Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
“We’re home now,” Kathleen murmurs, smiling as if she’s just learned how and it feels right to her. I bring her soft little fingers up to my smiling mouth to kiss my wife’s hand. Joy fills my mind with happiness, and I really can’t help but smile about it.
The woman I love is here with our daughters and me; this is our home.
The big cabin in the mountains sits under the trees like an old friend, waiting for us to come back to it while we’re away. It feels so damn good to be back here at the cabin.
It’s honestly so hard to believe that it has been almost a whole year since I found the cabin and bought it very cheap with the land from one of our sweet, elderly neighbors. Unfortunately, the space had just been too much for them, and they moved to the city.
The trees shift above us, brushing low branches over the pine-covered, green roof and the big, brick chimney. I can’t help myself as I nearly run to the little white porch, jumping through the half-dead beds of flowers and then onto the smooth stone path that leads up to the door of the cabin’s front entrance.
The place reminds me of my childhood home, and indeed, the town close by is where I grew up, chasing my friends through the dark of the mountains. This place is so beautiful to me, so full of good memories.
Three bright, orange pumpkins sit on the porch, grinning at us from their carved faces. They are new and have very recently been left there.
I smiled to myself, knowing that one of our neighbors came by to spread a little Halloween cheer before we got back.
Kathleen laughs in a bright tone from behind me as I rush to open the door, curling my fingers over the antique knob from outside. I have one twin in my arms, and she has the other in hers. They both yawn as we put them on the couch, curling up together.
Inside, the warm, familiar scent of vanilla greets me, and it feels as if I’m finally home. I guess I am finally where I want to be and who I want to be with.
The wide windows of the cabin lets in the evening beauty of the falling dark outside of the cabin’s warm interior walls. I brush my fingers over the back of the couch in the living room that had come from my old apartment, newly redone and restored, and then I go to make my way into the big kitchen with its industrial fridge and antique wallpaper.
A thin layer of dust all but covers our things, everything sitting untouched after the months of our stay back in Atlanta to see the family.
I know that Kathleen must be very glad that she has finally switched the last of her schoolwork to online classes to make it easier on her. She can now spend her days in the peaceful beauty of our home, watching autumn cover the valleys and mountains, which makes her very happy and content.
I can hear Kathleen’s soft steps moving lightly through the house in her sneakers, flicking on lights and opening doors to air the rooms out after being away from them for so long. I lean against the sink and watch the moon as it rises slowly in the night sky, full and heavy, on the horizon across the trees. Birds flutter across the sky, flapping their smooth wings as they do. I feel Kathleen wrap her warm arms around me from behind, her sweet voice in my ear.
“You should go light the fireplace in the sitting room for me. I’m cold,” she says, grinning at me. Still, our twin daughters sleep soundly on the couch.
“How romantic,” I murmur, grinning at my beautiful wife. She turns in my arms, kissing me soundly and making my pants grow a little tight with her touch.
“Let’s go make sure the bedroom is okay. I think we need to check.”
“Oh no, no,” Kathleen laughs, pulling away from me easily. “If you start that right now, we’ll never get the candy to the trick or treaters. It’s Halloween tomorrow, baby.”
I go ahead and slip my hands into Kathleen’s back pockets, my voice low and sweet, “Well, maybe we can pretend we’re not home then, hmm? How about that?”
“And deny these kids their candy bars?” Kathleen asks with a laugh, kissing my forehead. “Come one, baby. We’ll have plenty of time for all of that later.”
I sigh without any real sort of annoyance with her, letting out a laugh as I agree with my wife. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m pretty sure we will never be forgiven if I can’t provide candy to the locals. We can’t be the new house with no candy,” I tell her. “Also, I think the town is doing a hayride today too. They usually take the kids all around town for candy and through the woods and stuff like that. I used to go when I was a kid, and we lived in the country for years before we moved to the city.”