’t be sad, baby. That was one of the best days of my life.”
“I’m pouting because not only do I miss that version of us—so young, carefree, and in love—but I also miss the heck outta that ring. Whatever happened to it?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her against my chest. “We’re still in love and fairly young, just a lot less carefree than we were back then. As for the rings, I’ve still got them in my safe back at the house.”
She looks up at me with her brows raised in surprise. “Really?”
“Oh, please. Don’t look so shocked. You already know I never moved on and that I’m sentimental as hell when it comes to you. Of course I held onto our wedding rings. Hell, if our marriage wasn’t a secret from everyone in my life, I would’ve worn the ring on my finger all these years.”
“Yeah, instead you just secretly stayed married to me and then got thorns tattooed on your ring finger. When did you get your sleeve?”
I rub my free hand through my scruff, hesitating for a moment as I struggle to compose my thoughts. “Well when college me learned the hard way that kissing a bunch of girls wouldn’t numb the pain after you left, I needed some other way to fill the void in my heart. And the one tattoo I had on my body was a reminder of the best day of my life, so I figured I could pass the time without you by inking your memory all over my skin. I started with my left arm sleeve, which took nearly two years to complete because I didn’t have the time. Then I got my chest piece and my side tattoo. My right leg has taken the longest—almost four years in total, I think. My plan was just to tattoo every surface available until you came back to me.”
“Glad I got to you before they touched your pretty face,” she taunts as she bops me on the nose.
Our orders are called and I grab them before following Taevin outside to a bench I’ve always considered ours even through all these years apart.
Tae takes the first big lick of her monster cookie ice cream and sighs in content. “I’ve missed late September days in Minnesota.”
“They’re hard to beat,” I agree.
“I love the brisk mornings where we need sweatshirts but then we get afternoons like this where we can be in T-shirts and eating ice cream. And nothing beats the maple trees we have here. The bright oranges, yellows, and reds of their leaves arelike the perfect kaleidoscope of color.” She looks so beautifully peaceful and at ease in this moment.
Taking her free hand in mine, I tell her, “I planted five maples about three years ago toward the back edge of the property. They’re not very mature yet, but their leaves should start changing in the next week or two. I was thinking of building a hot tub and sauna out there so it was tucked away from the house.”
“Will you take me out there when we get home?” she questions.
I smile at the way she so easily refers to it as our home now. “Of course.”
“Oh! And can we maybe stop at an apple orchard on the way home? I was thinking of baking my apple muffins before my appointment tomorrow so you can have them for your game day just like old times.”
How could I say no to that? My mouth waters just at the mention of her apple cinnamon muffins. What she doesn’t realize yet is I have no intention of playing in my game tomorrow, but I’m not bringing that up right now.
