“But you don’t know what it is.”
“I know. But it’s meant to be.”
This was my ultimate gift to Gabe. Total trust and love. He understood by the look of awe on his face. His fingers brushed our daughter’s cheek again as he spoke, “Kendra Loren Thompson. After your mother and you.”
In this moment, I felt my parents here with us. “Gabe, the names are so selfless on your part.”
“No, sweetheart, they’re what gave me the chance at love.”
5 years later
We drove to Carson’s house down the road. This afternoon the kids had been playing together. Three and half years ago, Carson and Francesca had a little girl named Gabriella. When they told us they wanted to name her after Gabe because of his strength, he had been truly silenced.
Gabriella had been an unexpected souvenir from a trip they took to Fiji. I chortled every time I thought about Francesca blurting out at dinner she thought she was pregnant. Pregnancy word vomit at its finest.
It actually worked out well having them all so close in age. One day a week Francesca had all four and another day I had them. Our children loved each other and were the best of friends, but they created the worst of headaches at time when their imaginations ran a little too free.
A few minutes ago Carson called for us to come over. The kiddos had struck again.
“Did Carson say what happened?”
Gabe chuckled. “No, he wanted us to see for ourselves. He said we’ll know it when we see it.”
“Oh dear. This is not good at all.”
We turned into the driveway and drove toward the house. Tall trees kept the house hidden until we rounded the bend.
I gasped. “What did they do?”
“Oh fuck,” Gabe muttered beside me.
The fountain, the major water feature in front of the house, had bubbles multiplying at an exponential rate.
We parked the car and took in the anomaly. They were five. How in the world had they gotten into this? Gabe poked me and I turned. He pointed to the front of the house. Our four children sat in a row on the front steps like Carson and I had so many time when we were in trouble. Why had we been so naughty?
Kendra and Antonio’s eyes were wide as they stared at us in the car. Carson stood in front of the children with his back toward us.
It was an adorable scene. I took out my phone and snapped a couple of photos. “For their scrapbook.”
“I’m glad we’re out of bubbles at our house. This very well could have been us.”
“I know.”
After Francesca gave me her incredibly thoughtful gift, I started scrapbooking the children’s memories. Once a week Francesca and I got together to work on them while we drank wine. The boys watched the children. It gave us a break from all the insanity I wouldn’t trade for the world.
While I took in the scene, I texted Trent the picture.
Me: Poor Carson’s fountain.
Trent was stateside this week. Last night, he’d been over for dinner. The children loved having him around. When he came over, they received his complete attention. He let Kendra put makeup on him and played pirates with Antonio.
I got a response almost immediately.
Trent: Go easy on my sweet godchildren. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.
Me: You’re such a softie.
Trent: For those kids… absolutely. We still on for tomorrow?
Me: Yes! Can’t wait.
Tomorrow, the entire family planned to gather at my house for Nonno’s surprise birthday party. For his present, I painted a series of paintings from all the places he loved.
One day I hoped Trent found love. He had so much to give. I knew he was scared to put himself out there. My heart hurt understanding what all he was missing by not being with his soul mate.
After we stepped from the car, we walked to the front porch. Francesca gave me a wink but kept a serious look on her face. In all honesty, this was funny. But we had to remain firm. Give these kiddos an inch and they took five miles.
Carson put his hands on his hips. “I want the truth, what happened?”
Kendra looked up with her sweet little face. Our children had my eyes and Gabe’s hair. They were the perfect culmination of the two of us. “Uncle Carson, don’t be mad at Myles.”
Under his breath, Carson’s little mini me muttered, “Kendra, don’t say anything.”
She looked to Myles with her head cocked. “Your daddy won’t be mad. You were trying to make me smile. Your mommy told us today that we should do nice things for people.”
Glancing to Francesca, she massaged her temples and pressed her lips together.
“Myles, what happened?” Carson asked in his no-nonsense tone.
The little boy kicked at an imaginary rock. “Kendra said Aunt Willow wouldn’t let her do a bubble bath last night because they were out.”
Oh geez.
Antonio chanted, “Myles loves Kendra. Myles loves Kendra.”
Gabe’s eyes grew wide as he looked to me with terror. Kendra was the apple of his eye. It was nearly impossible to keep a straight face.
Myles looked at Antonio. “Be quiet. I do not.”
“You said you loved me, Myles.” Kendra’s bottom lip quivered. “Why don’t you love me now?”
Myles grabbed Kendra’s hand and winked at her while whispering, “Shh… it’s our secret. We can’t let your dad know. He’ll be mad.”
Oh shit.
The color in Gabe’s face drained.
Carson remained stoic, but he fought his smile. “Go inside and sit on the couch. Don’t move. We’re going to talk and figure out the punishment.”
Their little heads hung low. Kendra walked up to me. “Mommy, ask Uncle Carson to not be mad at Myles. Tomorrow, we’re getting married, and I don’t want my prince in trouble.”
I thought Gabe was about to come unglued when he knelt, taking control of the conversation. “Punkin’ munkin’, you’re too young to get married. All boys are yucky still. No getting married until you’re thirty.”
“You’re not yucky, daddy. I heard Mommy say you she wanted adult time with you. I want some kid time with Myles.”
My eyes bulged and Carson covered his mouth. Francesca turned the other way while her shoulders shook. Yes, I had needed adult time in a major way. In fact, I had adult time this morning as well while the children were over here. Checking on Gabe, I believed he’d gone catatonic.
I stepped in and said, “Kendra, honey, go inside. We’re going to talk.”
Running up the stairs, she called from the front door, “I think we’re going to live, guys!”
Gabe dragged his hand down his face. “I’m fucking screwed.”
Laughing, Carson patted him on the back. “Yeah, you are. I know just the cologne to suggest one day.”
Oh no! Francesca and I both tried to censor him. “Carson! Stop!” Gabe knew about the cologne I brought Carson back from Paris. It was the same cologne we joked about and said got the ladies to g
o crazy for him.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “What… someday.”
I stifled the laugh that came from me and covered it with a cough. Beside me, my poor husband looked lost.
Francesca hooked her arm through Carson’s. “It was pretty sweet making her bubbles when she didn’t have any.”
I turned and the fountain continued to spit bubbles everywhere. “It is.” I kissed Gabe on the cheek. “Don’t worry. She’s still your little girl.”
Carson turned my way and closed his eyes before tilting his head back. “How did our parents survive?”
“There were only two of us.” I gave him a wink.
“Mommy, I need to go pee-pee,” Gabriella called from the front with Gabby, her stuffed horse.
For Gabriella’s present, I painted a story for her room, too, but with Gabby the horse as the star. Both children loved their rooms and slept with the stuffed animals every night. Myles the lion had to visit the stuffed animal vet to be re-stitched last year.
“Coming, sweetheart.” Taking the stairs two at a time, Francesca hurriedly took Gabriella.
As the bubbles kept spitting, Gabe kept staring. Only when Carson clasped him on the shoulder did he come back to the present. “I’ll let you gather yourself and head inside to talk with the kids.”
“Gabriella is next.”
Gabe’s words stopped Carson, but then he smiled. “Nah, she’s going to be a nun.”
“Riiiight,” I said and got the censored looked myself before he turned to head inside.
When the front door closed, Gabe looked a little frantic. “Willow, she’s too young to start that shit. We need to remove all princess books. No more fairy tales. I wasn’t expecting this at least for… for… twenty more years.”
On my tiptoes, I leaned up and kissed him, hoping to ease some of his worry. “Carson and I used to get pretend married when we were five. And then, I would help him defeat evil empires.”
This eased him marginally. He wrapped his hands around my waist.