“If you can find one, that sounds good.” I suddenly felt ten feet taller. This was big. This meant we were more than just dating, which I knew was what we’d been for a bit, but now I wanted to pick her up and never let go.
She squeezed my hand. “Does this mean we’re properly a thing?”
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “I think it means a lot more than that.”
Georgia founda book that mentioned the mum having a boyfriend. It wasn’t exactly like us, but it was a way in to talk about it with Rose without just announcing it. I knew she was nervous, worried about Rose being upset that Georgia wasn’t just hers anymore, like they’d been for more than four years.
“I’m going to go up. You think we should do this tonight rather than tomorrow?” She was looking for a way to delay it.
“Tonight. Tomorrow we’re going to the zoo, so she can ask anything and it’ll take her mind off it.” I caught Georgia’s hand before she left the room. “And if she suddenly hates me, you can go by yourselves.” I was dreading that being what happened, if she thought I was steeling her mother from her.
“She won’t think that. She loves you.”
I pulled her closer, bringing her down to me for a kiss, one that I hoped told her how I felt.
“Go read her the story.”
“I will. Are you going to be listening outside the door?”
“You know it.” That was my plan.
“Come up quietly then. You know she’s got the ears of a bat.” She headed out of the room and upstairs, the patter of her feet ebbing away.
I waited for a couple of minutes, trying to stop my chest from exploding. I was more nervous than I had been for my final exam on my legal practice course. If Rose didn’t like the idea of her mum having a boyfriend, then I knew Georgia would back away from me. I got that. I knew I’d want to argue against it, because Georgia had the right to life as an adult, but that was selfish on my part.
I sat down just outside Rose’s bedroom, stretching my legs out in front of me, hearing the story being read, knowing which bit was coming next because both me and Georgia had read it at least three times.
“So that mummy in the book has a boyfriend?”
I’d told Georgie Rose would spot that.
“She does. Shall I carry on?” Georgia sounded really calm, using the same voice she always did at bedtimes.
“No, Mummy. Why does she have a boyfriend and you don’t? You’re prettier than her.”
I smiled. I agreed. Georgia was prettier than the character in the book. She was prettier than anyone.
“Do you remember the other week when you asked if Seph was going to be my boyfriend?”
“That was when you said you could love me and Seph and you would love me the same. I ‘member.” Rose’s voice was sleepy.
But it wasn’t that I heard.You could love me and Seph.I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, waiting for the rest.
“I did. Well, Seph’s now my boyfriend.” Georgia sounded awkward. It made me smile.
“Can I tell Addy that Seph’s your boyfriend now?”
And that was what Rose was taking from this.
“If you want. Is it okay with you that Seph’s my boyfriend?”
There was a little giggle. “Auntie Liv asked me if I’d like Seph to be your boyfriend ages and ages ago and I said yes. She made me promise not to tell you.”
“Rose Snow White Esmerelda, did you already think Seph was my boyfriend?”
There was another giggle.
“What did Auntie Liv say?”
