Cristiano’s eyes go bright with emotion. “Every single day.” His voice is rough. “I missed you both every single day. But now I’m going to be here every day. With both of you. Because I love you so much.”
He reaches out and cups Leon’s small face in his hand.
“You and me, we’re going to get stronger together, until these scars that hurt so much feel so far away in the past.”
“Really?” Leon exclaims, and throws his arms around Cristiano’s neck. “And you’ll play with me all the time?”
“Yes, really.” Cristiano catches him, pulling him close. Over Leon’s head, his gaze finds mine. There’s a lump in my throat so big I can barely breathe. “All the time.”
I know he’s not just talking about the surgical scars. He means all the years apart, and the fear and pain and damage we’ve all carried.
We’ll all heal together.
“What do I call you?” Leon says into Cristiano’s shoulder.
“You can call me whatever you like. Cristiano or Dad or Papa.”
“Papa,” Leon says softly, as though trying it on for size.
Cristiano squeezes his eyes shut tightly, and has to take a deep breath before he replies, “That sounds pretty great, buddy.”
They stay like that for a long moment, holding each other. My heart feels too big for my chest.
When Leon finally pulls back, he’s smiling. “Will you help me build the fire station?”
Cristiano laughs. “Of course.”
He glances at me, and I can see the question in his eyes.Now?
I nod.
“Leon,” Cristiano says carefully. “Can I ask you something?”
“Uh-huh,” Leon says, already selecting blocks.
“If you had a little brother or sister, what would you think about that?”
Leon looks up, considering. “Someone to play with every day at home, so I don’t have to say goodbye like when I leave my cousins?”
Cristiano’s smile widens. “Exactly that.”
“Yes please!” Leon bounces slightly. “Can I have a brother? Or a sister? Do I get to choose?”
I reach out and smooth his hair back. “Leon, do you remember the story of where you came from? That once you were a tiny baby growing in my tummy?”
“I remember.”
“Well, there’s another baby growing in my belly now, and they’re going to be your little brother or sister. We don’t know which yet.”
Leon’s eyes go huge. “Really? Right now? There’s a baby in there right now?”
I place my hand on my stomach. “Right now.”
“Can I feel?” He reaches out tentatively.
“Of course, baby.”
He places his small hand on my belly, his face scrunched up in concentration. “I can’t feel anything.”
