Page 84 of Say You'll Stay

“I do.” His face instantly breaks as if she’s gifted him something he’s been too afraid to hope for. His whole life he has wanted nothing more than a family. Coveted it from the people who ran this farm, the children in the system alongside him who got adopted when he didn’t, and the other kids in school who had picture-perfect childhoods. He longed for a place to belong and people to belong to and she only wishes they found each other sooner.

“You hear that, sweetheart?” he says to Lucy, letting her grab his fingers in her chubby fists. “You’ve got two parents that love you a whole lot.”

He isn’t the emotional type, and she suspects what he’s shown her over the course of these last few months that they’ve settled here on the farm is more than he’s ever shown anyone. Even now he tries to curb his excitement out of habit, but his eyes shine and his smile lifts bright anyway.

“I’ll still win that bet, though,” she teases, covering her emotions with a joke as she wipes away a tear with the back of her hand.

“Pfft. We’ll see about that. It’s on now.”

He couldn’t be Lucy’s father any more than he already is even if they made her together, and when he flashes the baby a soft smile and resumes their lesson, she knows this is what it must feel like to get everything you’ve ever wanted and more. If only it didn’t take the world crumbling to find each other.

Chapter 23

Six Months Later: Cole

They’re in the living room on a warm spring day watching Lucy play with Flower on the floor. The cat is a good sibling, always eager to be near the baby and gentle with her reaching hands. Flower flops onto her side, offering her belly and making one-pawed biscuits in the air while Lucy pets her.

The babbling has gotten stronger lately, and they’ve hung on every broken syllable, waiting for Lucy to form her first real word. Cole’s heart jumps when she looks at the cat and makes an extra effort to get out a purposeful sound.

“Oh my god, is she…” Olivia whispers, clutching his arm in a vice grip as they stare with rapt attention.

This is it. She’s gonna say it. All their practice has paid off.

His daughter is about to call him dad and he’s ready to explode from anticipation alone. It’s not about winning the bet anymore, it never really was. They both just want to witness her doing something so special for the first time.

D-

Da…

Dat…

Ca.

Caaaaat.

Cat.

The cat in question purrs louder, rolling on the ground while Lucy erupts into a fit of excited laughter and Cole and Olivia exchange bewildered looks. That’s not exactly what they were expecting her first word to be, not even close, but it doesn’t matter. She spoke and once that’s sunk in, they rush to praise her, delighting as she continues to rattle off her new favorite word.

“Cat, cat, catttts, ca. Caaaaaat.”

That fluffy little three-legged cat has done more than earn her keep today. She got Lucy talking and Cole rewards her with an extra helping of tuna from a supply run later that night.

* * *

Two days later, Lucy’s asleep on his chest while the rain falls, Olivia tucked into his side and the baby lightly snoring in his arms until a crack of thunder wakes her with a start and she says Dada in the most worried voice. Wraps her little fist around his shirt and lets him snug her in close.

“Yeah, I’m your dad,” he whispers, the lump in his throat threatening to overwhelm him. “Go back to sleep. It’s just a little rain.”

She’s a good sleeper. Out like a light not long after and when he locks eyes with Olivia, she’s about ready to burst with affection, dropping a salty tear-streaked kiss to his lips.

“You still get anything you want,” she whispers in the space between them. “Rules are rules.”

“Already have everything I want, but I’m sure I can figuresomething out.”

Once the baby is back in her crib across the room, they finally fulfill the bet made months ago.

The next morning, Lucy says momma, too.

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