“Only for another week. Six weeks he said. And it’s been five.”
“Are you forgetting that I’m a doctor, too?”
“No.” That was all she said. Because she trusted that it was all she’d have to say.
“I’m doing it again, huh?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get better, Meri, I swear. I will not smother you with my overprotectiveness. It’s just...when I thought I’d lost you....”
“Sshhh.” Stopping in the private parking lot, she put a finger to his lips. “Don’t ever, ever apologize for loving me, Max. Or for taking care of me. Because I can promise you, I’m going to spend the rest of my life protecting, loving and caring for you and Caleb, and whoever our new little one turns out to be.”
“Ma...sit....” Caleb pulled at Meredith’s hand.
“Mama doesn’t have to sit, Caleb,” she said, wishing she could bend down to him like she used to be able to. And would be able to do again. She’d pick him up and hold him on her hip. She’d carry him.
For now, she was content to change his diaper one-handed. For another week, until the cast on her hand came off.
They had to go in. Lila was expecting them. And she hoped, Renee, too. She’d asked Lila to see if Renee was free that Sunday evening to meet Max and Caleb.
They’d just come from having a family photo done because while she’d been away for those weeks it had dawned on her that they’d never had a professional family photo taken and she’d been afraid that had been a sign that Max and Caleb weren’t meant to be her family.
She’d taken care of that one. As soon as Max had asked her what she wanted to do on her first day out and about.
And bringing the two of them here, on this very special visit to The Lemonade Stand had been the second.
It wasn’t often that husbands were welcome inside the shelter’s walls.
But Max was a very special husband. A very special man. And Meredith wanted her friends to know that men like Max really did exist.
“Ma...ady.” Ady? Caleb had so many new words that Meredith was having a hard time keeping up with them. But he was pointing. And she understood. Lila was there, standing in the open gate.
“Yes, Caleb, that is very much a true lady,” she said, and with slow steps and her husband’s support at her back, she moved her small family forward.
“Surprise!”
One voice, one body, jumped out at them. A very pregnant Maddie Bishop, all dressed up in a pretty blue maternity dress and matching shoes, with a bow in her blond hair.
Beyond that, Meredith didn’t have time to assess everyone as they came up to the gate and a chorus of voices, more voices than she could determine or count called, “Surprise!”
She caught a glimpse of the immaculate, flower-filled grounds just beyond the gate and stopped. Pink and blue ribbons floated from trees. At least twenty tables, each with about ten chairs arranged around them were set up in rows and each one was decorated with a white tablecloth and a pink-and-blue flower arrangement. The chairs all had balloons tied to them.
Turning, she looked up at Max, and said, “You knew about this.” Just as Lila bent down to Caleb, “You must be Caleb,” she said. “Would you like to come with me?”
The little boy didn’t answer immediately. His hesitation obvious, he looked up at his parents, who looked at each other.
Lila waited patiently for his answer, a serene, comforting look on her face.
“Go ahead, buddy,” Max said.
“I’ll bet Lila has some fun games for you to play, Caleb,” Meredith added. “Go ahead, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy will be right here.”
Caleb grinned and seemed to be strutting as he walked away with Lila.
“So, this is Max.” Renee appeared in the opening of the gate then. And Maddie said, “Would you like me to help Lila with Caleb, Jenna?”
Jenna.