Milo leans into his chest and grabs his shirt.
“I’m Dada. Can you say Dada?” Colton asks, and I can hear the emotion in his voice.
The boy stares intently at his daddy’s lips and opens his mouth, like he’s mimicking Colton, but doesn’t make the right sound.
“I love you,” he adds as he hugs his son to his chest. When he pulls back, he looks down at Milo and says, “Now, you be a good boy for Hollis, okay? Make sure no boys mess with her.”
I know he means it goodheartedly, but I don’t miss the hint of worry in his voice too. Ever since I told him about California, he’s always very observant of our surroundings and watches me closely. Even though I haven’t received a message since that one he saw, Colton is always mindful of where I am and who’s nearby. His brother put him in contact with a police officer friend who helped him track down Laura when all that went down this summer, but so far, they’ve come up empty in finding who sent me those messages. Maybe since I haven’t received any lately, they’ve finally let it go.
Let me go.
“All right, I need to go, or I’ll be late for my first session,” Colton says, kissing his son on the forehead and handing him back to me.
“We’ll see you when you get home. I’ll have dinner ready,” I tell him, propping Milo on my hip and giving Colton a kiss.
“Love you,” he says, those blue eyes so full of conviction. He smiles down at his son and adds, “Love you too.”
“We love you more,” I tell him, taking Milo’s hand and waving it goodbye.
“I’ll be back soon!” he hollers before he slips out the door to head to work.
“Well, Mr. Milo, let’s get ready to go. We have tons of shopping to do today. I hope you’re ready,” I announce as I gather the diaper bag and snacks for our shopping excursion.
Thirty minutes later, I’m walking into the first department store. I’m armed with my list and the baby, as we set out to grab the few things I need. I’m able to find a gorgeous lightweight sweater for my mom, which will be perfect for those cooler Florida nights, as well as some fancy lotions and body sprays. I find an adorable little shirt and bowtie set for Milo, and a Henley shirt in a smoky gray for Colton.
Not very personal gifts, but it’s a start.
My next stop is a gourmet candy shop. I find some fresh salted caramels I know my mom will love and some sugar-free mint and chocolate drops for Grandma. They even have a large sampler box with a variety of sweet treats, which I grab for Colton’s mom and dad.
As we head down the corridor of the shopping center, Milo hollers from his stroller seat. When I pull over to the side of the walkway, I grab the bottle of formula. “Need a drink, little man?” I ask, crouching down in front of the stroller. He reaches for it, instantly shoving the cup in his mouth.
Standing back up, I glance in the window of the store I’m in front of. It’s a photography shop. Inside, I see a woman on her hands and knees, posing a newborn on a cloud of white fluff. The baby is naked, except for a blue ribbon wrapped around his abdomen. The sign on the ribbon reads, “Heaven sent.”
I glance around at the sample photos on the walls. Most are large portraits, beautifully framed, and displaying the photographer’s work. Two catch my eye right away. It’s a little girl posing on an All Fit T-shirt. I realize I’ve seen that photo before. At the gym. It’s little Sophia on her daddy’s shirt.
But the photo next to that one is the one I study now. It’s Milo, only a month old, and sleeping on an Army jacket. My heart clenches as it rises to my throat. I’ve seen this one too. It’s on Colton’s living room wall. The gift Gabby and Chase gave him when he moved in.
Suddenly, I know what I need to do.
I slip inside the studio, the photographer giving me a wide smile. “I’ll be with you in just a minute,” she says as she finishes snapping pictures of the sleeping angel on the cloud.
Milo and I have a seat in the sitting area. He’s anxious to get out of the stroller, so I unhook his belt and hold him on my lap. He’s super chatty, now that he’s had some juice, and is giving big cheesy grins.
“Oh, that’s the smile I want to catch,” the photographer says as she approaches. “How can I help you?”
“I don’t have an appointment,” I start. “I was hoping you had an appointment available this morning?”
“While I take appointments, I also love walk-ins, sweetie, so you’re next! Do you have a set in mind?” she asks, as she reaches her finger out, Milo grabbing on.