As Cade drove, a companionable silence dominated the car. I realized this was probably the norm for the two of them, since Cade’s hands and eyes were busy with driving.
When Cammie unwrapped her stick of gum and began chomping it loudly, I turned back to smile at her. Somehow, even though that was my pet peeve, it didn’t bother me coming from her.
I was thrilled when Cade pulled into a pizza parlor, rather than the expected ice cream shop. My stomach grumbled, and I suddenly realized I was famished. “This is my favorite pizza place,” I gushed as Cade parked the car.
Once he had the vehicle stopped, he said and signed, “It’s our favorite pizza place too,” effectively pulling Cammie back into the conversation without making me feel guilty for accidentally omitting her.
I made a mental note to be careful not to do that anymore. It would take conscious effort, but I would make sure that either Cammie could see my lips or Cade’s hands whenever I spoke. I would also make sure to speak slowly. I didn’t want the little girl to have to struggle to keep up with our conversation.
While we perused the menus, it became obvious to me that of our trio, it wasn’t Cammie that would have trouble keeping up with the gist of the conversation. The two of them were so in sync, it was like they truly had a secret language. Cade did his best to translate everything into verbal words, but they communicated so quickly and had so many inside stories and jokes that it was impossible to truly be a part of it.
The feeling of being slightly left out didn’t dampen my enjoyment of our time together. When Cammie requested that we get a sausage and pepperoni pizza and Cade indicated that he would prefer the works, they both turned to me to be the tiebreaker. I normally hated this type of conflict, but this one was particularly good-natured.
The animated owner of the pizzeria raised his gray, bushy brows in my direction. “Mama gets to make the deciding vote.”
The warm bubble of happiness that overwhelmed my senses at the thought of being such an integral part of this little family was concerning. Even though I knew it wasn’t a true possibility, I let myself believe the dream for just a moment.
“Gotta go with the sausage and pepperoni,” I weighed in before adding, “and breadsticks with both spicy cheese sauce and ranch dressing.”
“Excellent choice,” the owner said in a lively voice before sweeping our menus away and heading to the kitchen.
“My women are ganging up on me.” Cade yelled after him, pretending to be exasperated. Speaking to me and signing simultaneously, he added, “Should have known you’d side with the kid.”
“Of course,” I grinned at the little girl and felt all warm and melty when she beamed back at me. I loved being referred to as one of Cade’s ‘women,’ and I could definitely get used to belonging with them.
When the appetizer arrived, both of them watched me pour cheese and ranch on my little plate. Their faces looked disgusted when I swirled the two sauces into a gooey mixture and dipped the piping hot breadstick in it. I took my first bite of the steaming breadstick and practically groaned with delight.
Cammie could tell by my face how much I was enjoying it, but Cade still signed that, based on my reaction, it must be good. Raising his shoulders as if it might be crazy, but he was going to give it a try anyway, he poured some of each sauce on his plate. Following my lead, he swirled them together and dipped his breadstick in.
I’m not sure why I was so nervous about his verdict, but for some reason, this felt incredibly important. He looked like he was in deep thought as he chewed, making us wait with bated breath to see what his reaction would be.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s really good,” he finally weighed in on my concoction.
Her father’s approval was all it took to urge Cammie to give it a try. Not wanting to invest deeply enough to pour it onto her plate, she dipped the end of a breadstick directly into the cheese and then the ranch cup. I waited for her reaction, but she didn’t give much of one.
My dinner companions started a heated discussion about what movie they should watch on their next classic movie night, which was apparently a weekly tradition for the two of them. Their chatter didn’t distract me from noticing when Cammie dumped giant blobs of cheese and ranch on her plate and mixed them together with her breadstick.
I couldn’t help smiling as I watched her scarf down one of my favorite treats. That validation felt like the two of them had seamlessly accepted me into the fold of their little family.
When the pizza arrived, we all ate like starving people. The food was delicious and the conversation was lively. It felt like I had known the two of them for much longer than just today.
After we finished, Cammie asked if we could still get ice cream. I felt too full to even think about dessert. When I said as much, Cade suggested that we walk the two blocks to the ice cream parlor to work off some of our dinner. His idea proved effective because by the time we got there, I was ready for some mint chip.
The three of us took our cones outside to walk through the riverside park and enjoy some fresh air. Cammie led the way, and I felt confident that I knew exactly where she was taking us. My guess proved to be correct when we arrived at the park’s elaborate play area.
She looked up at her dad with a pleading gaze. She didn’t bother to sign anything because he already knew what she wanted. At his quick nod, she stuffed the tip of the cone into her mouth and ran off to join the other kids on the jungle gym.
As darkness began to envelop the area, the mixture of the cooling temperature and the ice cream gave me a chill. Not one to miss anything, Cade seized that opportunity to drape a warm, comforting arm around my shoulder. I leaned my head against him, watched the little girl play with her newfound friends, and wished this moment could last forever.