But I won’t do that.
I’ll help him grow into the type of man he wants to be, as long as he’s decent and honorable and honest.
I gasp awake, the same way I do every time, pulling him into a hug.
“You saved me, little man,” I chuckle.
“Why do you go ribbit?” he laughs, grinning as I ruffle his hair.
“Because you said that’s the sound I have to make, remember?”
“Nah uh,” he laughs.
“Yeah huh,” I smile, needling him playfully in the side.
He giggles and dances away from me, shaking his head so fervently his brown fringe falls across his forehead.
I stand up, brushing the dirt from my pants. “I told you that I was a SEAL and that SEALs are sometimes called frogmen—”
“And frogmen go ribbit,” he cries. “I know, Daddy. I was testing you.”
I laugh and then the two of us turn back toward the path to find Juliana walking with Anna just beside her.
Our ten year old has blonde hair, the same sandy shade mine was before it turned iron. Wearing a T-shirt with her favorite band on it with one electric-blue earphone trailing from her ear.
She holds Jennifer’s hand, our seven year old, her brown hair tied up in a bun.
On the other side of Juliana, Stacey walks, Jennifer’s twin.
My family, framed in sunlight.
I can’t help but smile, wider and wider with each step they take toward me.
“Who told you to rush ahead, hmm?” Juliana smiles, aiming one of her funny faces at Jeff, the kind that makes him break out into hysterical laughter.
“Mommy has a funny face,” he laughs, gripping his sides and hopping up and down. “Mommy has the bestest funny face in the world.”
Juliana walks over to me, wearing a long flowing dress that strains against her breasts, dappling her body lightly. She’s become even more curvaceous and perfect as the years have gone on, as she’s established herself as one of the foremost event planners on the west coast, as I’ve opened my combat gyms for the underprivileged, trying to give back after so many years of bloody work.
Her hair is in a cute brown bob now, framing her full, captivating face.
Even now, I have to be careful as she approaches, swaying her hips so that her dress moves like mist around her.
Even now – and for always – the mere sight of my wife almost sends me into a frenzy.
“Having fun were you?” she says, looping her hands around my waist.
“Ew, Mom,” Anna says, but she can’t stop herself from smiling at the love her parents have for each other.
“Ew, what?” Juliana teases. “You’re lucky I’m not kissing his face off.”
“Yuck-yuck-yuck,” Jeff laughs. “Isn’t it yuck, Jenny?”
Jenny looks up at Anna for guidance, as she often does, absolutely in love with her big sister. My heart swells at the love brimming between every member of my family.
“Is it, Anna?” Jennifer asks. “Is it yuck?”
Anna turns back to me, light shimmering in her eyes.
She shrugs and a smile tugs at her lips.
“No, not really,” she says. “It’s actually kind of sweet.”
I lean down and place a warm kiss on my wife’s lips, having to remind myself that she’s mine, that this life is ours.
As crazy as it sounds, being hired to kill this woman was the best thing that ever happened to me.
A moment later, Rebel comes trotting over, trying to carry the gun-stick that I threw away when Jeff made me go ribbit.
Everybody laughs as she sets it down and yaps.
She’s become so bossy in her old age.