We both gaze between us at the beautiful life we created. His little yawn as he stretches is so damn adorable. As he wraps his little hand around my finger, my heart stutters.
“He has your mouth,” Lilly says as he yawns again.
“You’re only saying that because he’s yawning.” My smile widens. I don’t suffer with insomnia much nowadays, but between the police force, and my family, especially a newborn, there’s not much time for sleep. Not to mention my wife’s libido.
My gaze wanders down her body, wet circles cover both breasts, making my mouth water. We’ve abstained since Samuel came along a few weeks ago, waiting for her to recover from childbirth, but the way she’s watching my eyes rake over her nightdress and the way her two front teeth sink into her plump lip, I’d say she’s more than ready.
Samuel opens his eyes and makes a gurgling sound, bringing our attention back to him.
“He has your eyes,” I tell Lilly as he looks up at me with striking blue-grey irises.
The mattress dips at the bottom of the bed. “Daddy, when’s dance?” Ebony climbs over our legs.
I check the time on the bedside clock. “It starts in an hour.” Not wanting to get out of bed yet, I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her in her fluffy pyjamas like a teddy bear, and bring her up to my chest to nestle between me and Samuel.
“Will Sam dance when he big?” she asks, tickling his neck.
“If he wants to.” I know babies can’t smile until they’re at least six weeks old, but I swear he smiles every time Eb’s near. “Who do you think he looks like?” I ask her, pressing my lips to the back of her head, her ebony hair just like her mother’s, hence the name.
“He looks like me,” Eb says, tickling his belly.
When we found out we were having a boy the second time, Lilly wanted to call him after my father. It felt right, and I know he’d be proud of the man I’ve become. With Lilly’s help, I’ve learnt to accept that I’m a good man, even though it didn’t always feel that way, and with her by my side, I’ll be the best man I can be for her and my kids.
Squeezing Eb tighter, I gaze at my wife who has a wide smile, matching my own. She knows I pinch myself everyday wondering how I got this lucky. I never thought I’d ever be able to have her the way I wanted, but she surpassed all my expectations, giving me everything I craved as well as not one, but two amazing kids who make my heart whole.
Scout scratches at the patio door and, with a groan, I roll out of bed and let her in. She trots over to the bed, resting her nose against Eb, her favourite person for cuddles. I can’t blame her. Eb’s also my favourite person for cuddles.
“Who wants pancakes?” I say as I pull a pair of combats over my boxer shorts and grab a black tee from the drawer.
“Me. Me.” Ebony bounces off the bed and runs off out of the room.
Lilly drops the strap to her nightdress and manoeuvres Samuel in her arms until he’s lined up with her breast. She helps him latch on and settles back against a pillow.
I lean down, lifting her chin to meet my gaze before I press my lips to hers. The warmth of her mouth spreads through my body. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please, and I’ll have one of your pancakes, too.”
I kiss Samuel on the forehead then head into the kitchen to Ebony who’s already sitting on a stool at the island with a bowl and spoon in her hand, a broken egg on the worktop, and flour on her chubby face.
A chuckle tumbles from my mouth. “How have you made this much mess in such a short space of time?”
She looks up at me with her big brown eyes matching my own. “Sorry, Daddy.”
I could forgive her anything when she calls me that. She’s already spoilt rotten and I know she’s been looking forward to starting Poppy’s dance class since she turned three. I’ve held off for as long as I could, not wanting my little girl to grow up, but at three and a half, I finally gave in and said she could go.
Measuring a cup of flour, I pour it into the bowl and crack an egg into it. Eb stirs as I add some milk. “You excited for today?”
Her face lights up, her eyes sparkling. “I can already do this.” She jumps from the stool and starts pirouetting around the kitchen. “Auntie Poppy show me.”
I can’t resist the urge to scoop her up in my arms and swing her around. “You’re gonna be the most beautiful ballerina in the whole world, you know that, Ebony-Rose twinkle toes?” I stop spinning her and sit her on the worktop near the induction hob that I had installed to prevent little hands from burning themselves.
“Let’s get cooking these pancakes. You don’t want to be late for your first lesson, do you?”
After eatingand helping Ebony get dressed in her new pink leotard, Lilly comes to the door to see us off.
Lil gently pats Samuel’s back after his feed. “Do you have your tap shoes in your bag?”
Eb lifts a pink ballerina bag up, showing her mum she’s got her stuff.
