had the lingering anger to release before I fully forgave him. He still should have been honest with me. I would have stepped back until he figured things out. But I love him too much to hold it against him so it didn’t take long for me to forgive him.
Angelo makes a fussy noise and I can no longer see him look so frustrated.
“Mom. Hand me the boy.” I walk to her slowly as if she has a bomb strapped to her chest. Sometimes if you move fast, she whisks him away to spend hours reading to him. I mean, I knew my mom was crazy, but she’s taking being a grandma to a whole new level.
“He’s fine.”
In response, Angelo slaps her cheek and yells.
“Oh, see, that’s just your way of saying how much you love your grandma, huh, isn’t it you perfect little angel.”
She blows a raspberry on his covered tummy and squeezes him.
“Mom.” She’s nuts. Absolutely nuts. I turn to Mikah for help, but he and my dad are having a beer, watching the game. I’m forgotten and on my own.
“I think the turkey’s burning,” I say and it’s the only thing to get my mom’s attention. She swoops toward the stove and in her haste, I grab Angelo from her. She’s so worried about the meal being perfect she doesn’t remember she only put the turkey in the oven an hour ago.
Still, with Angelo safe in my arms, I take him to the family room where I spread out the blanket and lay him down. He stretches with relief and promptly rolls to his stomach, starts doing an army crawl maneuver straight for my dad.
I fill a glass with wine and head back to the living room. I don’t bother offering to help my mom cook. I already did and she let me know she doesn’t feel like calling the fire department today so I slide easily next to Mikah on the couch, curling my knees over his lap while he drapes an arm over my shoulder.
“You rescued our boy.” He kisses the top of my head.
I get a shiver of happiness every time he calls Angelo ours and not his. As the paperwork showed, Angela relinquished her parental rights. A couple months after that day, apparently Jaxon Hayes did a check up on her and let Mikah know she had moved to Michigan where she was originally from. Good riddance. Since then, it was easy for Mikah to have his parental rights declared.
He’s officially been Angelo’s father for a full month, so I’m thinking we have lots to be thankful for this year.
I hum with happiness at the thought.
“What’s that for?” Mikah asks.
I grin up at him. “Just thinking…we have a lot to be thankful for this year. Angelo. Us. The season you’re having so far.”
“All good things.” He kisses my cheek and then my legs are being moved so he can slide out from beneath me.
“What are you doing?”
“Grabbing Angelo.”
I glance to see he’s on his belly. His little fingers are fiddling with the laces on my father’s shoes. My dad keeps moving his feet away, making Angelo giggle and grunt and reach for them.
Since Mikah is on the floor with Angelo, dragging him back to the blanket, it takes me a second to realize once he’s in front of me, he doesn’t get back to the couch.
“Mikah?”
He’s on a knee. Angelo is bouncing on the other knee, facing me, arms flailing and clasping together. And then…
“Shut up,” I say.
He’s holding a box.
Mikah laughs. “I have not said anything yet.”
“But…”
Oh my God. Next to me, my dad has gotten off the couch. He’s now standing off to the side. My mom is next to him. Crying.
“You’re… what is going on?”
An idiot would understand faster than I am.
Mikah reaches out and squeezes my thigh. I cling to his hand. I’m shaking. Hot. My heart might explode. Oh dear. It’s been a while since I’ve had these symptoms.
“You are right,” he says, and his laughter has died and his face has gone somber. So serious. Such a deep, rough voice. “We have much to be thankful for this year. My team. A good family,” his eyes flip to my parents and Angelo and then back to me, “and Angelo. Becoming a dad. But you… you are what I’m most thankful for.”
“Mikah—” His name lodges in my throat. I can’t believe he’s doing this.
He raises up Angelo’s pudgy arms still holding a small box. “There is only one thing that could make me more thankful, and that is marrying you. Will you be my wife? Become Angelo’s mom legally?”
“Oh my God. Today?” I cry.
Mikah laughs and takes the box from Angelo’s hand. It’s now wet from his drool. Apparently, he thinks it looks delicious. “I think we cannot do it today, but as soon as you want. As soon as you’re ready. I love you and as far as I’m concerned, our forever began the day you brought this boy into my life.” He pops open the box and I think my heart stalls.
Oh dear. I really, really should have gone to the doctor to get help for this heart condition I have.
“I love you, Paisley. And I want all of us to be a family. Forever. Marry me?”
“Yes!” I cry, slide off the couch and tackle both Mikah and Angelo. My parents laugh. I’ve forgotten they’re here and I must look a fright, straddling and kissing Mikah and Angelo while wearing a dress.
Fortunately, we’re all a little bit crazy. My mom cries. My dad whoops. And I keep kissing Mikah and Angelo, tears streaming down my cheeks until Mikah sits up and finally, finally slides a gleaming diamond onto my finger and kisses my hand.
“I never knew I could have more in my life than hockey, but winning you feels better than any goal I have scored. Thank you for loving me every day. Every minute. I will always do the same for you.”
Silly man. He’s done that since the day we first met. But I can’t wait to show him how good I’ll be at it for the rest of our lives.