Snickers greets me at the door first. I lean down, picking up the fluffy cat the boys got for Christmas last year. They are so good with her that now Owen’s been talking about a dog. I think we might wait on that now that I have a bun in the oven. All of our parents are going to flip with excitement. Even Dad retired last year and calls himself a full-time grandpa. It helps that Owen’s mom has a mother-in-law apartment that sits at the back of the house. She is often in and out. She’s not one to sit still for long. She doesn’t have to work but she keeps herself busy with projects.
She and my mom do them together. They do a lot of volunteer work up at the hospital. It is nice getting to see them there too. I love that it feels like everywhere I go there is family. Owen was right. We had to come home. As much as we loved New York we belong here. Everything came full circle once we moved back. We were meant to raise our family here.
I walk into the kitchen and burst into laughter. One of my sons looks up from the kid’s knitting kit he’s been playing with off and on for the last few days. He is actually doing really well and Snickers is going to have a new scarf just in time for summer. It’s Owen and my other son who have me giggling. They are playing Operation while dinner simmers behind them on the stove. Owen keeps making the buzzer go off while my son easily uses the metal tweezers to pull each organ out.
“You sure they got any of me in them?” Owen stands from leaning over the counter to look my way. I toss each of my sons a bag of gummy bears I snagged from the vending machine at work. Both easily catch them in the air and that’s saying a lot because I throw like shit. They even do it one-handed while still holding their stuff in the other hand.
“I think they got you in them.” I laugh. Owen smiles, clearing the distance between us.
“I think you have a little of me in you too.”
I smack his chest, making him laugh for a moment. I should have known he knew I was knocked up. His face goes serious for a minute. “All good?” he asks as he picks me up, setting me on the counter. I lean down, peppering kisses on each of my boys’ faces. They let me still.
“Perfect.” I tell him the one word, letting him know how my surgery went. Also that I am good with what is happening. I know we can handle it.
“Made your favorite.” He motions for me to lean back up so he can get his kisses next. I love kissing my husband. I let out a small sigh. I do love my job but I love home more than anything else in the whole world. Owen made it so I didn’t have to choose. What I did to deserve him I’ll never know but I make sure I tell him I love him every day.
“You are always making my favorites,” I say against his mouth. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Ace.” He kisses me again. His kisses travel down to my neck where he can whisper in my ear, “We’re going to stay up late tonight.” He kisses below my ear.
“Oh really?” I slide my fingers into his hair, tilting my head a little more so he can keep on kissing me there. “Yeah, you gotta help me get better at the operation game. He’s four and kicking my ass.”
I throw my head back and laugh hysterically. “You can’t win them all,” I tease him.
“Trust me, Ace. I more than won them all.”
I did too. This time around he gave me a little baby girl. It made our family complete. We really have won it all.
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