Bachelor No More

“Good morning, daddy,” our youngest, Korrine, asks, bouncing into the room. She’s six and our only daughter. “Happy birthday.”

“Good morning, and thank you sweetness.”

“I got you a present, but mama said I couldn’t give it to you until later at your party,” she says.

“Party? What party?”

“It’s a surprise,” she whispers. She’s my little co-conspirator.

“So I’ll act surprised.”

“Mama has been planning this for a while.”

“Okay, our little secret.”

“Oh, good. Mama would be so mad.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that, now would we?”

“Nuh-uh,” she says shaking her head.

“Are you the distraction?”

“I don’t know what that is but I am supposed to keep you in here for a while.”

“Ah, gotcha.”

“Can we go get ice cream and go to the park?”

“Sure,” I say, grabbing my keys.

“Yay!” she exclaims.

Later that night, the kids are in bed and the guests are gone, Hilda and I are taking a shower together.

“Thank you for today,” I tell her.

“You’re welcome. Did you have fun?”

“I did.”

“I finished my book.”

“That’s great?”

“I’m ready to read it to you now. There's a few things I need to check for logistics.”

“Logistics?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” she says, winking at me.

Every day with her is better than the last. She is everything I didn’t know I needed. I thank God every day my office is the one she walked into.

I’d hate to think what my life would be like if she hadn’t.