Dani and I stood on her porch, she looked over to me. Seeing me fidgeting with my hands she spoke.
"Sweetheart, I know you're nervous. But my mom will absolutely adore you, and Evelyn will also love you, she loves meeting new people." She took my hand and squeezed it. I took a deep breath in, and released it. "I'm just bad at meeting new people." I responded.
"New people make you nervous, hm?"
"Yeah." My hands were shaking.
"You'll have me by your side the entire time, okay? I will always be in sight. If anything is wrong just give me a sign, or walk to another room and I will drop everything to make sure you're okay, because that is the only thing that matters to me."
Her words warmed my heart.
"Ready?" Dani asked. "Ready." I smiled, Dani nodded before unlocking her door. A few seconds later a woman who didn't looked like her was stood in the hallway.
Dani and her mother hugged.
I miss my mother's hugs.
"Hi." The soft cheery voice of Dani's mother filled my ears, "You're Alexandra, am I right?" She asked. "Mhh." I nodded, not correcting her on the name.
"She prefers Alex." Dani met my eye, I smiled. 'Thank you.' my eyes spoke to her. She winked.
"Oh, Alex, what a lovely name." The woman leaned in for a hug. In the corner of my eye I saw Dani inspecting my reaction. I accepted the hug, it was fast, but nice.
For some reason I felt comfortable with her.
"Oh, how rude, I haven't introduced myself, my name is Hannah." She pulled away from the hug, her hands still on my shoulders. "Danièlle has told me so much about you."
"She has?" I asked, surprised by the fact that I had even been more than mentioned to Dani's mother. "She talks about you a lot on our calls."
"Now I'm intrigued, what kind of things has your daughter been telling you about me?" I asked, then looking over to Dani, who now was the one who nervously turned her head down.
"I've heard a bit about your time this summer." Hannah started. "Oh?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't hear more than how beautiful you were and how in love she was with you after a week of talking to you." Hannah teased her daughter. "Mom!"
I blushed.
"Then I heard about the age thing.." She said. "I don't care by the way, as long you two are happy."
"Mommy!" A little girl came running up to us. "Evelyn!" Dani embraced her tightly. "I've missed you so much." She kissed her head.
"Evelyn, I'd like to introduce you to Alex, Alex this is Evelyn." Dani's warm smile made me smile.
"Hi." I waved to the little girl. She walked over to me and I leaned down to be able to see her better. "You're really pretty." She said, her voice was the sweetest. "Thank you." I grinned. "You're also really pretty." I complimented her. "Thank you!" A big smile appeared on her face.
"Are you my mom's girlfriend?" She asked. I laughed. "Am I?" I asked Dani. "You should be." Evelyn said. "Yeah, Dani, I should be your girlfriend."
Dani chuckled and rolled her eyes in response.
Hannah laughed. "Anyone want tea?" She asked. "I'd love that, thank you." I smiled. "Yes please, I'm tired of the disgusting coffee I have to drink at that school of yours." Dani replied.
Evelyn took my hand, well more like my pinky but still. "You are my new best friend." She stated. "I told you." Dani mouthed.
Yes she did.
I smiled to myself.
Relief?
Dani walked behind us, talking my free hand for a moment and giving me a reassuring squeeze.
"Allie you need to watch me bike." Evelyn stated, I smiled at her nickname. "It's green."
"I love green." I smiled.
We walked into the living room, and Evelyn dragged me to the backyard where she showed me her bike. "Your bike is so pretty, I wish I had a bike this cool!" I told her, Dani stood next to me, I leaned my head on her shoulder.
Evelyn biked around, babbling about what she did today, I listened to her and responded intrigued.
Unknown to Dani and I, Hannah Jensen looked at us. The happiness radiated from her daughter making her smile.
❤︎
After we ate dinner together and Hannah had left, Dani prepared for putting Evelyn to bed.
"Mom, can Allie help put me to bed?" Evelyn asked, a cup of warm milk in her hands. Dani's eyes met mine, her eyes speaking to me 'do you want to?' they said. I nodded. "Of course she can." Dani smiled.
A wide smile formed on Evelyn's face.
"Are you sleeping over?" She asked.
I looked over to Dani. "Only if you want to." She said. "My mom's bringing and getting her from school, that until I find a new job."
"You're quitting?" I asked, I hadn't really thought about if she was keeping her job. "I've been talking about it with one of my old friends, she has an art gallery, just needs an artist."
"You're actually becoming a painter?" I smiled, back in the summer she'd told me about her dream of always wanting to become a painter. And she was good, like really good.
Evelyn got tired so we went upstairs, she brushed her teeth and asked Dani to braid her hair for her.
"Good night mom." Evelyn gave Dani a big hug. I smiled. One day this would be me with my child. "Good night Allie." She gave me an even bigger hug. "My mom definitely likes you." She whispered, giggling. "I hope so." I chuckled, not being able to resist smiling.
"Good night Ev." Dani said, and I followed her out into the hallway. "Can you close the door?" Evelyn asked. "Of course I can."
"She's so sweet." I whispered, smiling. "I know." Dani grinned. I walked to the bathroom, where Dani got her pyjamas, then disappeared into her room. Leaving me to change.
After I brushed my teeth I walked to her room.
"I'm going to sleep." I told her. "You can sleep here." Dani suggested. "Only if you want to." She quickly added. "Thank you." Tears welled up in my eyes.
"Hey." She cooed. "Don't cry sweetheart, it's okay."
"I don't know why I'm crying, I'm sorry." I sniffed. "I thought I banned that word." She looked me in my eyes. "Oh yeah." I chuckled. "It's okay." She smiled.
After Dani also got unready she joined me in her bed.
"You're such a good mom." I told Dani, after minutes of silence. "You'd be too." She replied. "What?" I wasn't sure if I had heard her correctly. "You'd be a good mom." She repeated.
"You really think so?" I asked. I don't know if I could be. "Seeing the way you're with Evelyn, I think—I know you'd be."
I moved my head, our noses touching. I closed my eyes.
'I love you.'
No reply.
We fell asleep, the little bit of touch between us serving as a bridge between our dreams.