Six Years Later
"Are you ready?" Charlie held my hand as we stood, waiting, by the arrivals door at the airport. My eyes were trained on the line of people emerging, scanning their faces for that one familiar one.
"I'm so ready. It's been three years. So much has changed for us." I said to him, tearing my eyes away from the door for just a second to smile at him. Had it been any other time, he probably would have laughed at me for barely looking at him but I knew he understood how important this moment was for me.
"Just remember; things have changed for her too. Don't expect her to be the same little girl she was."
"I know."
"Hey, Nick, isn't that her?" Nathaniel spoke up from behind me and I looked to where he was pointing, seeing my beautiful Abby just coming through the door, her eyes scanning the waiting crowd, looking for me. She looked so grown up, her golden hair flowing behind her and her hand curled around the handle of her rainbow suitcase that she'd bought as a symbol of the fact that she now had two dads.
"Abby!" I called, waving at her and letting go of Charlie's hand to run towards her. A huge smile spread across her face when she saw me and quickened her pace until she threw herself into my arms.
"Oh, papa. I missed you!"
"I missed you too, sweetheart."
"I missed you more." She laughed.
"I don't think so. How is Imogen?" As always, I got that little tug in my heart when I thought about my ex-wife. Some part of me wished we'd been able to make it work but I knew that if we'd stayed together we wouldn't have been able to maintain as good a friendship as we had since split up.
"She's great. Spends most of her time at work or at home, making sure I'm doing my homework."
"And are you?"
"Of course I am. Papa, I'm on a scholarship, remember? I have to work twice as hard as the other students at the school."
"Just making sure," I promised. "Now, I'm sure you're excited to meet your new brother."
"I'm so excited." I moved to stand beside her so Charlie could bring our son forward. The little boy looked up at Abby shyly, not sure what to make of the blonde girl staring at him.
"Ethan, this is your big sister, Abby," I said to him, gesturing to my daughter. "Remember how we talk to her on the computer sometimes?"
"Computer Abby?" He asked me, eyes wide. I laughed at the nickname he'd made up but nodded.
"Yeah. Can you say 'hi' to her?"
"Hi." He mumbled, still staying close to Charlie's side. He was five years old but the first three years of his life had been traumatic for him and as a result, he was usually very shy around new people. It had taken nearly three months before he would allow Charlie and I to hug him without him flinching away.
"Hey, there Ethan. How are you?" Abby crouched down to be more at his height which seemed to be a good thing as the little boy inched a little closer.
"Are you my big sister? Like Lexi?"
"If you'd like. Or I can be your friend."
"I have a friend." Ethan frowned a little, trying to figure out how it was possible to have more than one friend at a time.
"That's okay. I can be your special friend from New York. Does that sound good?" I looked up at Charlie with a proud smile, loving that my little girl was so eager to form some sort of relationship with our new son. Charlie grinned back, giving Ethan a little push towards Abby.
