Mae nods sheepishly.
Naomi runs up to her, talking a million miles a minute. I get our coffee started while she drags Mae over to the living room full of activities.
Since we were all up half the night and did most of today’s work, we have extra time, and I hope the guys don’t mind if I make myself late because I’m not missing this for anything.
I keep it simple with scrambled eggs and sausage. While I whisk the eggs, I keep an eye on the girls. Mae listens to Naomi intently as she gestures and swings her tiara around.
Mae glances over at me and catches me staring. I throw her a wink and pour the eggs into a skillet.
“Can I help?” Mae asks from behind me.
“Uh, sure, the sausage links are in the freezer. I hope that’s okay.”
“I don’t mind,” she says.
“Hey, Daddy?”
“Yes, princess,” I answer, stirring the eggs.
“Where was Mae when I got up because she didn’t come through the door?” she says.
I glance at Mae and she tries to keep her laugh in.
“Uh, she was in the bathroom,” I tell Naomi.
She looks between the two of us and makes a face. I’m not sure she believes me, but then she shrugs. “Can she stay?” she asks.
I look at Mae. “Can you?” I ask her.
She smiles between me and Naomi. “Sure, I can stay for a while.”
“Yay!” Naomi yells and runs to her room, only to come back with a book in her hands.
“Have you readThe Magic Treehousebooks? Me and Daddy have been reading them, and I really like this one because it has a knight and there’s a castle, and we’re not very far, but it’s really good and …”
I stare at Mae as she fixes the sausage and listens to Naomi ramble on about the book we’re reading, but I don’t hear anything with the blood rushing in my ears because I can’t stop staring at Mae.
She was willing to get out of bed in the middle of the night and be here for me and my daughter. That’s not only a testament to her loyalty but to her character. Mae is not simply special; she’s one in a million in my eyes. She’s the one I want to wake up to every morning, the one I see a future with. She’s the one I see pregnant with our child. She’s the one who can give Naomi a mother who won’t give up when the going gets tough.
“Daddy, why are you making that face?” Naomi asks.
“Coop, the eggs,” Mae says gently.
I jump to the stove and stir our eggs before they burn.
“Naomi, can you help me find the plates?” Mae asks.
I almost tell her instead, but snap my mouth shut.
Naomi walks up and points to the cabinet she can’t reach, and Mae opens it for her.
“Could you set these on the counter?” Mae asks.
Naomi carries the stack of stoneware to the island while Mae gets the sausage from the microwave.
“Do you want water or juice?” Mae asks Naomi.
“Juice, please!” she says.
