Sera’s crashing hard from sugar and a full day of excitement.
After her bath, she tries to convince us to let her wear my jersey to bed, but it has smeared cake and … unidentifiable stains.
She holds onto her football and Stallion like she doesn’t want to let go.
“Daddy stay?” she asks.
“Yes, sweetheart,” I say immediately.
“Mommy, baby story,” Sera says.
“Baby story?” I ask.
“She likes it when I tell her about the day she was born.” Alie sits on the edge of the bed.
Sera grabs my hand as Alie starts.
“Two years ago today, I knew it was your day to arrive. After working really hard to get you out of my belly, I heard the tiniest cry.”
“Me!” She points to herself.
“Yep, it was you. And when the nurse brought you over to me, I fell in love instantly. As soon as she put you in my arms, you stopped crying.” Alie traces a finger down her cheek. “You had chubby, rosy cheeks, the most perfect little mouth, and your eyes … were wide and curious, like you were studying everything around you. There was a puff of brown hair on your head, and no matter how many times I tried to smooth it down, it wouldn’t lay flat.”
Sera pats her hair.
Alie smiles at me over Sera’s head.
“I wike that,” Sera says with a yawn.
“I like that story too,” I whisper.
We watch her fall asleep, then close the door behind us.
The apartment is quiet as we make our way over to the couch.
“Today was perfect.”
“It was.” I sit next to her and take her hand in mine.
“You were amazing today.”
“Thanks, baby.” I brush my thumb along her jaw.
She curls her legs on the couch and leans into me.
“I want more days like this,” I say, feeling content.
“We’ll have them,” she says, tilting her head to look at me.
I kiss her slowly, wanting her to feel my love and commitment to her and our family.
The season just started, but for the first time in my life, so has the rest of it.
EPILOGUE
Alie
Christmas in New York is pure magic. If I hadn’t grown up here, I would almost say it seems staged. Like someone turned up the saturation on the entire city and shook a snow globe.
