Page 38 of York

“Hadn’t even thought about dinner yet. You could have texted to ask, though.” It was a small admonishment. And she was right. But, also, we both knew why I didn’t.

“So you could come up with a reason to meet outside of the apartment?” I asked under my breath.

“I haven’t been avoiding you. We’ve seen you every other day.”

“In public.”

“I know you’re new to this, but kids can be easier to handle when you keep them occupied. I don’t know if you’re going to be up for a full day of talking for stuffed animals or figurines.”

“I have to learn eventually, right?” I asked.

She reached to take the bag from me. “What movies did you get? We do have a bit of a collection.”

“I got the ones I asked her about but she hadn’t seen: Atlantis, The Aristocats, Hercules, and The Jungle Book.”

“Solid choices. Nothing too sad.”

“Yeah, I figured that was the goal.”

“She cried for three days after I let her watch The Lion King. We mostly stick to princess movies. But I think she will like these.”

“I’ll set up the player.”

With that, we ate our pizza, watched one movie, then had a break to make popcorn and open the candy, then watched another movie.

When Denali started yawning, Runa demanded she change into pajamas and brush her teeth before we put on another movie.

It was a smart move on her part because just ten or so minutes into the next film, I felt her lean into me as she started to massage the ear of her capybara.

My heart swelled that she chose to lean into me, and my arm went around her, my fingers sifting through her soft hair.

Two yawns later, her eyes slid closed and stayed that way.

Runa glanced over, taking it in, her smile soft.

“That’s a good feeling, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s something else.” Denali shifted in her sleep, her chubby cheek pressing against me. “Do you ever feel like your heart is too big for your chest?”

“Pretty much every day since she came along,” Runa said, sharing the understanding. And it was nice to have someone who got it. “If you give her about twenty minutes, we can move her to her bed.”

“Twenty minutes, huh?”

“Yep. It’s a science. If you try it at fifteen, you’re gonna wake her up and she’ll be wired and impossible to get back to sleep until like midnight.”

“Good to know. I’m in no rush to move her.”

With Denali between us, neither of us spoke, just stared at the TV but seemed to get lost in our own thoughts. Until Runa suddenly got up.

“Do you want me to do it?”

“How about you watch and learn this time, so you can do it next time?” she suggested.

Then she carefully lifted our daughter and pressed her to her shoulder, pausing to rub her stuffed animal against her cheek for a second when she stirred, then carrying her down the hall.

I followed, watching her put Denali down, pull the blankets up, then press the capybara up near her head, then lean down to kiss her forehead.

She turned off the big light and on the astronaut projector.