“You okay?” Billy whispered.
Renie nodded her head.
He put a blanket over the two of them, and then kissed each of their foreheads. He went back to where Liv was standing, near the back door.
“That was a little slice of heaven, watching that,” he said while Liv gathered her things.
“It’ll take time, but if you let them get to know each other on their own terms, it’ll seem like no time at all.”
“Okay, Grandma.” He winked.
“And no interfering. As soon as you start telling Renie how to act around Willow, it’ll blow up in your face.”
Billy laughed. “Because I’ve always had luck telling Irene Fairchild how to act. Give me a break, Livvie.”
“I’m just saying, let her learn the way you did. You had time alone with Willow to figure it out. I’m not saying you should leave them alone, just be sure to give them enough space.”
“You done?” he smirked.
“No. I’m not. You screw this up, Billy Patterson, and I’ll tell your mother.”
He kissed Liv goodbye and came back to where his girls were stretched out on the blanket. He snuggled up on the other side of Willow, who had drifted off to sleep. “Can I join you?” he whispered.
Renie nodded again, and then closed her eyes. Billy closed his too, dozing, but shaking himself awake every so often, to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Willow had her head on Renie’s chest, her little arm tucked into Renie’s side. He could tell by their breathing that they were both sound asleep.
When he woke up, the two of them were in the kitchen. He wasn’t sure how long he slept,
but he was starving.
“Find anything good to eat in there?” he called to them.
Willow came running at him and jumped on top of him, smiling and covering him with kisses. She stopped, turned toward Renie and held out her hand. “Bah,” she said.
“I’m dying to know what Bah means,” she laughed. “I think it’s her name for me.”
Billy looked at Willow, and then pointed to Renie, smiling at her. “Mama,” he said. He pointed back at his baby girl, “Willow.” Then back at Renie, “Mama.”
“Bah-ma,” Willow answered.
“Okay,” he said. “Bah-ma. We’ll start there.”
He looked back at Renie who appeared unfazed.
“You okay?”
“Yes, Billy.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m accustomed to your no-holds-barred approach to things. Willow and I met an hour ago, and you’re introducing me as ‘Mama,’ why wouldn’t I be okay?”
The look on her face told him she was kidding, or at least not mad at him.
“I’m starving. Are you as hungry as I am?” he asked.
“More.”
“Wanna have dinner with me?”
“Who’s cooking?”
“You are.”