Page 159 of If You Love Me

“I like paper lists,” Peggy and I say at the same time.

Everyone laughs. And I love it. I love that I’m surrounded by my favorite people and we’re having a family summit about our last name. And that I get to be a dad all over again in just a handful of months.

“The trees thank me for intervening.” Fee grins cheekily, then offers, “So we could do a mash-up, like Forrest-Stein.”

“What about Forehammer?” Callie asks.

Hollis hides his face in Peggy’s hair.

Fee purses her lips and writes it down. “Forehammer, got it.”

“Forrest-Hammer? Or Hammer-Forrest? What about including part of your last names as well?” Lexi asks.

“I’d like to add that as another middle name since Rose can work as a first name, too,” Fee says.

“Can I do that, too?” Callie asks.

“Of course.” We lob names back and forth, writing them all down, then narrowing the list to our top two favorites before we vote and settle on Forrest-Hammer.

“We can get started on the paperwork right away so it’s in place for school in the fall.” I want these girls to feel like this family is truly theirs, not a replacement for what they lost, but something new they can grow with.

That sparks a conversation about university for Fee and how excited she is about being on campus with Tally, especially since they’re in the same program, and Tally has all her notes from first-year classes.

Eventually Peggy and Hollis excuse themselves, and I walk them to the door.

I turn to Hollis. “Can I have a minute with Peggy?”

“Of course.” He gives me a back-pat man hug. “Congratulations. You deserve this.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

He kisses Peggy on the cheek and crosses the hall, disappearing into their penthouse.

“Are you really okay with me changing my last name?” I ask.

She takes my hands and smiles up at me. “Absolutely, Dado. One hundred percent yes. Hollis is going to propose soon enough, and then I’ll be a Hendrix. Callie and Fee need this, they needyou, and to feel like they’re part of this family. I think it’s a beautiful thing to do, for all of you. And I’m so, so thrilled that you get to have a baby with Lexi.” She squeezes my hands, and her eyes well. “I’ve waited a long time to see you happy like this. You have the biggest heart. I have felt so loved and cared for and protected, and now they get to have that, too. You deserve to be a dad with someone, and Lexi is the perfect person for you. You balance each other, just like Hollis and I balance each other.”

“No one will ever replace you. You know that, right?”

“Oh, Dad.” A tear leaks out of the corner of her eye. She doesn’t try to hide it or wipe it away. She hugs me tightly before she steps back. “We have the most special relationship. But now you get to be my friend, and not just a parent. And I get to watch you be the most amazing dad to these girls. To see you this happy fills my heart with so much joy.”

I pull her against my chest. “I love you, kiddo.”

“I love you, too, Dado. Now go dote on your girls.” She backs up and winks. “I’ve had the pleasure for twenty-two years. It’s about time someone else gets the experience.”

I give her one last squeeze and wave her across the hall, then go in search of my wife. I find her in the spare room. Someone has already taped two pictures to the wall with nursery ideas. I wrap my arms around her waist from behind and settle a palm on her stomach. “Was this you?”

She shakes her head. “Fee.”

“She feels good about finding out first.”

“I was holding the test in my hand when she woke me up.” She turns in my arms and runs her hands up my chest. “How’s Peggy?”

“Happy. Supportive. Excited to have another sibling.” I skim her cheek. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I keep asking myself the same thing,” she whispers.

“However you want this to look, Lexi, we’ll make it work. If you want to take time off, if you want to go back so you can stay focused on your career, I’ll support you, no matter what. We’re in this together. We’re a team, you and me and the girls and this baby. We’ve got each other.”

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