Fuck, I miss this age. It was right before everything went bad. Before Casie died. I remember snuggling up on the couch with Lennox while we let Casie sleep and making her breakfast in bed. Getting to be a good dad for my daughter.
I know that’s something that Joey will never have to worryabout. Max loves her. It’s evident in everything he does and the way he thinks about her.
One episode of the show turns into two, which turns into I don’t know how many. Max explains every little thing to me as it happens.
“So which is your favorite plane?”
“The red one.”
“Why the red one?” I ask. “Is red your favorite color?”
“He’s the fastest plane.”
“What plane do you think I should like?”
Max studies me then turns back to the TV, a look of concentration on his face.
“I think you’d like the lellow one.”
I smirk down at him. “Why’s that?
I already know the answer, but I wait for him to say it.
“He’s old.”
“You silly goose.”
He giggles before curling back into my side and turning back to the show. The bedroom door opens and Joey comes out.
She’s in a hoodie and shorts, but has a little more color to her face.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Her voice is scratchy.
“How are you feeling?”
She waves her hand back and forth in front of her. “Better. Not great, but better.”
“Sam let me watch TV,” Max says. “He’s the lellow plane.”
“I hope it’s okay,” I say. “My idea. I also heard you’re the purple plane.”
“That’s the mommy plane.” Joey walks over to us and sits down next to Max. “And it’s more than okay. I appreciate you taking care of him. You didn’t need to do that.”
“And you were going to?” I cock a brow at her, pinning her with a fierce look.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“We saved you soup, Mommy.”
Max doesn’t look at her, just staring at the TV.
“We did.”
She smiles at me, warm and tender. “Where did the soup come from?”
“I made it.”
