Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
With my daughter in my arms, I walk over to my wife and hold my hand out to her. “What do you think about sitting on the porch with me?”
She openly laughs then. “So Princess here can go outside and play and you can keep an eye on her?”
I lean in and kiss her. “And so I can spend some time with my wife.”
She preens up at me. “Well, how can I say no to that?”
My daughter shakes her head with all seriousness. “You can’t, Mommy.”
She tickles Ashley. “You’re right, I can’t. Let’s go.”
“Yes.” Ashley screams as she pumps her little hand into the air. She starts to jerk her body as if it’s going to make me move faster. “Let’s go, Daddy! Let’s go.”
We walk outside. Jane goes to sit on the porch swing, and I carry Ashley down the steps. When I set her on the ground, I tell my sons, “Ashley’s going to play with you guys for a little while, okay?”
I give them the “look.” The one that says to play easy with her and look out for her. I’m wasting my time, though, because her two big brothers are almost as protective of her as I am.
When the boys give me a nod and include her in the game of kickball that’s happening in our front yard, I go to sit next to Jane.
I barely get seated and I’m pulling her into my lap. She loops her arms around my neck and searches my face. “This is good, right?”
I nod my head. “This is the best.”
She sighs and lays her head against my chest. I watch my sons and daughter play with the neighbor kids, and for the thousandth time I try to figure out how I got so lucky. I’ve been retired for six years, and it has been the best six years of my life. I do some consulting, but I’m able to be in complete control of my schedule. I promised Jane years ago that if I had to travel out of town I would never be gone more than three nights in a row, and so far I’ve kept that promise. Hell, I won’t let myself break it. The truth is, I love my life and every minute I spend with my family.
The nightmares I used to have are almost a forgotten memory. Once I fully committed to Jane and our marriage, I haven’t had a bad one. I always tell Jane that it’s because of her. She’s the reason that I can sleep at night.
“Look,” Jane whispers.
She’s pointing at the yard where one of the boys has picked a flower and is giving it to Ashley. I’m about to stand up when Jane holds me down. “It’s okay. He’s harmless.”
I grit my teeth and watch as my daughter smiles at the little boy. I’m about to holler when I see my oldest son grab Ashley’s hand and pull her into the game with him.
I laugh heartily. “Well, well, it looks like I trained him well.”
Jane smacks me on the chest. “You do know that eventually she’s going to bring a boyfriend home, right?”
My mouth drops. “She’s three years old.”
Jane just giggles. “Yeah, and she’ll be sixteen in a blink of an eye.”
I swear my heart clenches in my chest. “You hate me, don’t you? Why would you say that?”
She leans in to kiss me. “Uh, because I feel like you’re going to need the next thirteen years to prepare, so I’m starting early.”
I shake my head, watching my daughter a little closer. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
We both get lost in thought listening to the sounds of summer nights in the neighborhood and kids laughing and having fun. Jane’s question surprises me. “Are you happy, Grant?”
I want to laugh because I’m thinking it’s a joke, but when I see the look on my wife’s face, I can see she’s serious. “If you don’t know I’m happy, I’ve messed up.”
Her hands go to my shoulders, and she squeezes me. “No, I’m just wondering. This life is different than your past, that’s all. I’m just wondering if you miss it.”
I pull her tighter against my chest. “You know when I imagined my life, I never imagined it being this good. You did this, Jane. You gave me love, gave me a family, so no, I don’t miss my past. All I can think about is my future. I love you, wife.”
She sighs happily. “I love you too, husband.”