Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Mommy still has some issues with things that crawl and strange noises in the night, but Brandon’s always there protecting and watching over all of us.
By the time we reach the winding gravel road up to our mountain retreat, Jesse’s fast asleep, but little Maxwell and Sam are wide awake.
They’re eager to explore their favorite and very private little neck of the woods.
And as soon as we pull up, and maybe to even get out of helping us unpack the car, they’re off with grandpa, straight down to the lake’s shore, waving back at Brandon and me as we give each other a knowing look.
“I’ll get Jesse settled inside,” I tell him, twisting my mouth to stop from smiling.
“And I’ll unload the car,” Brandon replies, doing his best to keep a straight face too.
Once Jesse’s safely tucked in her crib in our bedroom, I let Brandon know.
“Your Dad will take forever with the boys. You know what he’s like,” he muses aloud. “And I can unpack the truck anytime,” he adds, his smile letting me know that it’s started.
Our anniversary.
Sounds lame, but our annual holiday with the whole family is also the way we celebrate our anniversary each year.
Without the kids, we’d never go off on holiday or even one night away.
And my dad, being part of the family, is able to look after things when Brandon and I need to go…celebrate.
The way moms and dads have to sometimes, making the most of times like now.
When the babies are fast asleep, and the boys are occupied with adult supervision. What’s not to celebrate?
And Brandon wastes no time striding up the wide stone steps to the patio, scooping me off my feet like it’s our first night together.
His little anniversary tradition is to cross the threshold with me again, making out like he’s carrying me to our wedding bed.
And like every time he touches, kisses, or just tells me he loves me, it feels just as magical and special now as it did back then.
“We good?” he asks me, pausing at the door and studying my thoughtful expression as I think I am the luckiest girl alive.
“We’re better than good,” I promise him before he kisses me long and hard.
“We’re perfect!”
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
THIRTEEN YEARS LATER
Brandon
“It’s stupid,” Maxwell huffs, his face reddening and his arms folded. “Why does she get a graduation?”
I wait until he’s fully vented before answering. We’re late enough as it is without the eldest son throwing a last-minute tantrum because he won’t go to his sister’s grade school graduation.
“It’s like I said, Max,” I explain to him calmly for the fourth time this morning, “Your sister goes to a different school, and they have a graduation for middle school.”
He rolls his eyes and opens his mouth to whine some more, but I give him a better suggestion.
“And we’re all going to show our support and our love for Jesse. I’m sure she’d want her big brother there, rooting for her. Wouldn’t you say?” I ask him.
Giving him my best wide-eyed look, which always makes him smile.
“Fine,” he murmurs. “But I still think it’s stupid,” he adds, moving past me with an air of genuine drama.
And always making sure he has the last word, just like his mom.
“Everything alright?” May asks, poking her head out of Jesse’s doorway. Her hair was tied back, and a couple of pins were in her mouth.
Jesse’s graduation dress is in her hands.
“I thought we were leaving?” I asked, widening my eyes and trying not to sound like my son.
Feeling jipped, I had to wait after being yelled at for holding everyone up a few minutes ago. Now everybody wants to just hang out.
“The ceremony is in a half-hour, honey,” I remind my wife.
But May only creases her mouth, shaking her head a little.
“I’m just taking the hem out a bit…be like five minutes. You can even go warm the car up,” she says confidently.
“You okay, Jesse?” I call out. “We’ll wait for you two in the car, okay?”
“Sure, Dad,” Jesse calls back. “We’ll only be a minute.”
Ten minutes past the start of my daughter’s grade school graduation, we’ve made it.
Parked the van and somehow managed to get Jesse where she needs to be while we all take our seats.
It’s a grade school thing, and some folks like my teenage son Max think it’s stupid.
But apart from all the diploma holders being grade school kids, it looks and feels like a proper college graduation.
Gowns, funny hats, and real diplomas. The whole bit.
It’s got extra special meaning for May, with Jesse not only interested in wearing a dress just like her mom did the day she graduated, but she’s also kinda adopted it. Wanting it to be a dress she can keep for her own kids one day, which was enough to seal the deal with May when she mentioned that part.