Chloe opens the door and comes in and sits on the bed. Her hair is all curled in twirls and pinned back with ribbon throughout. “Sadie do your hair, Chloe?” I ask her, and she nods. “It’s beautiful.” She nods again. This is so very unlike Chloe not to be talking, especially when she’s been all dolled up.
“Are you okay, sweetie?”
“So, are thinks going to change?” she asks in a low voice.
“Why would they change?”
“You’re marrying Trey. Do you love him more than us?”
“NO!” I screech before calming my voice. “Chloe, just because I love Trey doesn’t mean I love you any less.”
“How do you know you love Trey?” she asks me, sitting up on the bed and crossing her legs.
I touch my hand to her heart. “I feel it here,” I say. “Just like I did when you came home and when Tara and Drew were born.”
“There’s enough room for all of us?”
“Yes, more than enough.”
“Now you and Trey will become a mommy and a daddy?”
“We sort of are already. But eventually maybe we’ll have a baby one day.”
“And your heart will grow more?” she asks.
“Yep, it will just keep growing.”
We’re interrupted by a knock on the door. Sadie peeks her head in. “You ready for hair and make-up?”
“Not just yet. Can you do me a favor and ask Trey to meet me in his room?”
“Is everything—”
“It’s fine, we just need a little family pow-wow beforehand,” I say, nodding my head in Chloe’s direction.
“Gotcha,” she says and shuts the door.
Chloe and I walk down the hallway and sneak into Trey’s room. He runs in a few minutes later, panting and sweaty. He’s still in his jeans and t-shirt.
“What’s going on?” He sits down on the bed on the other side of Chloe.
“Chloe’s a little worried about how large our hearts can grow,” I mention, and he raises his eyebrows my way before turning back to Chloe.
“It can grow as much as you want it to,” Trey says.
“Mommy and Daddy told me I made their heart grow tons,” she remarks, and we smile. “Now their hearts are with the angels.”
“Maybe. Do you still love them in your heart?” I ask, and she nods.
“So, if Trey is my bidadodgical daddy and you’re my aunt, but kind of like my mommy and you’re going to be married—”
“Chloe, what is wrong, baby?” Trey pats her knee. “You know you can tell us anything.”
She looks up at Trey. “Does your heart love me?”
“Oh, sweet girl, you were the one that taught my heart to love.” He takes her hand and my heart sores with how at peace they’ve become with their new relationship.
“There’s enough room for all of us? Tara and Drew, too?”
Trey chuckles and then straightens his face. “Yes, I love all of you. We’re a family.”
“But families have mommies and daddies. Timmy has two mommies and daddies. Veronica only has a mommy. Ricky has two daddies and a mommy. My mommy and daddy are in heaven. You and Aunt Kailey will have a baby like Aunt Jessa and you’ll be its mommy and daddy—”
“Chloe, we’re all a family. You may not call us Mommy and Daddy, but we are. We take care of you, Tara, and Drew like a mommy and daddy would. Me marrying Trey just makes it official.” I try to make her understand.
“Official?” She looks up at me, complete confusion all of her face.
Trying to think of how to put this in terms a five-year-old can understand, I say, “When two people who weren’t family before want to be a family together they get married.
“Really?” she says excitedly.
“Yes,” Trey confirms.
“Only two people?” she questions.
“Well, some families are different. It depends on who’s in the family.” I’m really trying to think on the spot here.
“We’re family, and Trey is going to be a part of our family, and we’re in each other’s hearts.” She pauses like she’s working out a math problem in her head. I’m just about to speak, when she pops out with, “Then we should all get married.”
Trey bends down in front of her and takes her small hands in his. “Chloe, you understand that marrying someone is a big deal, right?”
She nods her head. “Uh huh, and since you’re my bidadogical daddy and you shared me with my Mommy and Daddy, so their hearts could grow, I’ll share you with Tara and Drew, and they can have a Mommy and Daddy again, too.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, sweetie,” I speak up, since Trey seems a little overwhelmed at the moment, but he soon finds his voice.
“Yep. Tara and Drew might not understand what’s happening, but—”
“I’m going to tell them we’re gettin’ married!” She jets out of the room.
Trey stands and pulls me into him. “I have a feeling we’re only at the start of these questions,” he says.
“I know, but you handled that pretty well,” I compliment him.
“Well, thank you. You had me terrified there for a second. Thought you were going to run out on me.” Just as my heart was at new heights a moment ago, it sinks that he still doubts my commitment.
“I told you, I’m done running,” I say, and he cocks his eyebrow. “Yeah, yeah, I had one last time, but give a girl a break, that was pretty unpredictable.”
“As much as I want to stay here with you all day, I have to get to the store. See you at five-thirty. I’ll be the devastatingly handsome one staring at his hot-ass fiancé about to walk down the aisle.”
“Why do you have to go to the store?”
“If I’m marrying all of you, I can’t only have jewelry for you.” He kisses me on the cheek. “I love you,” he says, walking out of the room.
“Crap!” I mumble to myself. I scramble down the hall, saying quick hellos until I land on Dex. “Oh, thank God. You need to go with Trey right now.” I point to him walking to the car. “Buy a ring. I don’t have a wedding ring for him. Make sure it fits, but do it on the sly. Now go!” I push him toward the door and wait for him to jog over to Trey. I release a breath when Dex slides into the passenger seat and they pull out.
I run upstairs and grab my phone, texting Dex.
Kailey: Send me pics.
Dex: you expect me to do that how?
Kailey: distract him. Figure it out.
A half hour later, my phone is going berserk as Dex hammers off pictures to me. I finally decide on a traditional silver one with a few lines along each side. Explaining I’ll pay him when he gets back, he says no problem. There’s something to be said about someone else planning your wedding.
I RUN INTO the mall, not sure exactly what I’m looking for. Dex came along with me, but he seems to want to do his own thing, so I left him at the last jewelry store. I wonder what exactly he’s getting–something for someone? Maybe he’s actually ready to put some jewelry on Chrissy. Finally, when I get to the third store, the nice sales lady shows me a case of children’s jewelry and thank god it’s a lot cheaper than adults’. I’ll be paying off Kailey’s ring for some time, and I don’t need to tack on more debt.
Jen & Caden planned well for the kids’ future. The house is paid for and they were left plenty of life insurance money, which Kailey and I are making sure is managed by a reputable investment firm. Right now we use a little bit to cover monthly expenses, but once Kailey is out of school and I have a regular job, not an internship, it's important to us that we take care of the kids and everything that comes with being a parent. When the time comes, the kids will receive a really nice financial settlement. So being frugal is important, but these pieces of jewelry represent our commitment to them, and I want something that can withstand the abuse and last.
Deciding on two charm bracelets for Chloe and Tara, each with a heart charm dangling from it, I search for Drew. I want something masculine, but heartfelt. The sales associate shows me a bracelet with a silver plate where I could get his name engraved on it and points me in the direction of the engraver. Not bothering to find Dex, I head that way and beg the young kid to push me ahead of the others. I give him a nice tip and call Dex. He’s waiting for me by the doors, and we rush back out to the car.