Selena looks more than thrilled with herself. “Okay, but now pancakes,” she insists.
Macy chuckles.
“Agreed. Daddy will whip some up now, right?”
“Pancakes coming right up,” I say, planting another kiss on Macy’s lips. I’m still unable to resist her when she’s nearby. I have so much love for her and I want to spend all day every day showing her my affection. But of course, we have things to do and a baby girl to raise. And that gives me just as much joy, watching our family expand. There’s never a dull day in this house, that’s for sure.
We eat a huge stack of pancakes together as a family, and then we start preparing for the party. Macy has gone all out, baking fairy cupcakes for the occasion, ordering pizzas for all of Selena’s preschool friends and their parents this afternoon. There’s even a princess bouncing house in the yard. The whole day is filled with the kind of magic that Selena hoped for.
“You’ve worked so hard on this,” I murmur to Macy as we greet some guests. “Later on, I’m going to make sure you receive all the pleasure in the world for your hard work.”
She giggles, blushing. I know that kind of talk isn’t really for a kid’s party, but I can’t help myself. She turns me on at all times. I think about her curvy body constantly. And considering that we’ve made love almost every single day since the first time we did it, today is going to be no exception. She deserves to be treated like the queen she is.
“I can’t wait,” she whispers against my ear causing my body to break out in goosebumps. But before long, we’re lost in the day once again. Seeing Selena so happy, watching Macy playing with our child, knowing that we have so much more yet to come makes me so happy. It makes me slow down for a moment and really appreciate this life that I live.
I’ve made a million good memories today, ones to treasure for a lifetime. And it’s all thanks to Macy. Without her, none of this would have been in my reach. Without her, I would’ve resigned myself to a life alone. But I don’t have to because she came into my life just in time. Now, I’ll spend the rest of my days at the mercy of her love, knowing how damn lucky I am to have her.
The woman of my dreams has made my dreams a reality.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
TEN YEARS LATER…
Macy
Everyone’s lives come with highs and lows, disappointments and successes beyond your wildest dreams. You never know when those highs and lows are going to hit. But for some people, like me, the bad comes long before the good.
Before I met Tate, I was so close to rock bottom. I didn’t have the friends I deserved or people to understand me, or someone to even try. I felt alone in the world, completely ostracized because of the way I look. It hurt me, cutting me so deep that I didn’t know how to trust.
But things changed when I met Tate. He changed my life forever. When we met, I left all of the bad behind. It’s like we’re on a rollercoaster that never dips. It feels so good, knowing that my life will always be good, that I never have to worry about a thing.
Because of him.
And today, we’re celebrating ten years of us together. Celebrating the fact that when we met, ten years ago to this day, both of us found everything we’d ever desired and dreamed of. So today, we’ve splurged on the first trip we’ve had alone in years. We’re on a private boat in Greece, watching the sunset, sipping mocktails. Our kids are staying with my parents for the week so that Tate and I can truly get lost in one another for a while.
The last ten years have held so much joy. We’ve had three beautiful children who are a joy. Teaching them to walk, talk, read, and laugh, are moments that will stay with us forever. They’re things that every parent goes through, and yet I feel so grateful to experience each and every one of those moments. Maybe our family isn’t special, or any different from others, but it doesn’t mean that those memories aren’t as precious as gold.
And then there are all of the things that make our kids their own people. Last week, we watched Selena perform in her first school production. A few weeks ago, we taught our youngest, Ben, how to ride a bike for the first time. Our middle child, Annabelle, wrote her first story for us and we stuck it up on the fridge. These things might seem small to some, but to us, they’re the special moments that make up our lives and make our kids the beautiful individuals they set out to be. Our family experience is a patchwork of amazing memories, and I never want to let go of a single one.