Lily leaned over to kiss my arm. “Thanks, Mama.”
I bit my lip, feeling my throat tighten a little. “Anytime, baby.”
Travis leaned in and kissed the side of my head. “She’s growing up.”
“I know,” I whispered. “Don’t say it out loud. I’ll cry.”
He chuckled. “Too late.”
---
Gracie texted later that afternoon, right after I’d finished folding the last load of laundry for the day.
Gracie: “You, Trav, and the girls should come over tonight! Paul’s cooking.”
I blinked at it and instantly started thinking of excuses. We hadn’t done dinner outside the house in weeks unless it involved takeout containers and a sleeping baby in the corner.
Me: “Awh that’s so sweet, but we don’t have a babysitter tonight 😬”
She answered immediately.
Gracie: “Bring them! Seriously. Paul loves babies. And Lily can play with Weiney.”
Travis peeked over my shoulder from behind the couch. “Gracie wants us to bring both girls?”
“Yep. She said Weiney can be Lily’s entertainment.”
Travis gave me that look — the same one I gave him. You sure about this?
“I mean… her place is not baby-proofed,” I said quietly. “Gracie is what, twenty-five?”
“And Paul has definitely never changed a diaper in his life.”
“Exactly.”
But I also hadn’t seen her in a while outside of songwriting and FaceTimes. So after a few more texts and a couple nervous laughs, we packed up. Mira went into the car seat like a champ, Lily carried her favorite bunny under her arm, and I tossed a diaper bag together like my life depended on it.
Gracie met us at the door of her apartment, practically glowing. “Yay! You made it!”
Her dog, Weiney — a tiny brown dachshund with more energy than common sense — came skidding across the floor and beelined straight for Lily.
Lily squealed with laughter and crouched down to pet him. “Hi doggy! You’re so little! What’s his name?”
“Weiney,” Gracie said, trying not to laugh. “Short for Wiener.”
Travis grinned and raised a brow. “Creative.”
I leaned down and pulled Lily gently aside, whispering, “Gentle hands, baby, remember?”
She nodded but was already too enchanted by the little dog to listen too closely.
Gracie led us in, taking Mira’s car seat for me. “You guys look like you’ve been through it.”
“That’s because we have,” I said, shaking out my jacket. “This place is beautiful though.”
“I wiped every surface twice and moved anything breakable,” she promised. “I mean… probably.”
Paul came out from the kitchen then — tall, kind smile, big eyes. “Hi! Welcome. I’ve been warned that if Mira cries I’m not allowed to panic.”
“She’s pretty chill unless you mess with her pacifier,” Travis said, easing onto the couch.
Lily was already stretched out on the rug, giggling as Weiney licked her face.
And for the first time in what felt like days, I let my shoulders relax.
Gracie handed me a glass of wine. “Now — we’re all pretending we’re not exhausted parents for one night. Deal?”
YOU ARE READING
Invisible String
FanfictionWe always thought it would be easy - or at least, easier than this. Starting a family was the next chapter we were so ready for. After years of tour buses, locker rooms, sold-out stadiums, and quiet nights tangled up on the couch, we finally looked...
