A/N: Hey, friends. Sorry this didn't go up on Friday! I had a kind of crazy last few days. At least this chapter is a little longer.
That first day, Sevvy discovered that "she" (he had a little trouble pronouncing "Delphine," at first) ate holding her fork and knife "like Papa." He pointed out that Michael and I held ours "the other way," and Teo had a little conversation with him about how people from other countries do things differently sometimes. When we switched to the big boys asking Delphine about her work, I noticed that Sevvy was peering at Delphine thoughtfully for a moment, and then switched to holding his fork in his left hand. I knew he had done this before, with Teo's friends and relatives, but it stood out to me. My sweet boy liked to watch Delphine, too (let's be honest, who didn't,) and was making an effort to understand and connect with her. I don't think anybody else noticed, but I found myself smiling, forgetting the penne I held on my fork until it grew cold.
Michael got him washed up for nap time while Teo cleaned up the table, and we went and put away our clothing (Delphine couldn't conscience staying more than an hour without unpacking her things and hanging them neatly.)
"Your son," she said, after we'd finished and I'd caught her and pulled her down onto the bedspread for a kiss and cuddle, "he's lovely. He's so like you. I can see Teo and Michael in him, too, but I know your gestures and habits, and it…" She blew out a lungful of air, blinking rapidly to chase back the welling tears. "It's amazing. I'm so grateful to get to see you and him together."
"Yeah, that's my Cookie Head," I grinned, using one of our classic nicknames for him. "He seems to like you. I'm really glad we're all going to get to spend some time together." I rubbed our noses together and pressed a small kiss to one of her dimples, and she hummed a soft note of agreement and pleasure.
We got up to have a glass of wine with the boys, and Michael and Delphine got into an involved discussion about the latest research on integrated pest management for small gardens, I think, while Teo and I talked about Sevvy starting in a new school before long. Somehow this devolved into some ridiculous stories about ourselves as children, and then we laughed so loud that we woke Sevvy, who came shuffling out of his room rubbing his eyes and insisted it was time to practice fútbol.
We went outside and kicked around the ball. I wasn't taking it very seriously, but it turned out a certain Frenchwoman had a few soccer moves from her youth. Sevvy was so delighted when she'd dribble it to him or help him get it past Teo, and seeing her that way, physically playing, trading moments of concentration and laughter, charmed me, as well. By the end of playtime he was calling "Delphine, Delphine!" He knew her name now, for sure.
Later, after dinner and conversations and taking a look at some of Sevvy's Lego constructions, he tugged on the hem of my sweater.
"Mommy, can I sleep with you tonight?"
"Severo, we already discussed this," Teo told him, intercepting the question. "Mama's bed is going to be a little full for that because Delphine is sleeping there." My child looked down, obviously both disappointed and aware he'd been caught trying to do an end-around on his fathers.
"Can you read me my bedtime story, then," he asked, and I couldn't help but smile and rub his skinny shoulder.
"Of course, buddy," I said.
In a little while he was tucked in, and I came in to read aloud from his current book — a good one, about space travel. Delphine had been uncertain, but I told her she could join us, so she stood just barely in the room, leaning against the doorframe and lacing her fingers. She was still unsure and it was adorable.
It all went smoothly down to his goodnight kiss — and a little wave from my girlfriend — and it wasn't long before we were sliding into bed ourselves, tired from the driving and the emotion of the day.
"He really likes you. I can tell," I told Delphine after we'd relaxed into the pillows.
"Yes?" she asked, then paused a moment. "We are talking about Severo, aren't we?"
"Yes," I chuckled, stroking the back of her hand and wrist with my palm. "Duh."
"Do not 'duh' me," she scolded, and I could tell from her voice that her lips had curled into a smirk even though the room was dark. "You know sometimes your sentence structure… runs amok."
"'Runs amok?'" I repeated, in a faux-offended tone. "You know my genius can't be contained in mere sentences. And are you sure your English isn't just slipping a little bit?"
"Brat," she called me, and ran her hand down my face indelicately, pushing in my nose a bit as she went.
"So violent," I observed, and rolled over to her. We shared a few warm, slow kisses and I tucked my head onto her shoulder.
"Thank you again for bringing me," she said softly, and I took and squeezed her hand.
"Thank you for coming," I replied, seriously. "I love you."
"I love you," she affirmed, and we settled down to sleep.
I don't think I'd been out very long when a tiny knock on the door roused me.
"Mommy?" came a small voice from behind it. I rose my head and aimed it at the door. Delphine's eyes were bleary, but open.
"What's up, pumpkin?" I asked loud enough for him to hear me. I waited for a couple beats, but he didn't say anything, so I called out again. "You can come in, Cookie Head."
The door slowly opened as if he was tentative. He stood at the doorsill and kept his hand on the door knob.
"Can I sleep with you, Mommy?" He asked in a small voice. "I miss you."
I looked at Delphine and in the dim light from the hallway I saw her smile softly and nod.
"Okay, buddy, come on in," I told him.
He did a quick little shuffle over to my side of the bed, leaving the door a bit open so some light came in. He reached up and I grabbed him under the arms and pulled him in. He stayed on his knees for a moment, leaning over and hugging me, and then he squirmed out of my grasp and began to climb over me toward the middle of the bed.
"Uh-uh, buddy, come stay on my side," I said, "We've gotta leave some room for Delphine." He looked back at me with a pout.
Delphine was halfway sitting up, now. She shrugged.
"I don't mind if he sleeps in the middle," she offered.
"Are you sure?" I asked her. "This one gets really wiggly in the night. Sometimes he ends up sprawled horizontally across the bed and I'm clinging to the edge." She let out a small laugh.
"Let's give it a try," she suggested, this time smiling at Severo. He grinned and clambered over me and between us with great gusto, pulling up the covers and burrowing under, then peeking out and giggling.
"Okay, dude, settle down," I told him through a grin. "And try to stay still. We don't need Delphine waking up with your foot in her face." He cackled.
"Or my butt!" Little devil.
"Or your butt," I agreed, and Delphine was chuckling now, too. Sevvy reared up and flipped so his head pointed toward the foot of the bed, then rolled around, playing.
"Or my penis," He pushed out through a laugh, and I rolled my eyes.
"Or your penis, nutty," I agreed. "Please tell me I don't have to have a discussion about consent right now." Delphine laughed harder. "Alright, right way up and snuggle. We all need some sleep."
He rotated as asked and burrowed down between us, hugging my arm with one of his and smushing his face into it.
"Goodnight, I love you," he said, albeit muffled, I glanced over at Delphine and she was smiling at both of us.
"Goodnight, I love you," I responded, in a soothing voice, still looking at my girlfriend.
Her eyes crinkled as she met my gaze, then took in the kid and I snuggled together. She blew me a little kiss and laid back down.
I was awake for a little while, listening to Sevvy's breaths even out and feeling our combined body heat envelop us in coziness. A short while later, Delphine's hand slid over and held mine.
What did I do to get such a perfect moment? I thought, and drifted off.