“Duh! I’m Mommy’s baby!”
Audrey grinned at that, kissing Penelope’s temple before looking back at the camera.
“There is my true smile. I miss seeing it,” he admitted and Audrey looked down.
“Yeah, I need to smile more, huh?”
“Yeah!” Penelope agreed. “I love when you’re happy.”
“Me too,” Tate said as Audrey met his gaze.
“I’ll be happy once you’re home again,” she said, and he knew that wasn’t the truth. “Tell Daddy goodnight and that you love him. It’s time for bed. I let her stay up to talk to you. She missed you today, huh, sweetheart?”
Penelope nodded quickly as Tate said, “I miss you too, sweetheart. I’ll be home in two more sleeps.”
“I can’t wait!” she cheered.
“Me too,” Audrey said with a grin on her face, and he smiled back.
“I love you, Pennyloo, and I miss you,” he said and Penelope giggled.
“I miss you, Daddy! I love you so so so so so so so so so so so so so so,” she took in a deep breath and continued, “So so so so so so so so MUCH!!”
He grinned widely at her before kissing the camera. “I miss you more than that and then some. Now goodnight, sweetheart.”
“Night, Daddy,” she said before kissing the camera and then Audrey.
“I’ll be up in a few minutes, okay? Tuck in all your dolls,” she said and Tate chuckled.
Bedtime was a long, drawn-out process in the Odder household. It took Penelope at least ten minutes to tuck in all her dolls and then another ten minutes of a story before either Audrey or he had to lie with her, talking about their day. She hated to sleep and they didn’t mind catering to her needs. The perks of being the princess in the house.
Once Penelope hopped away, Audrey looked at the screen and tried to smile. “I figure when you get home, we’ll decorate. Christmas is right around the corner.”
He nodded. They had three weeks, but it was coming up quick. “Yeah, usually we are set up after Thanksgiving.”
She shrugged. “Yeah. Just haven’t been in the mood.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, and then he decided he didn’t like this. “Audrey,” he said since she was looking down, picking at her nails.
She glanced up. “Yeah?”
He was tired of it all. If she wouldn’t do what needed to be done, he was going to do it. He was going to make her happy.
“Make an appointment.”
“Huh?” she asked, perplexed.
“Make an appointment for the in vitro. You want a baby; then we’ll get one.”
“Okay,” she answered and his brows came up.
That was entirely too easy.
“What?”
She smiled. “I already made the appointment yesterday. I just didn’t know if I should tell you because what if it doesn’t stick?”
His brows came together. “So you weren’t going to tell me?”
She shook her head. “I’ve already disappointed you enough.”
Letting out a long breath, he swore he was going to have words with his wife. “I am going to shake you, woman.”
She smiled. “Oh really?”
“Yes,” he said with a nod but without conviction. He wouldn’t lay a hand on her, but he wanted her to know he was annoyed. “You’ve not, in any way, disappointed me, my love. You have been a perfect wife. Great lover and the best mother imaginable.”
Her lips curved as she shook her head. “I’ve only given you one baby.”
“And she is enough, Audrey, honestly. You have made my life twenty times better. I was lost without you. So please, don’t ever say anything like that again, and also don’t hide things from me. I don’t like that.”
“I just want to make you happy,” she said, her eyes clouding with tears. He wanted to be there; he wanted to hold her and reassure her.
Clearing his throat, he smiled. “Audrey, baby, just looking at you makes me happy. You are my everything, baby.”
She smiled as she nodded. “You’re mine.”
“Good, now when is the appointment?”
“Tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there.”
“You have a game.”