Chapter 26

Six Months Later

"Happy Birthday, Dear Ada. Happy Birthday to you!" Our friends are gathered around the table as I make a wish and blow out the candles on my cake. With Elsie's help of course. I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Thank you everyone!"

"Ada can we open presents now?" Elsie asks, clapping her hands in excitement and bouncing up and down on my lap.

"How about you give the presents to Ada and she can open them," Zeke suggests to Elsie. "Remember, it's not your birthday. It's Ada's birthday."

"Okay!" She hops down from my lap and grabs the first gift. "This one is from Aunt Kinsley."

"Oooh." I shake the box, bringing it to my ear. "What do you think it could be?"

"Maybe it's another nutsack," Dex suggests.

Colby nods. "Or Nutsack's nutsack."

"Nah, he lost that a long time ago," Kinsley laughs.

I pull back the paper on the box and lift the lid, cackling when I finally see what's inside.

"Oh, my gosh, really? This is really what I think it is?"

"Sure is." She grins as I pull out a crocheted pink penis complete with two little eyes, a mouth, and a sign that reads,

Life is like a penis.Sometimes it's up. Sometimes it's down.But don't worry, it won't be hard forever.

"That's a far cry from a positive potato," Milo says with a chuckle.

Kinsley nods with an ornery smirk. "Meh. I thought it was time to branch out a little."

"This is fantastic," I tell her. "Thank you so much, Kins. I love it!"

She gives me a wink. "You're welcome."

I open a few other fun gifts from our friends including several adult themed bookish gifts, a new pair of designer sunglasses, and a girls' weekend away for some pampering and shopping at the end of the month before Elsie starts kindergarten and before the next hockey season begins. The perfect time to relax and recharge before the chaos of everyday life ramps up.

"Thank you all so much for all these amazing gifts. I'm truly blessed to have you all in my life. What an amazing day!"

Elsie runs to the small table where gifts were stored and picks up another box wrapped in red paper with silver ribbons. "Daddy can I give her this one?"

Zeke nods. "Sure, kiddo. Go ahead. This one's from me," he whispers as she brings over the rectangular box and sets it in front of me. I shake this one too but nothing budges.

"Hmm, what could it be?"

Elsie shrugs. "I don't know. Daddy said it's a secret."

I carefully tear off the paper from the box looking for some sort of store logo but the white box is blank. Nothing giving away what could be inside. I rip the tape holding the box down and lift off the lid, a huge smile breaking across my face at what's wrapped within the tissue paper.

"Now THAT is some amazing bedazzle work!" I exclaim as I lift the new Red Tails jersey from the box and unfold it. From the front it looks exactly the same as the one I had made.

"Wait, is this mine? Did you have something new done to it?"

Zeke shakes his head. "No. Turn it around."

I flip the jersey around and gasp as my smile falters and tears well up in my eyes. The jersey I had made had the name MILLER bedazzled across the back. But this one is different. In shiny gemstones across the back shoulder, this jersey says MRS. MILLER.

"Zeke!" I turn my head and find him right by my side, down on one knee, with a diamond ring in his hand.

"Did you bedazzle this ring too?" I tease him even though I'm the one wiping tears from my eyes.

"Yeah." He nods with a laugh. "I sure did. From the best bedazzler in the city."

My shoulders sag and cock my head. "Zeke, this is…are you…do you—"

"I do," he says, stopping me before I can go any further. He slides the ring onto my finger and asks, "Do you?"

"You know I do," I answer him with a tearful smile.

He gazes into my glistening eyes the look of adoration evident in his every expression. "I love you, Ada."

Sniffling, I lean forward and hold his face between my hands. "I love you too, Zeke. I can't wait to marry you." He kisses me as all our friends cheer us on and then wishes us congratulations but then we're interrupted once again by a certain five-year-old little girl.

"Ada, are you going to marry Daddy?"

I crouch down next to her and take her hand in mine. "Is that okay with you?"

"Fucking yes!" she shouts to the amusement of every adult in the room.

"Elsie!" Zeke points to her and then whispers, "You said the bad fuck word."

"But it's Ada's birthday, Daddy and she's going to live here forever!"

"That's right," he says. "Do you think it's time to give Ada your present?"

She gasps, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "YES!" We all watch as she skips over to the table and grabs the flattened box wrapped in pink paper with all sorts of colorful bows on it.

"Oh, my goodness, did you wrap this all by yourself, Elsie?"

"Daddy helped me but I got to pick the bows."

"Well, you did a beautiful job. I love all of them." I take a bow from the package and stick one on her tummy and then one on her head making her giggle. Then I unwrap the thin box feeling something semi-round inside. I tip the box and watch as a pink and white friendship bracelet falls into my hand, smiling when I see that the letters Elsie chose spells the word M-O-M-M-Y.

"Oh Elsie, this is so special!" My heart tugs in my chest as I give Elsie a great big hug. The thought of being a mother figure for her as she grows up makes me so happy. She is an amazing little girl and I love her with all my heart.

"There's more," Zeke whispers when he catches my glance.

"Oh. There is?"

He nods.

I shove my hand into the box, my hand landing on a paper of some sort. I slide it out and collapse into a fit of tears upon reading the heading.

CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION - ELSIE JANE MILLER

My face in my hands, I cry huge ugly yet joyous tears over this special birthday gift. I hear the ladies all starting to cry tears of joy with me and then Zeke's kissing the side of my head. "I hope that's a yes," he whispers in my ear as I sob.

I lift my head, my makeup running everywhere, and bring Elsie to my lap. She holds my face in her little hands and cocks her head. "Did I make you sad?"

I shake my head. "No Elsie." I smooth her pretty curls away from her face. "You made me happier than I think I could ever be in my whole life and I love you so, so, so much."

I slip the Mommy friendship bracelet onto my wrist and hold Elsie's adoption papers to my chest. "I promise I'll be the very best mommy I can be for you." I turn to Zeke. "And the very best wife I can be for you."

He takes my hand and lifts me from my chair, pulling me into a tight hug. "You're already perfect for us, Ada. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart."

"Thank you, Zeke. I love you so much."

"Sooo we've had a wedding in New Orleans, a wedding in Key West, a wedding in our own stadium, and a wedding in Hawaii," Dex counts on his fingers. "Where's this wedding going to be?"

"I don't know." Zeke shrugs. "Maybe we could find somewhere that has a two for one deal."

"Two for one?" Tatum asks bouncing Dex Jr. on her hip. "What do you mea—" Her jaw drops when she sees Dex pull a ring from his pocket and lower himself to one knee. "Oooh, Jesus."

I expect Rory to take the baby from Tatum but when she looks equally as shocked, I step over and pull him from her arms before she goes weak in the knees.

"Tater Tot, you've put up with my shit long enough. I wanted to plan this grand proposal because you deserve the goddamn world and I want to give it to you. But then I got to talking to Zeke a few weeks ago and he said I could share in their special day and fuck, I can't wait anymore. You've already made me the happiest son of a bitch in the world, but I want to make it official. And you deserve it because you've waited so damn long for me to get my act together. Will you marry me, Tate? Please?"

She throws her arms around Dex and he blows out a huge sigh of relief. "Yes! Yes Dex! Of course I'll marry you!" She lets go of her embrace and whacks him in the arm. "Took you long enough!"

"I know, Baby. I know. I promise I'll never make you wait for anything again."

"I think this calls for a celebration all around. I'll be right back." I watch as Zeke steps into the kitchen and a few moments later comes back with a tray of champagne for everyone—including little cups of sparkling grape juice for Elsie and Summer. Once everyone has a glass Zeke wraps an arm around me and raises his glass

"To the Red Tails, without whom none of us would be standing here today with the love of our lives by our side. May we have many more amazing seasons ahead of us."

Everyone raises their glass to toast. "To the Red Tails!"