Wrapped In My Wife(11)

“The last time it was the first day of kindergarten you went and got a job, and I had to beat someone up,” I say, leaning against the kitchen counter top.

She rolls her eyes, but I catch her smile when she turns around.

“I’m excited, and yes, I’m a little sad, but I’m not going to run out and get a job.”

Her back is to me, and I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her waist. “I’m just making sure,” I say before I kiss her on the neck.

The twins come downstairs and sit at the table before thanking their mother for breakfast and then inhaling their food. She’s taught them well.

Our daughter Daisy is the princess of the house and comes bouncing down last with a brush in one hand and bow in the other. I sit down at the table and she comes to stand in front of me as I brush out her tangles and then clip in her bow.

“Thank you, King Daddy,” she says and kisses me on the cheek before she goes to her seat.

“King Daddy?” Emily queries, crossing her arms and popping her hip out.

I reach out and grab her, pulling her into my lap. “It was something we came up with last night. When I was reading her bedtime story.”

“Daddy said you’d like it,” Daisy says then winks at me.

“I’m sure he did,” Emily says and rolls her eyes.

I tickle her sides until she’s laughing and trying to get away from me. I’ll take the playful laughter over the tears any day of the week.

Last night she got really sad because we knew this would be our last baby going to school. As much as we’d love another child, Emily had a hard time with her pregnancy and the delivery wasn’t much better. When Daisy was a few months old, Emily and talked about it and I decided to go get snipped. It was easier than putting her through another surgery.

Some days I wish we could have had a dozen children, but most days the three we have are more than enough.

“All right, I’ve got the library until noon, then King Daddy is picking me up.” She rolls her eyes when she says it, but Daisy giggles. “The boys have soccer after school, and Daisy has karate.”

“I’m going for my belt tonight,” Daisy says excitedly and then makes a chopping motion.

“We’ll all be there to watch,” I say, and the boys agree.

We tried to put Daisy in dance a few years ago, but she hated it. She’s girly and likes frills, but when it comes to play time, she might as well be just like her brothers. She took to karate like a duck to water and has been breaking all my lumber since she learned how.

“Just stay out of my shed,” I say, and she pretends she doesn’t hear me.

“Okay. Everybody finish up. It’s almost time to go.”

“Listen to your mother,” I say before scooping up Emily in my arms and carrying her to our bedroom.

“Dylan, what are you doing? Put me down,” she says as she playfully slaps my back.

I toss her onto our bed and go over to the dresser. I pull out the little velvet box, then walk over and sit down next to her.

“I got you this,” I say and place it on her thigh.

“What’s this for? I didn’t forget our anniversary again, did I?” Her eyes widen, but I smile and shake my head.

“Just that one time.” I like to remind her that I’ve never forgotten. And to be fair, we’d been so tangled up in the sheets of that hotel room she didn’t know what day it was until I reminded her.

“What is it?” she asks, holding the box in her hand.

“It’s a present for you. I thought you might need something special to remind you of this day. And how much you mean to me.” She gets a little teary, and I kiss her forehead. “Just open it.”

Inside is a necklace with a long gold bar. On the front it has three birthstones, one for each child. And on the back there’s an inscription.

“Oh Dylan. I love it. What does it say?” she asks, wiping away her tears.

“It says, All because we fell in love,” I tell her and kiss her cheek.

“Why did you have to go and make me cry? I was doing so good,” she whines before wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my neck. She laughs through the tears and I rub her back.

“Because I love you. And I want you to look at it and remember that we’re all here because of you. Because you love us.”

“I love it. And I love you. Thank you for today and for always making me feel so special.”

She leans back, and I brush away her tears. I take the necklace from her and help her put it on.

“It looks beautiful,” I say and give her a quick kiss on the lips. “Queen Mommy?” I ask, and she rolls her eyes. “Come on, it has a nice ring to it.”

“It does. But if we don’t get off this bed, King Daddy is going to be late taking these kids to school.”

“Fine, but your royal duty is to give me that booty,” I say as I flip her over and spank her butt.

She squeaks before she’s off the bed and tries to chase me down the hall. God, I love that woman and every second of our lives together.



THE END!