Rock Hard Neighbor

I stood shook his hand, watching as he walked down the hall to file the paperwork with the records clerk. I turned back to see if Amanda had heard what Luther had said, but she was on her phone, presumably with Sarah, who had begged to watch Lanie that morning so we could go to court. I needed to figure out what the fuck I was going to do.

I knew now, without a doubt, that I loved this woman, but I didn’t know exactly how she felt about me. I needed to know. I gave her a little wave and she ended her phone call.

“Everything ok with Lanie,” I asked.

“She’s perfect. Sarah is playing tea party with her and they are having a ball,” Amanda said.

“Good,”

“We should pick up Sarah and Lanie to celebrate,” Amanda said.

“That sounds like a good idea. Any place you’d like to go?” I asked.

“Did Lanie like that pizza place you guys went to?”

I could tell she was fishing within the confines of my memory as I reached out and cupped her cheek.

“Yes.”

I saw relief cascade over Amanda’s features as a smile bloomed across her cheeks.

“Then let’s go there,” she said with a grin.

CHAPTER 29

Amanda

“I gotta pee pee.”

I looked over at Lanie, her face covered in pizza sauce as she wiggled around in her chair.

“Come on. I’ll take you to the bathroom,” I said.

“Oh, perfect! This gives me a chance to tell you about the time Amanda got so drunk she passed out on the kitchen floor,” Sarah said to Brian as I stood.

“Don’t you dare. I’ll be right back,” I said as I reached for Lanie’s hand.

“No, really. It’s a good story. She got drunk in one outfit, and woke up in another sprawled out on the kitchen floor,” Sarah said.

“Shut up, Sarah!”

“Pee pee,” Lanie said.

I was worried about all the stories Sarah would try to cram in during the bathroom break. But I was shocked when Lanie announced she had to go to the bathroom. The three of us had been working with her on recognizing when she needed to pee before it was too late.

“Need help?” I asked.

“I can do it,” Lanie said.

I watched as she pulled down her pants and pull up and got up onto the toilet. I closed my eyes and turned my back to give her some privacy. She was humming and scooting around on the toilet seat as she went to the bathroom, and my heart swelled with pride when she was done.

“All done,” Lanie said. “Help with my pants?”

“Of course I can,” I said.

“I went pee pee!”

“Yes, you did. And I’m so proud of you.” I wrapped the little girl up in my arms as a smile broke out on her face. She buried her face into my neck as I reached out to flush the toilet. She was scared of the sound the toilet made, and I could feel her whimpering against my skin.

“It’s okay. The toilet’s not gonna get you while I’m around,” I said.

I held her as she washed and dried her hands, then she opened the door and took off. She crawled onto Brian’s lap and started clapping her hands as she tried to tell Brian what she’d just done.

“And I, I pulled it down all by myself. And the pee pee happened. And it all went in and didn’t go everywhere!” Lanie said excitedly.

“She peed all by herself without making a mess,” I said.

“You’re kidding? Lanie! I’m so proud of you!”

I watched as Brian encompassed the little girl in his arms.

“I did it, Daddy. I did it.”

We all froze at the table as Brian’s face dropped. He pulled the little girl away from his shoulders and studied the smile on her face. Sarah’s eyes were darting between the two of us as Lanie’s smile slowly faded from her cheeks. I wasn’t sure what Brian was feeling, but he looked almost upset.

“Is that okay?” Lanie asked.

“Is what okay?” Brian asked.

“Can I say ‘Daddy’?”

Brian’s eyes flickered over to mine before he nodded his head and grinned. He was in disbelief. Hearing Lanie call him daddy was helping everything to sink in. The fact that we had won this morning. The fact that Lanie was now his daughter. I could see the happiness and the pride and the contentment rolling through his body as Lanie wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I love you, Daddy,” Lanie said.

“I love you, too, Princess.”

The pizza we had was phenomenal. Everything was made in-house, and all the meat and vegetables were locally-sourced. I ate until I couldn’t eat anymore, and I was concerned that Sarah would have to roll me out of the restaurant. I kept bugging Sarah about what kinds of stories she had told Brian while I was gone, but all they did was grin at me. Every time Sarah struck up a new story I thought I was going to melt into the floor, but it wasn’t until Brian put his hand on my knee that I settled down.