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The first time it happens is right after Lucy and Emma move in with Tim. There are still boxes around the house (empty and full). Lucy walks into the living room one day and pauses when she sees Emma and Tim on the sofa.
Emma is sitting on top of Tim and Tim is smiling up at the little girl. Emma is wearing a big smile on her face. Lucy doesn’t move from her spot, she can’t quite get her eyes off of her boyfriend and daughter.
Tim reaches up and tickles Emma. Emma giggles loudly and Lucy can’t help but smile. She’s not sure she has ever seen her daughter this happy.
Tim tickles Emma again and again. Emma falls over, and she giggles more. The sound is music to Lucy’s ears.
She takes her eyes off of Emma, and turns it to Tim.
Her man.
The love of her life.
The man she plans to spend the rest of her life with.
She hopes at least she gets to, because she loves him. She really loves him. She is heads over heels in love with this man. She has never been in love before—certainly not with Chris. The only thing Chris did was give her Emma who she loves in a different way. Emma was her heart outside her body. But Tim was something different, and Lucy’s not even sure she understands it even now.
But watching her daughter with Tim she finds herself falling a little more in love with him. She doesn’t mind it, she wants to fall for him even more.
She wants to fall in love with him every single day.
“Mama!” A little voice interrupts her thoughts and she looks up to see Emma reaching out for her. She walks over and picks Emma up, leave it to her daughter to find her.
“I didn’t know you were in here.” Tim says sitting up. He stands up and gives Lucy a kiss. “What were you doing?”
Lucy shrugs. Tim knows how she feels about him, he knows that Emma is her entire world and he made her and Emma the center of his world. And little by little Tim became part of Lucy’s center even before they were together.
“You and Emma.” She says and she grins at him. “You are good with her.”
“Yeah?” Tim asks and he looks at Emma with a small smile.
“Yeah. I think she likes you.” Lucy says. As if on cue, Emma reaches out for Tim and he takes her. He puts her on his hip, and leans in to kiss her again.
“Well it’s a good thing.” Tim says. “I plan on keeping her mama around for a very long time.”
There it was.
There it was the confirmation that this was a forever kind of thing.
Thank god.
“I plan on staying for a very long time.” She says. Tim bounces Emma in his arms and Emma giggles.
Lucy just sighs softly, happily. This was such a wonderful life that they were living.
Such a wonderful life.
***
The next time it happens, is when Lucy finds Tim talking to Emma just after they get married and she’s pregnant with their second baby girl.
Lucy hears Tim in Emma’s room, she asked him to get the four year old ready for the day. She forgot that pregnancy really did take it out of her. She pauses outside of Emma’s room.
“I love you daddy.” Emma says. Lucy smiles a little, it wasn’t unusual for Emma to express her affection for her daddy. Especially after Chris had kidnapped Emma. It was like Emma wanted to forget it. She’s not sure how much her baby girl remembers but she would wake up sometimes from nightmares crying for Tim.
“I love you too Bug.” Tim says. Lucy smiles and leans against the wall. She keeps her eyes on her daughter and husband. The love she felt for Tim never wavered, it just got stronger and stronger.
“I love mommy too.” Emma says and then her daughter bites her lip. “You love her?”
“Of course I do Bug.” Tim says. He looks up and catches Lucy’s eye but she puts a finger to her lip. “I love your mommy very much.”
“And baby?” Emma asks. Lucy’s heart falls a little, Emma was excited about the baby and especially now that they knew it was a girl but it was still hard. Emma was the only child for four years. It wasn’t going to be just her anymore.
“Yes.” Tim says. “I love your baby sister too.”
“Yeah.” Emma says. Lucy gets it now, and Tim seeks to understand as well. “Me too.”
“Emma, your mommy and I are still going to love you after your sister is born.” Tim says. “Nothing is going to change that.”
“Really?” Emma asks. Tim nods and pulls Emma into a hug, her daughter melts into his arms much like Lucy does.
“Absolutely.” Tim says. Lucy’s heart pounds hard in her chest. She loves this man so much, so much more than possible.
He was just an amazing dad and amazing husband. He was just amazing all around and Lucy found herself like she knew she would.
Emma blows out a breath and pulls away. “Do you want to have a tea party?” She asks a small smile on her face. Tim lets out a laugh, and nods his head.
“Sure Bug. You set up. I’ll be right back.” He says. He stands up and makes his way towards Lucy. He pulls her out of the doorway.
“Soon you will have two little girls to do that with.” Lucy teases him. Tim just smiles and gives her a kiss.
“Yes I will.” Tim says. “I can’t wait. What were you doing out here?”
“I just keep falling in love with you over and over.” Lucy says. She gives him a kiss and then turns around before he can say anything else.
“Hey!” He finally calls after her. “That’s not—” She turns around to see him following.
“Oh no mister.” Lucy says. “You have a tea party to attend.” Tim stops and shakes his head at her.
“You owe me.” He says. Lucy just blows him a kiss and then she disappears into the bedroom.
She really loves her life.
***
The next time it happens is with Sophie. She’s at the stage where everything is fascinating and new. And she laughs a lot. She giggles so much and a lot more than Emma ever did at this age (except of course when Tim entered their lives). Sophie is sitting on top of Tim looking around in wonder.
Tim tickles her just like he did with Emma and the baby giggles loudly. That brings a smile to Tim’s face. It brings one to Lucy’s too. Tim tickles Sophie again and has to hold on to her when she squirms.
“Mama—” a voice says from behind her. Lucy turns to see Emma. “What are you doing?”
“Watching your dad and your sister.” Lucy says. Emma comes to stand next to her.
“Why?”
“Because—” Lucy starts but then trails off. She’s not really sure why she is watching them. She just loves how much Tim loves their girls. She knew it would be the same with Sophie and she wasn’t wrong.
He was absolutely incredible with Sophie just like he was with Emma. And she always wants to imagine them like this with Tim.
Their girls loved him so much and they really didn’t know how lucky they were. Lucy knows she’s lucky to have Tim in her life and by her side.
Always.
“Because why?” Emma brings her out of her thoughts again.
“Because I love your daddy and your sister.” Lucy says looking down at her daughter.
“And me?” Emma asks. Lucy bends down to her level.
“And you.” Lucy confirms. Emma grins and gives her a hug and then runs towards Tim and Sophie.
She crawls up on top of Tim next to Sophie and Tim gives her a tickle. She giggles and Lucy’s not sure but she falls even more in love.
And she knows this is for the rest of her life.
This wonderful, wonderful life.