A look of confusion passes across her round face, and I brush a curl of hair from her forehead. She narrows her eyes at me and points at Riker. “Didn’t he already do that?”
Riker lets out a loud belly laugh and hugs me from behind, speaking to Nia over my shoulder. “I did. You are absolutely right. But this time it was just for her and me. And you. If that’s okay?”
I don’t think Nia would have caught the undertone of worry in his deep voice, but I do and I turn my head to press a kiss to his cheek.
Nia holds her skeptical look for a moment longer, then her face splits into a wide grin. “Riker’s going to be my daddy!” She doesn’t give me any chance to prepare before she dives across my lap at Riker with the careless enthusiasm of someone who has yet to injure themselves doing such things.
“Oof!” I double over, laughing, rubbing her shoulders and back as she entangles herself into Riker’s arms.
He’s staring at me, wide-eyed and smiling, over Nia’s shoulder, his arms looking so large wrapped around her body. I watch him drop his chin into her hair and close his eyes as he breathes in.
Riker is so soft around her, and maybe it’s because I’m exhausted from frankly ridiculously good sex, or maybe it’s because I was just proposed to, or maybe it’s just because it’s Riker and Nia, but I can’t help the tears falling down my face. I’m quick to wipe it away and I lean over, sandwiching my beautiful daughter.
A few minutes pass before we all get settled on the couch, comfortable with Nia’s head on Riker’s chest and her legs and feet in my lap. She yawns and I know she won’t be awake much longer, but she’s got that look in her eye again.
“Hey mommy?”
I tickle her feet. “Yeah baby?”
She devolves into giggles for a moment then tugs her feet out of my reach. She sits up as much as she’s able and tilts her head back to look at Riker. “This means there’s going to be a wedding, right?”
I reach over and take Riker’s hand with mine, admiring the ring on my finger. I nod and wait because I know that wasn’t the question. “Mm-hmm.”
Nia’s eyes light with a manic enthusiasm. I raise my eyebrows at Riker who shrugs. He’s not quite ready for whatever this is.
She leans in and puts her hands on my cheeks and her forehead against my forehead. Her eyes lock on mine and she whispers intently…
“Does that mean I get to be a flower girl?”
38 Nia
I sit on a chair while Mommy fixes the buttons on my dress. I can’t sit still or quietly, I’m so excited for today. Mommy and Riker are getting married! I’m gonna have a dad! We’re gonna be a family! How can I not sit still? I can’t control my excitement! I kick my legs a little in the air and I squeal with delight.
“Someone’s happy,” Mommy chuckles.
“Of course!” I state.
When Mommy finishes, I hop off and spin myself around. My white and blue dress flies when I jump, and the ribbons on my sleeves and waist fly too. My dress is big and puffy, I look like a snowman, but I’m a cute snowman. Mommy then adds a little tiara on my head and I squeal with joy in the mirror.
“I’m a princess! I’m a princess!” I exclaim, throwing out my arms.
“Yes, you are a princess.” Mommy kisses my forehead and I smile really wide.
Mommy picks up a basket that’s filled with flower petals and hands it to me.
“Now, do you remember what you’re supposed to do at the ceremony?”
“I’m supposed to throw flower petals when I walk down the aisle,” I state as I shuffle my feet. I’m wearing white sparkly shoes.
“Yes, that’s right.” Mommy pats my head and I giggle.
“Can I keep any of the petals?” I ask as I swing the basket around. I’m careful not to drop any petals.
“If there’s any left, of course,” Mommy says, and I giggle again.
“Great!” I spin around in my dress again. It’s so much fun.
“Nia, sweetie, don’t spin too much. You don’t want to get dizzy.”
“Okay!”
I stop my spins and face Mommy. She’s in a long, sparkly dress that has flowers on it. My dress has flowers too, but hers have more details. Mommy is also wearing a tiara, so that makes her a princess too. We’re both princesses! Mommy’s wearing a lot of nice jewelry too. They sparkle so brightly.
“You’re so pretty, Mommy,” I tell her.
“You’re pretty too,” Mommy says.
“Are you excited?”
“Of course I am.”
“Has Riker seen you in that dress yet?”
“Not yet, but he will when I walk down the aisle.”
“Oh,” I say, “I can’t wait to see the look on his face. He’ll think you’re the prettiest person in the world.”
Mommy chuckles. “I’m sure he already thinks so.”
I chuckle too, and Mommy bends down to hug me. She gives me such wonderful hugs, I don’t want to let go.
“Thank you, Nia,” Mommy tells me.
“For what?”
“For making me so happy.”
“You make me happy, too, mommy.”
Mommy tightens the hug. “Good. I’m glad.”
A bit later that day, we go to a very big church in the city. It’s probably the biggest I’ve been too. There are a lot of people crowded in and outside the place. It’s almost hard to move around, but Mommy and her friends make sure I don’t get lost. I don't think I’ve ever seen such a huge crowd of people before. It makes me a bit nervous, but Mommy tells me it’s going to be fine.
Everywhere I look, there are tons of people. Some hold up pictures of Mommy and Riker, while others hold up cameras. They shout happily, congratulating Mommy and Riker, or have tears running down their faces. Everyone is just so happy, it makes me feel happy too, but I still feel a bit nervous.
When
