“Sure, climb on up.” I offer her my hand, but she doesn’t take it. Instead, she pulls herself up on the couch and burrows into my side. I shift Kendrix so that I have one hand free, and open the book. I read them every page of Today I’ll Be A Princess and they give me their undivided attention.
“All right, Ev.” Ridge stands as I close the book. “It’s time for you to get your bath and get in bed.”
“You too, sweetie,” Delaney tells our daughter.
“I don’t wanna go.” She juts out her bottom lip in a pout, and I’m ready to ask Ridge if the three of us can camp out here on his couch just to see her smile.
“Well, it’s time for bed. How about we have Everly and Knox over to our house for a playdate?”
“Now?” she asks, her voice low and pitiful, as if she can’t fathom the thought of leaving.
“Not now,” Delaney tells her. “How about this weekend?” She looks up at Kendall. “Saturday afternoon?”
“Sounds good to us,” Kendall says brightly.
“All right, kiddo. Let me slide you over to Mommy so I can go start our cars.”
“No.” She throws her arms around my neck and refuses to let go.
“Hey.” I rub her back soothingly. “I’ll be right back. I promise. How about you walk to the door with me, and you can watch me out the window? It’s too cold outside, so we have to start our cars so we can stay warm.” She doesn’t reply, so I look over at Delaney for help. She has tears in her eyes, but there is a small smile playing at her lips. I mouth, “Help,” and her grin grows wider.
“How about I go start the cars?” Delaney offers. She stands, not giving me a chance to object. “Keys in it?” she asks.
“Yes.”
She nods, gives my leg a gentle squeeze, and disappears out of the room. It’s then that I notice that Ridge, Kendall, and Everly have left the room. I hear them talking upstairs.
“Kendrix, are you excited about your playdate this weekend?”
She pulls away and looks up at me. Her blue eyes are big and beautiful, just like her mother’s. “Will you come too? Can we show them how to hammer nails?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Uh-huh. We can show them how you teached me.”
“How I taught you,” I correct her.
“Yeah, that,” she agrees and I chuckle.
How is it that this little angel already has my heart in the palm of her hand? “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll stock up and we can show them. Although, their daddy might have already shown them.”
“Oh.”
“We can still play and have fun. There are lots of things that we can do.”
“I wish my daddy was here.”
I can’t speak. If I do, I’ll tell her that I’m right here and that I’m never leaving her again. Never. She goes to college, I’m going too. She gets married, make sure you have a room for Dad, because never again will I ever leave my little girl. I hug her to my chest, trying to comfort her the best that I can.
“Sweetie, time to get your coat.” Delaney’s voice pulls us out of our cuddle session.
“O-kay.” She sighs and climbs off my lap.
I watch them together—mother and daughter. Their routine’s so familiar, their language—nonverbal—speaks volumes as they work to get Kendrix into her coat and shoes. I envy the relationship they have.
“You ladies ready to go?” I ask, standing from the couch.
“Mr. Kent, are you coming home with us?” Kendrix looks up at me, her eyes wide with excitement.
I crouch down to her level. “No, I have to go home, but remember about my test tomorrow? You’re still going to do it with me, right?”
“Yes! Can we have ice cweam after? My mommy always lets me have it when I go to the doctor.” She looks up at Delaney. “Mommy, we have to get ice cweam.”
Delaney smiles down at us. “We can definitely make that happen.”
“You heading out?” Ridge appears beside us.
“Yeah. Thank you for having us.”
“I had lots of fun making cookies,” Kendrix says.
“Good. We’ll have to do it again sometime.”
“Mr. Kent is going to teached us to build with hammers and nails.”
“He is?” Ridge feigns excitement. “That sounds like a good time.”
“Do they know how to do that?”
“They do, but you want to know a secret?” he asks her.
“I’m good at those,” she replies, making him chuckle.
“Even if you already know, practicing is very important.”
She looks at me, where I’m still crouched down in front of her. “Hear that? We have to pwactice.”
“I heard him.” I tap my finger to the end of her nose and stand. “I’ll see you in the morning,” I tell Ridge.
“Sounds good.” He waves, and we turn to leave.
Delaney opens the door, and Kendrix turns to me with her hands held up in the air. “Carry me.”