“In my office.”
“Music?”
“Loaded.”
“Then all you need is the girl.”
“You’re right.”
The girl.
My baby girl.
I rolled my shoulders and knocked on the door. I could hear muted voices, picking out Avery’s easily. Then behind the wood, I heard my Maggie, calling to her mother. “Da handle’s too high, Mommy.”
I kneeled down and turned the knob, pushing the door a little to help her. Maggie’s sweet face and wide smile greeted me as the door swung open. “Daddy!” she crowed, clapping her hands. “You’s hewe!”
I handed her the small bouquet of baby pink roses.
Pink roses for my Maggie Rose.
Her little mouth formed an ‘O’ as she stared at them. She always loved it when I gave Avery flowers, dipping her little head into the blossoms and sniffing. This was the first time she’d been given flowers of her own.
I was starting a tradition.
“So bootiful!” she lisped, gazing up at me.
“So are you, Princess. Is that a new dress?”
She nodded, excited, twirling around. I bent over to stop her from hitting the door after her second twirl. She was just like her mother and too familiar with the floor and edges of furniture. I lifted her into my arms, delighting in her little butterfly kisses she dropped all over my face. It was her favorite game: grabbing my face and kissing it until I laughed. It was my favorite, as well.
“Yook!” she squealed, pointing to her feet. “Mommy gots me new shoes, too!”
I lifted one tiny foot, admiring the pink and white shoe.
“It’s got bows, Daddy! Yike my hair! Dey match!”
“Did Mommy do that for you?”
“Yes. I kisseded her for it.”
“Good. Mommy deserves lots of kisses.”
Avery appeared from the kitchen, smiling and shaking her head. “I see your date has arrived, Miss Maggie, and he’s already talking about kissing. Tsk, tsk.”
Maggie giggled—a sweet, high-pitched, little girl giggle that always made me smile. “He’s funny, Mommy.”
Avery’s loving eyes met mine. The silvery-green, and deep emotion held within them, still made me breathless when she looked at me.
“He is funny.” She laid her hand on my arm, her lips skimming my cheek. “And wonderful,” she breathed into my ear.
I shifted Maggie into one arm so I could wrap the other around my wife. “Everything set for tonight?”
“Yes.” She winked at me and kissed Maggie. “Are you taking your flowers with you, young lady?”
Maggie nodded. “To the restwant.”
Avery smiled and repeated the big word slowly. “Rest-au-rant.”