Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Aaron claimed it was the best people-watching ever. “Who knew parents were this cutthroat? It’s like the preschool sport version of Drag Race, minus the bling. These mamas have claws.”
Honestly, I didn’t pay attention to the other parents. I was too in awe of our son, who loved to run and seemingly never got tired. In that way, he was just like Aaron. As a toddler, Xander would slip his little feet into Aaron’s trainers and clomp from room to room. Aaron had thought it was hysterical, considering the many years he’d slipped into his mom’s closet to try on her high heels.
When Xander had first shown an interest in sports, Aaron had worried that he wouldn’t be able to connect with him, but kids have a way of making space for you, inviting you to meet them at a middle ground and share pieces of yourself. It had always been that way for us.
It was Aaron who’d sat on the floor with Xander, building block towers and telling stories of architects who designed bridges while I’d paced the floors with our teething daughter. It was Aaron who put aprons on the kids and let them stir cookie dough. It was Aaron who insisted on dance-offs, face-painting, and quiet coloring time.
As a result, Xander was equally happy baking with Aaron or throwing a Nerf football with me in the yard. And Mia loved dress-up parties with Papa as much as she loved looking for ladybugs with me at the park.
We had two incredible, beautiful children and damn, it had been a pretty cool journey so far.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. I’d known there’d be tough times and there had been. Xander had been prone to ear infections as a toddler, and Mia’d had a rough colicky phase. We’d spent many sleepless nights comforting crying babies. There’d been skinned knees, a bee sting, a scary tumble from the deck, and a few colds and stomach bugs. You know you’re a parent when potty training, wiping drippy noses, and constantly checking to be sure you knew where they were became second nature.
“I threw the ball from the barbecue to the trees and I think that’s as big as a football field. Is it, Daddy?” Xander scrunched his nose, his tongue tucked at the corner of his mouth.
“Daddy, look at the fours!” Mia called, pointing at each balloon like the Count’s assistant on Sesame Street. “Four, four, four, four…”
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.
Papa, Papa, Papa.
Nope, it never got old.
I gave Mia a thumbs-up and set my hand atop Xander’s thick head of blond hair. In case you’re curious, yes…he was told he looked a lot like me. I loved it. I followed my father’s example and never corrected anyone or explained that he was adopted. He was mine, he was Aaron’s, and genetics didn’t make this family.
Mia, on the other hand, looked just like Aaron. But she was a thousand percent mine too.
“We can throw the ball around as soon as Papa is home and—”
“He’s here, he’s here! I heard his car!” Mia squealed. “Hide. Xander, hurry.”
Xander raced into the living room to hide under the coffee table with his sister, leaving me with a barking dog and an island full of partially decorated cupcakes. The telltale creaky hinge on the mudroom door announced Aaron’s arrival.
“Hello! I’m home!” he singsonged, sashaying into the kitchen with a huge grin on his handsome face.
I positioned myself to block his view of the treats and struck a casual pose that would never fool my man. Then I opened my mouth, and…froze.
This happened sometimes. All Aaron had to do was walk into a room, and every once in a while, I was overcome with emotion. This gorgeous man was mine. That smile, those twinkling eyes, and cunning wit…mine.
Aaron’s dark hair was threaded with the smallest bit of silver at his temples now. He thought it made him a candidate for crypt keeper. I thought it made him even more incandescent.
We weren’t so young anymore. I was forty, he was forty-four. We both used readers and joked about how sleeping the wrong way resulted in back pain that lasted for a week. But we were healthy and happy. We had thriving careers, good friends, loving families, and two incredible children who brightened our every day.
We’d built a life together. A beautiful life. And I couldn’t help but thank whatever cosmic force had brought us together…and kept us together. I was more in love with him than ever.
“Hey there, handsome. Happy birthday…again.” I swept him into my arms and kissed him. “How’d the shoot go?”
“Fabulous and—” Giggles and a moan of “ew” sounded from the living room. Aaron smiled against my lips. “Do we have goblins?”
“We do. Kid goblins and a Murphy goblin.”
Aaron stooped to pet Murph before gasping at the homemade cupcakes on the island. “Oh, my gosh! Are those rainbow sprinkles? My favorite!”