Page 51 of Grounding the Baker
“I love living back here. Do you?”
“Yeah. It’s nice that you’re not sad anymore.”
“What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“You were very sad at the last house. I know you missed Mum, but I think you were lonely. Now you’ve got your friends here.”
This little girl was far too perceptive for her age. He held his arms out, and she ran into them and gave him a big squeezy hug, which she got from Ellie. That woman gave the best hugs. It was a strange thing to think about, but he knew Ellie would have loved Liam and not wanted Austin to be on his own. She’d even told him that repeatedly before she died. One time, she made a pitch for how he’d be better off finding a man next, as they’d be less likely to be jealous of a dead wife they would never beat in a competition. They’d laughed about that. Right up until the end, they’d been laughing. That’s just who she was.
“Why are you crying, Dad?” she asked with concern in her voice.
“I was just thinking about your mum.”
“I miss her too, but I know she wouldn’t want us to be sad.”
“No, she wouldn’t.”
“And she’d like that you were making new friends, like Liam.” She gave him a cheeky smile.
Did she know something? “What’s that smile about?”
“I think Liam has a crush on you,” she whispered.
Austin couldn’t help but snort a laugh, whilst feeling his face heat.
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, I know he likes boys.”
“How do you know that?”
“Duh. Everyone knows that. He doesn’t keep it a secret. I like boys and don’t keep it a secret. Why should Liam?”
It was a fair point, and the loving mindset of a child, until external influences warped their values. That wouldn’t happen with Maisie. Austin and Ellie had always encouraged her to talk openly about something she didn’t understand, and would never force their own beliefs on her. Austin hoped she was talking about boys in a general sense, and not one in particular. She was far too young for that. He’d assured Ellie he would not be one of those uber-protective fathers who thought no boy was good enough for his daughter, but he wasn’t ready to test that yet. The thing he realised as well was that Maisie had given him an opening to talk about his own preferences.
“You’re right, Maisie. People can like and love whoever they want as long as nobody gets hurt.”
“Did you know Billy Forest has two mums?”
He didn’t even know who Billy Forest was, but that waskids for you, they assumed you knew everybody in their lives. He shook his head.
“Do you think Uncle Gerard and Uncle Kevin will ever have kids?”
Austin chuckled. He loved those guys, but they weren’t the type to have kids.
“I don’t think so.”
“Is it because they’re two men, and you need a woman to have a baby?”
“No, sweetie. It’s because they don’t want to have children. You know Uncle Gerard doesn’t like mess.”
Maisie giggled. “It would be nice to have some cousins, though.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean some of your other uncles won’t have children.”
“They’ll need to do it soon, though, because they’re all old now.”
Austin laughed and couldn’t wait to see their faces when he shared that comment with them, especially Tony.
