by Ciara Shayee
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“Sweet dreams, beautiful girl. I love you.”
“Love you, Mamma…” Marley mumbled, snuggling into her bed with her beloved Mr. Bunny.
“’Night, Little Sweet. Sweet dreams only, promise?”
Marley’s eyes opened—just a little, but enough that she could see him leaning over her with his elbows resting on the edge of her bed. “Can I dream about ice cream?”
Laker chuckled. “As long as it’s our favourite.”
She rolled her sleepy eyes. “I only like—yawn—watermelon, duh.”
“All right. ‘Night, sleepyhead.”
“’Night. Love you, Daddy.”
Indie’s hand appeared and squeezed Laker’s shoulder as his eyes filled with tears.
How could three words so simple—'love you, Daddy’—render him, a full-grown man, to mush?
“I love you, Little Sweet. So much,” he croaked.
He pressed a kiss to her curl-covered head and stood, squeezing Indie to him before moving to Bodhi’s crib. The sweet one-year-old was fast asleep in his colourful, elephant print sleeping bag, arms up over either side of his crazy bed-head. Laker chuckled to himself as he realised that Bodhi may not have his hair colour, but his locks sure shared the gene for being untameable.
“I love you, Tesoro.”
When he rose from bending to kiss Bodhi’s head and turned to face Indie, he found her teary-eyed on the edge of her bed.
“I’m okay, I’m okay. I just…I love you. A lot.”
Laker smiled gently, recognising overwhelmed when he saw it.
Silently, softly, with a lingering kiss to the top of her spine, he helped Indie un-zip her dress. Then he averted his eyes and undressed himself down to his boxers while she pulled on a pair of jersey pyjama shorts and a matching tank top. When he turned back and realised what she was wearing, Laker fleetingly wondered how he was going to keep his traitorous body in check sleeping so close to her in just that minuscule amount of fabric. He quickly decided that whatever he had to do would be worth it to be able to sleep with her—just sleep, because he knew she was in no way ready for anything more than that.
“Do you want the window side of the bed, or…?” she asked shyly.
Laker couldn’t stifle his grin. “This is so…couple-y.”
Indie snorted and rolled her eyes, looking every bit like her daughter had just a few minutes ago when she rolled her eyes at him. “Our children are calling you ‘Daddy,’ we’ve been outed to our entire family, we’ve exchanged ‘I love you’s’ and just now you’re realising that we’re ‘couple-y?’” Indie frowned. “What?”
Laker shook his head, well aware he was wearing a goofy smile. “It’s just…it sounds really good. ‘Our children’… I like that.”
Her smile softened as she scooted back onto the bed, beckoning him over to join her. They shuffled under the covers to lay side-by-side, Indie hesitantly curling into Laker as he looped an arm around her and willed his body to behave.
“I like it, too. They are though, you know? Marley and Bodhi are our children.”
Laker squeezed her closer. “I need to thank your dad again.”
“My dad? Why?”
His body shook with silent laughter as he mumbled, “For teaching you to share.”
“Mmm, Laker…”
Laker was pulled from his thoughts by Indie’s sleep-talking. He grinned and stroked the soft skin of her arm with his thumb.
“I love…” he held his breath, waiting for her to continue, “PB&J.”
His laughter was incredibly difficult to stifle, but he just about managed to keep himself from waking her. His mood sobered as she wrapped herself further around him and threw her leg over his, her thigh resting perilously close to his groin.
“Cazzo,” he whispered, praying he’d be able to keep himself in check.
“I love Laker...” Indie mumbled then, putting the smile back on his face.
“I love you, too, bella ragazza,” he whispered into her hair, resigning himself to a restless night.
It would be worth it. She was worth it.
For all the trials they’d faced thus far, and the doubtless tribulations sure to come their way in the future, it was worth it to be able to hold Laker in his arms and hear his favourite little voices calling him ‘Daddy.’
Yes, they would have to work out their relationship as they went along. He doubted there were many relationships founded on one rescuing the other from a flaming hotel room after a twelve-year stint in captivity. On one teaching the other how to live and love after spending the majority of his life hiding in a big, lonely house in the middle of nowhere, Italy.
And yes—one day, Marley and Bodhi would ask about their biological fathers, and if Indie and Laker wanted to be honest parents—which they did—they’d have to explain how they really came to be; or at least come up with a version of the truth they could handle. Laker already had plans to speak to Indie about asking Riley to try and work out where Simon Caine—Bodhi’s biological father—was, just to rule out any possible conflict further down the line. That could wait, though.
And in between those things?
They’d get to be a family. A real family. They’d get to go on holidays together, play at the park on weekends, go for ice cream after school when the kids took that step, and snuggle up together on the sofa to watch movies when the British weather didn’t play ball.
Laker would get to be a daddy to Marley and Bodhi and a partner to Indie.
Those things were priceless and precious and made him happier than he ever had any right to be.
Life was about to get crazy with Ryan and Grace on their honeymoon, Laker starting work with Reagan and Peter at Ashby-Davies Construction, and then there was the upcoming Christmas holidays, but as Laker fell asleep that night wrapped in Indie’s arms and wearing a smile, their babies sleeping close-by, he knew it would all be worth it.
He had his friends, his family, and his health. Indie loved him, and he was a daddy to two amazing children.
Anything else was inconsequential now he had the one thing he hadn’t even realised he’d been looking for until Indie and her beautiful babies had unknowingly shown him just how tantalisingly close it was.
Nothing else mattered now, because Laker had found it. That elusive, magical thing romance writers write about and songwriters sing about.
Happily ever after.
chapter forty-one
September 3rd, 2018
“I can’t do this.”
“You can!”
“No. I really, really can’t. It’s too scary. This place is huge! I can’t…don’t make me do it.”
Laker’s eyes softened. He twisted in his seat to cup Indie’s petrified face between his hands. “Pie, bella ragazza, take a deep breath.”
With fear in her eyes and a grey pallor staining her cheeks, Indie inhaled shakily and released when Laker mimed for her to do so; she sucked in another breath, then another.
“Feel a little better?”
She nodded. “Please, Laker, I can’t do this.”
With a soft sigh, he stroked his thumbs over her cheeks, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Look, mi amore, I know you’re scared. It’s a huge day.” He blew a big breath out. “God knows, I’m terrified, too. The only time I’ve ever been more scared was when I thought I was going to lose you.”
Indie sobered a little, tears resting on her lashes but not falling. “You’re scared, too?” she asked in a small voice.
“I am. Petrified. I couldn’t sleep last night, worrying about it. But you know what?”
She cocked her head to one side, making Laker smile as he nodded out of the windshield. Their eyes moved in tandem, a quiet giggle leaping from her lips.
Reagan was standing by the bonnet of the car with Marley, the duo pulling funny faces into his phone; Indie remembered Reagan promised to video call Theodore so he’d be able to see Marley this morning.
So he could wish her luck on
her very first day of school.
“She’s fine, mi amore. And she’ll be fine. She’s ready for this. She’s been ready for probably longer than we want to admit.”
Not for the first time, Indie wondered if she’d failed Marley by keeping her home for the past year and a half. She knew conversations about Marley’s educational needs had been had—with her therapist and within the family. Now seven-years-old, Marley should be starting year two of school—which would be her third year, had she attended reception.
And yet, Indie had spent the past week in limbo; her worry for Marley’s first day at Hampden Park Infant Academy tempered only by Marley’s excitement and everyone’s repeated assurances that Marley was ready to get out and learn with children her own age.
As she watched her daughter squeal and animatedly describe all the things her new teacher had said they’d do during her induction last week, Indie knew in her heart of hearts that Marley was ready. Like Laker said, she’d been ready for some time. Every time Carl-Roman jibber-jabbered on about the things he’d done at school, Marley wore a wistful frown. She wanted those experiences, too. And she was so, so excited to now be starting at the same school Carl-Roman had graduated from just a few months ago.
Indie’s smile widened as she remembered just how over the moon Marley had been after her trial period last week. She’d spent three hours with her class and her new teacher, Miss Bailey, and hadn’t stopped talking about it all week.
“We’re doing the right thing, aren’t we?”
“We are. You know she’ll do amazingly, mi amore. Come on; let’s go see our baby off on her first day.”
They disembarked from his car—a family-oriented purchase Laker had indulged in shortly after Christmas. This particular model had scored high on the rating chart he’d spent weeks perfecting.
Indie joined Reagan and Marley at the front of the car, her smile wistful when her dad set his granddaughter on her feet and Marley grinned up at her mother with a brightness to her eyes that was only present when school was mentioned.
“Is it nearly time, Mamma?”
“Almost, baby girl.”
Crouching, Indie adjusted the ruffled sleeves of Marley’s red t-shirt and straightened her pleated, white shorts. “Are your shoes comfy?”
“Yep! I love them!” Marley did a little jump, clicking the heels of her new, white leather shoes together with a proud giggle. She looked far older than her seven years dressed in her sweet outfit, her hair tucked back with a selection of barrettes and a cream and white lace bow from one of Indie’s favourite stores. Even her face seemed different. Marley had matured in the past two years, there was no doubt about it.
Indie had thought the same over the weekend when Grace put together a ‘first day of school’ photo shoot for Marley. She’d donned her uniform and posed with shiny red apples, stacks of books, and a chalkboard listing all her current favourites. Apparently, it was a tradition Indie had missed, but Grace insisted it was something they should do and Marley had loved it; even Bodhi had snuck into a few of the photos.
“Are you ready for school, Little Sweet?”
“Daddy!”
Indie watched Marley bounce into Laker’s waiting embrace with the goofiest of smiles on her face. It never got old, hearing Marley call Laker, ‘Daddy.’ She did it often, too. The excitement of having a daddy for the first time hadn’t worn off yet, so she utilised as many opportunities as possible to call him by his new moniker. Laker definitely wasn’t complaining, that was for sure. Even now, he was wearing that disarming, double-dimpled, Daddy-grin Indie had fallen in love with.
“I’m ready for school, Daddy. Pawpaw’s got my backpack,” she motioned over her shoulder at Reagan. Just as she said, he was clutching her Dalmatian print backpack in one hand, the matching lunch bag in the other. He, too, was sporting a wide, smile.
Andy, Sarah, Peter, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase made their way over, Grace and Ryan close behind with Bodhi between them clutching their hands; his legs pumped furiously to catch up with the rest of the group. When he saw his mother, he let go of his auntie and uncle and sped up, crashing into Indie’s legs with a delighted giggle.
She looked down at him, her heart giving a hard thump. He looked utterly adorable dressed in mint-green cotton shorts, a grey and white striped hoodie with mint-green sleeves and hood, and a pair of baby work boots to match Laker’s. Oh, and his grey slouch beanie.
It was the slow, sweet smile on his face that killed his mamma, though.
“Hey, baby boy. Did you play on the slide?”
“Uh-huh! I pwayed on the swide, a-a-and the swings!”
Indie scooped him up onto her hip with a dreamy sigh, peppering his face with kisses until he squirmed his face into the crook of her neck and demanded that she stop with his adorable stutter. He often tripped over words when he was over-excited. Everyone was working on it with him, reminding him to take a breath before talking. Sometimes it worked, but sometimes, on days like today when he was allowed to play on the equipment in the playground of his big sister’s new school, his stutter was all but irrepressible. Warmed by her baby boy snuggling into her, Indie turned back to Marley.
“Are you sure you have everything?”
Marley frowned at her outfit, glanced around at her bags, then turned back to Laker with a confused head tilt. “I think so?”
He winked at Indie, placing a palm on the hood of his car to make sure it was cool enough before setting Marley down and reaching behind his back to remove a flat, white box from his pocket. “I’ve got a little something for you to celebrate you starting school, Little Sweet. You can wear it today as a lucky charm, but after that, you’ll just have to wear it when you haven’t got school, okay? It’s a non-uniform day today, but from now on you’ll have to wear the dress or polo shirts Mamma picked out.”
“Okay, Daddy! What is it? What is it, what is it, what is it?” She bounced on the hood, clapping her hands together with wide, gleeful azure eyes.
Indie took a step closer just in time to see Laker holding up Marley’s present; she couldn’t help but swoon when she saw it.
“A bracelet like Mamma’s!” Marley crowed.
“Yeah, Little Sweet.” Laker was pleased as punch with Marley’s reaction. He fastened it around her wrist, holding her hand up to point out each of the three charms dangling from the silver chain. “An ‘M,’ for you. A family tree, to represent our big, crazy family,” he tickled the soft skin behind her ear to make her giggle, then pointed to the third and final charm. “And this one is a book, to celebrate your very first day at school.”
Marley beamed, stroking her new jewellery. “I love it, Daddy. Thank you! And I love you.”
She threw herself into his arms; the muffled sound of a bell ringing dragged Indie’s eyes from the tear-jerking sight in front of her, to the school building.
“Oh! It’s time! C’mon, guys, we gotta go!” Marley bounced down from the hood of the car, jingling her bracelet proudly as she tugged her Pawpaw toward the building. “Let’s go!”
“All right, Mars,” Reagan chuckled. “We’re going.” He glanced at everyone gathered around them, “Are we all ready?”
A chorus of agreement rang out, so he took Marley’s hand and let her lead him across the playground. They made quite the posse—Reagan and Marley heading up the group, with Laker and Indie holding hands behind them, Bodhi in his mother’s arms. They were followed by Grace, Ryan, Andy, Sarah, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase.
When they reached Marley’s classroom, she bounced on her feet and pointed to the blue door. “Look! It’s got owls on it ‘cause I’m in Owls! That’s my class!”
Laker grinned for his daughter’s benefit and wound an arm around Indie’s shoulders to keep her from dissolving into the tears he could see gathering on her lashes. “That’s right, Little Sweet. Have you got your owl?”
Marley took her bag from Reagan and removed the small, stuffed white owl from the front pocket. “Got it!”
Marley giggled behind her hands. “He’s called Snowy, Aunt Grace! You helped me pick, silly!”
“Oh yes, so I did.” Grace shot Marley a wink and a cheeky smile, crouching down and beckoning her close. Holding Marley’s hands in hers, she sighed. “Are you excited, Mars?”
“Yes! So, so excited! I’m gonna learn so much stuff! And Miss Bailey is really nice.”
“You’re gonna make a ton of friends, little missy,” Ryan told her softly, leaning in to gently bop her on the nose. “They’re all gonna love you.”
Marley was passed around her family members, a few of the other parents shooting the large group curious looks. Some recognised Indie and Grace, but none interrupted. Archie and Peter were standing between their family and the rest of the corridor so anyone who did try would have to get past them.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Marley arrived in front of her parents and brother.
“Mawi!” Bodhi cried, stretching toward her. Indie let him go so the siblings could share a sweet cuddle and kiss; she was thankful Sarah had thought to take photos. Her mind was like mush right now, and she was struggling to resist the urge to scoop both of her babies into her arms and run home with them.
“I’m going to school, baby Bodhi,” Marley told her brother seriously, cupping his cheeks in the palms of her hands. “Be good for Mamma and Daddy, ‘kay Beesy?”
Bodhi nodded seriously. “‘Kay. You comin’ home for wunch?”
“No, I’m gonna have lunch here with my new friends. You can have lunch with Mamma.” Marley leaned in, glancing over Bodhi’s head at her mother. “You’ve gotta look after her and make sure she doesn’t get all girly and weepy. Promise?”
Bodhi looked back at Indie before turning to grin at Marley. He held out a chubby fist, pinky finger extended as well as the one beside it; he hadn’t quite gotten the knack of extending his pinky by itself, yet. “Pinky pwomise!”
“Oh God…” Indie breathed, gripping Laker’s arm to steady herself. He made a soft, soothing sound and kissed her temple.