“Hey, too much lovey-dovey stuff!” Jack complained as he entered the kitchen. Nina and Theo quickly stepped apart, Theo going back to chopping basil for a garnish and Nina stirring the sauce.
“Sorry,” Nina said teasingly.
“Just be careful,” Jack warned. “Annabel isn’t used to so much smooching.” But he was smiling. Deep down, Nina knew Jack barely minded seeing the occasional kiss, because he loved having Theo around.
Nina chuckled at his use of the wordsmooching.“We’ll be careful,” she promised. “I’ll go get Annabel now. Do you want to set the table?”
Jack started gathering placemats and plates as Nina went into the living room and scooped baby Annabel out of her bouncer. Annabel looked up at her with big brown eyes that looked just like Theo’s, and grinned. The baby was chunky and adorable, with wispy brown hair and soft skin. Today, she wore a pink onesie covered in tiny dinosaurs that Jack had picked out for her.
Jack had moved on to dinosaurs from superheroes. Nina had been a little sad to see all his capes and action figures go, but she was excited to watch him grow and change, too. Soon, he’d probably be fascinated with something else, and she’d be ready for that, too. It was one of the greatest privileges of her life to watch him grow up.
For now, Annabel was fascinated with little more than her brother and her parents, her planet mobile and her stuffed giraffe, but that would change eventually, too. Soon, Nina would be watching her daughter fall in love with superheroes or dinosaurs or princesses or outer space, too. She couldn’t wait.
In the last eighteen months, Theo’s sterile mansion had changed so much, it was almost unrecognizable. The living room was filled with Jack’s dinosaur figures and chapter books, and Annabel’s blocks and soft toys and board books. The dining room featured a high chair with a bright purple and green print. Upstairs, Theo’s final remaining guestroom had been made over into a nursery with stars painted on the ceiling and a planet mobile over the crib. There were no longer any expensive and fragile vases or bright white couches.
Yet Theo hadn’t complained, not even for a moment. He’d been all too ready to discard his bachelor decorations to help Nina and Jack feel welcome.
And Nina did feel welcome. In fact, it was difficult to remember that this place had ever not been her home. Lazy Saturdays eating pancakes at the dining table, and school nights swapping stories over dinner, and waking up in Theo’s arms each morning — this was her life now.
“What are you thinking about?” Theo asked as Nina got Annabel settled in her high chair.
“Just how lucky I am,” she admitted.
“I’mthe lucky one.” Theo kissed her cheek, then planted a kiss on Annabel’s wispy hair. “We’re all lucky to have you.”
The family got settled at the dinner table. Jack took a heaping plate of pasta — he’d been eating lots lately, as he was going through a growth spurt.
“Who wants to start today?” Theo asked as he poured them each a glass of water from the pitcher.
“Me!” Jack said, as always. “The best part of my day was when Annabel said my name. The other best was soccer practice. I scored a goal with Sam’s assist, and the coach said we’re starting to be a great team. The worst part was lunch, because the cafeteria had mac and cheese again. Dad, you can go next.”
Jack had started calling TheoDadalmost a year ago. Now, it felt natural, as though he always had.
“The best part of my day is dinner with all of you,” Theo smiled around the table. “And the worst part was a long meeting at the office.”
“I’ll do Annabel’s,” Jack announced. “The best part of her day was reading with me, and the worst part was her nap.”
Everyone laughed. Annabel was famous for hating naps — she’d do almost anything not to sleep in the daytime.
“The best part of my day is that it’s Friday, which means tomorrow the weekend starts,” Nina smiled. “And the worst part… I don’t have one.”
There were other bests — waking up in Theo’s arms, him coming home early with a slice of cake from her favorite bakery,watching Jack at soccer practice, holding Annabel while she fell asleep — but Nina didn’t share those right now.
The family continued eating, chatting happily about their days, and Nina sat back, enjoying the happy hubbub. When dinner ended, Theo and Jack cleaned the kitchen while Nina got Annabel ready for her bath. The baby loved bathtime, and she smiled at Nina as she washed her chubby stomach and sang her a song. Afterwards, Nina dressed Annabel in her pajamas and rocked her to sleep in the rocking chair, finally laying her gently in her crib.
She got back downstairs in time to play a game with Theo and Jack before Jack’s bedtime. Theo and Jack had a giggling playfight as Theo tucked the boy into bed, and both parents stayed to read him a story. They made an effort to both be there for bedtime, so that Jack would get more attention. He was adjusting well to having a younger sister, but it was a big change, and they wanted him to know he was loved.
Once Jack was in bed, his eyelids heavy, Nina and Theo slipped out. Exchanging smiles, they headed downstairs to the living room, where they sat on the couch together, Nina’s legs up on Theo’s lap. This was how they often ended their evenings: sitting together, sharing memories from the day and laughing.
“Do you think Annabel really said Jack’s name?” Nina mused. Theo squeezed her calves, and Nina sighed with happiness.
“Probably not. But it’s sweet that Jack believes it,” Theo replied.
“Can you believe they’re really our kids?” Nina shook her head. “We’re so lucky.”
“We are.” Theo paused, his hands freezing over her legs. “You know the trip we’re taking to Cape Cod next weekend?”
“How could I forget?” Nina grinned. It would be their first weekend away since Annabel had been born. Theo’s mom was coming to watch the kids so that they could enjoy some time together.
