Page 55 of The Biggest Secret
I laugh at him. “Easy, baby! We need the water to stay inside the tub!” I gently wipe the remaining soap bubbles from his body and go to lift him out. “Come on, time to dry off. Daddy will be here soon.”
It stops my heart each time I get to call Adam Daddy. Each time I get to say it and mean it, knowing it’s okay to speak it out. To allow it to be real. There’s no hiding anymore, no secrets.
And what a daddy he is. I’ve seen the change in the short time he’s gotten to know Dominic, and me, again. It’s like we needed to break down that barrier of us before we could move into the role of us three. I’m actually surprised it happened with such ease. I thought Adam would have been more out of control, not being able to work through our situation.
I step back, letting Dom crawl over the side of the tub and grab atowel to wrap around him. Gently rubbing his blonde little curls dry, I know the moment Adam enters the house. I can feel his energy. Then I see Dom’s eyes focus on something over my shoulder and light up.
“Daddeeeee!” he yells, and electricity zips through my body. Dom wiggles from my grip and in three short little steps he’s thrown himself into Adam’s arms. Adam is already bent down and gets knocked back into the wall by Dom’s excitement. He slides down the wall, letting his legs come out in front of him and they’re both laughing.
I’m smiling and tears pool in my eyes.I hope I never get over the happiness I feel at seeing both my boys together.
“That will never get old,” I say quietly, my grin matching Adam’s. He shuts his eyes and just holds him for a moment. When he opens them, I see they’re glistening. Dom pulls back from him, already onto the next idea in his head, which is to run from the bathroom naked and screaming his little baby laugh.
We laugh as we watch him run down the hallway, shrieking, into his room. I put out my hand to Adam to help him stand only to have him yank me in close to him and wrap his arms around me.
“Thank you,” he says as he kisses the top of my head.
“For what?”
“For giving me that. For making me a daddy.” He nods his head towards Dom’s room. “I never knew that word would end up being my favorite.”
“I can call you daddy if it makes you that happy,” I raise a brow with a tight little smirk.
He reaches down, grabs my ass then directs me down the hall and spanks me, hard. “Not now, woman, we’ve got places to be.” He whispers, “But I look forward to hearing it later.” His voice sends shivers through my body.
Smiling, I skip down the hall, the sting of his hand lighting me up. “Come on, Dom, baby, let’s get dressed. Grandma is waiting for you.”
We both enter Dom’s room seeing clothes strewn around. It seems he’s decided to try to dress himself. I laugh, pulling out one of his pullups and a pair of different shorts. “So, what’s your mom got planned for him today?”
Adam grabs the diaper bag from the back of the door and beginsrefilling some supplies. “You know mom, probably the park and McDonald’s.”
This is so domestic. Adam packing the bag, me getting our son dressed. It’s comfortable.
It’s what home looked like, too, for me as a child before Dad threw it all away.
Don’t go there, Chelsea. Adam isn’t like him.
“And what dowehave planned for today?” I’m surprised Adam isn’t working today. It’s the one day he gives his crew off, but it doesn’t mean he ever takes a day off. Today, though, he’s up to something. The fact that he showed up right when he said he would be here is not lost on me, so whatever his plan is, it’s important.
We’re important.
I’mimportant.
“I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” He mimics locking his lips.
“Oh? You mean you didn’t plan today?”
“Well, kind of. I planned the after-party,” and he winks.
I shake my head and smile. This teasing, fun-loving Adam is my favorite.
We get our things together, jump in the truck, and head to Adam’s parents’ house. Dominic is quickly learning and feeling comfortable in his surroundings because he goes tearing into the house yelling “Gamma!” leaving Adam and I to bring in his stuff.
After lots of baby smothering kisses, me to Dom, and a fist bump with a kiss from Adam, Adam and I are back in his truck and heading out of town.
He’s calm, cool, and relaxed, and I am sitting beside him buzzing with nervous energy. I don’t know why I’m so worked up today. I’ve had some time to get used to us again, but this time around it feels different. As it should. We’re different people now, the time we’ve spent away from each other changing our views on what it is we want and need to grow together.
We haven’t had that conversation yet, the one that puts a label on us, it’s comfortable just going through the day to day right now. Though I was told we were ‘doing the damn thing’. I laugh as I remember thewords and the hip thrust that accompanied it when Adam gave me that order.
