Just like our little boy.
“I love you,” I mouth to her from across the room.
“I love you…Daddy,” she mouths back.
Extended Epilogue
Hannah
Ten years later
“Mommy! Daddy!” our kids yell in unison as they jump on the bed, waking Henry and me.
“Well, good morning, Captain America,” I say to our son Hudson. “And good morning to you too, Wicked Witch of the West,” I say to our daughter Harper. “And what do we have here? A zombie,” I add to little Hailey.
“And don’t forget the pirate!” Hunter says, a patch across his eye and a plastic sword in his hand.
“Are you guys going to wear your costumes all day?”
All four of our children nod.
I look at Henry and we just laugh.
“Ok, then,” Henry says, more agreeable than ever. “Mommy and daddy will be downstairs in a second. We’ll meet you at the breakfast table.”
“Yeah! Pumpkin pancakes!” Hailey yells, obviously taking after her mother in her love for all things Halloween, as the kids scurry out of the room. Seconds later we hear the pitter patter of their tiny feet rushing down the stairs.
“Today’s going to be interesting,” Henry says.
I just laugh and cuddle up into him.
He gives me a hug and a kiss on the forehead and then taps me on the butt, letting me know it’s time for our day to begin. In reality it already has. The kids are already going one hundred miles per hour and it’s only seven.
We head into the bathroom and I step on the scale. “Another pound,” I humph.
“What did you say, Little Treat?”
“I gained another pound. Despite the exercise I just can’t seem to lose weight.”
“Why in the world would you want to do that?”
“Look at the number on the screen and you’ll see why.”
Henry’s hand comes out of the shower and he fishes for the scale, grabbing it. I step off and he chucks it into the trash can.
“What’s that for?”
“Remember the first rule? No belittling yourself. You’ve done so well for a long time, and I’m not letting you regress.”
“But it’s true. I need to lose some weight.”
“What you need to do is get in this shower and get your spanking.”
“Oh really?”
“And make me another baby.”
I slip out of my Star Wars pj’s and into the shower with my man.