“We are,” I confirm, and she gasps at the same time Avery jumps up and down.
“I never went on a plane,” she says, clapping her hands together. “Momma, did I go on a plane?”
“No,” Addison says, shaking her head, the shock all over her face. “I didn’t pack a bag.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I assure her, once we get to the stairs leading to the plane. “I got it.” I put my hand on her lower back, almost pushing her toward the stairs.
“What do you mean, you got it?” She turns, asking me through clenched teeth. Avery is already on the fourth step.
“It means trust me.” My hands come up to hold her face. “I promise I have you.” My thumbs rub her cheeks.
“I literally have nothing but my purse,” she says, looking at the plane, seeing Avery talking to the attendant, who is squatted down in front of her shaking her hand.
“Everything is being set up at the hotel,” I tell her, and I can feel her start to shake in my hands.
“Hey,” I say as she blinks away tears, but one escapes, “why the tears?”
“I can’t afford this,” she whines as if I stabbed her, “this is too much.”
“Baby,” I say softly. “You raised our daughter for four years without a penny. Trust me, I owe you a lot more than a trip.” I lean forward, the need to kiss her stronger than anything I’ve felt.
“But work,” she finally huffs, putting a hand on her forehead.
“Taken care of.” My hands fall from her face. “Let me give you this.” I don’t know if I’m asking her or begging her. “Please,” I beg, “let me do this for the both of you.”
addison
. . .
“M omma,” Avery yells from inside the plane, “they have a couch in here!”
I smile at her and then look back at Stefano. “This is not normal.”
He chuckles and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “Baby, nothing with us will ever be normal.” He bends his head to kiss my lips. “As normal as things can be.”
“I don’t think you guys would know how to do normal if it came and bit you in the butt.” I shake my head. His arm drops from around my waist as his hand finds mine before he puts his other hand on my lower back, guiding me to the stairs. I walk up the first step, and the only thing going through my head is how crazy this is.
“Welcome aboard,” the attendant says, standing with her hands in front of her. “We will be ready to go when you are.”
All I can do is nod at her and move to the side so Stefano can step in. “I want to sit by the window,” Avery says, walking over to the four seats on one side with a table in the middle. “Dad, can I sit in that one?” She points at the one chair facing out the window.
“You can sit anywhere you like,” he replies, and I’m not even going to lie, I feel my chest rising and falling as I try not to freak the fuck out.
“Relax.” Stefano leans down and whispers in my ear.
“Easier said than done,” I mumble, making him chuckle as he kisses my lips softly before walking over and getting Avery buckled in her seat. He sits right next to her and then motions to me to come on over with his hand.
I inhale deeply and exhale before walking to the chair facing him and sitting down. The sound of the plane starting makes Avery squeal, the smile on her face is everything. She’s always been a happy kid. Always been a kid who just accepts what I tell her with no pushback, like when I couldn’t buy her the Frozen sneakers, and she stared at them for the longest time before just shrugging and walking out with me. It broke my heart so much I went back to get them the day after and ate ramen noodles for two weeks. I blink away the tears as I watch her and Stefano together.
He's got his head next to hers and his arm around her, as he explains everything that is happening.
When the plane starts to move, she looks over at him with her eyes big and her mouth in a big O. She
puts her two hands on the armrests when the plane picks up speed and the pressure makes her back stick to the chair.
“My ears feel funny,” she says, putting her hands over her ears.
“When we get into the sky, it’ll feel better,” Stefano assures her and she just nods at him.
She looks out the window and gasps, “Momma, look, we are in the clouds.”
I smile at her as I turn to look out the window. “Pretty cool, right?”
The ping for the seat belt goes off, and Stefano unfastens his seat belt and then unfastens hers.