Better Than Home: Better Than Good Novella

We loved those cross-country jaunts. They felt like mini adventures. We stayed in WeHo boutique hotels, ate at Michelin-star restaurants, and soaked up the California sun for long weekends before heading home. And I got paid for it.

We added the occasional side trip too—San Francisco, wine country, Vegas, Santa Fe…whatever sounded like fun. But I had to admit, I always loved coming home again.

Our house was definitely home. We hadn’t made any new changes since we moved in. Just some furniture and artwork. However, the kitchen remodel was slated to begin in January. And that was kind of a big deal because…well, we had plans for next year. Significant plans.

“…and I thought about buying a high chair for them, but Chelsea said they have one and they never use it. I’m sure they’d use it eventually or—”

“Wait.” I furrowed my brow, swallowing around the Sahara in my mouth. “Um…are we telling them tonight?”

Aaron bit his bottom lip and cocked his head. “Are you okay with that?”

I twitched my nose and scratched my stubbled jaw nervously. “Well…yeah. I think so. Are you?”

“Yes. I think we should. If only to get used to the idea of talking about it,” he replied carefully. “This could take years.”

“I know.”

“There’s even a chance we might not get lucky at all.”

“We will.” I slid my hands up and down his arms and rested my forehead against his. “Sometimes I can’t believe the things we talk about now. Geez, I thought buying a house was wild, but surrogates and adoption agencies…fuck. That’s like super-size grown-up.”

“Super-duper-size grown-up,” he agreed with a chuckle. “But I’m not too worried.”

“I am. Are we ready for this, Aar? ’Cause when we tell our friends, we’ll tell our families, and it’ll be out there and…this will be real.”

He inched away slightly and smiled up at me. “We’re ready. Think of it as the next chapter in the story of us.”

“A new adventure, eh?”

“The biggest one yet.”

I kissed his nose, then wrapped him in a tight embrace. “I love you.”

“I love you too. So much.”

We were silent for a beat or two, lost in our own thoughts.

“Hey, we should probably get this out in the open now. I’m not changing diapers. I’m a lawyer, you know. I can whip up a contract that precludes me from—”

Aaron threw his head back and laughed. The sound rippled through the kitchen and filled the house with warmth and sweetness. He shook his head in mock disbelief and let me have it…in Spanish. I understood a few words, but he was speaking too quickly for me to follow.

Eventually, he ran out of steam and looked up at me, his eyes shining with so much love, he took my breath away. He didn’t have to say a word now. I knew what he was thinking. I felt it deep in my soul.

But he brushed his nose against mine and said it anyway.

“Te amo, mi amor. This is good…”

I smiled and squeezed him closer still. And when I thought I could speak without my voice shaking, I whispered,

“Better than good.”