Six months ago, as Emily stood across from me at the altar in Punta Cana with Maya at her side, Jordan and Ben at mine, surrounded by an audience of our family and friends, she recited vows. Ones that not only included her promise to me but also to Ben.
In Emily’s mind, she wasn’t going to let Sarah down again.
And she didn’t.
Every day that passed, she proved to be the most incredible mother, and I was the luckiest guy in this world.
Every time my eyes landed on her, I was reminded of that.
Like now, as she walked out of the sliding glass door to join Ben, our golden retriever, Fenway, and me on the patio of our home in Tampa. She was wearing a long dress, her blond hair wild from the humidity, and she had very little to no makeup on.
She couldn’t possibly look more gorgeous.
I pressed my lips to the top of Ben’s head, keeping them there as Emily walked over, stopping in front of the table that separated her from the couch we were sitting on.
I roughed up Ben’s hair and pointed at the two boxes in Emily’s hands. “What’s that?”
“Some gifts I got you guys. Fenway has one, too, but I don’t think I’ll be able to get him out of the pool to open it.” She laughed as Fenway’s tail acted like a propeller, waving back and forth in the water as he went from one end of the pool to the other.
I took the box she handed to me, so did Ben.
“It’s not my birthday, Mom.”
Sometimes he called her Mom. Sometimes, Mom-E. Both had been Ben’s idea, and I swore Emily melted every time he said one or the other.
“Aren’t I allowed to give you a present when it’s not your birthday?” She smiled, her hands going to her hips. “Well, open them, you guys.”
My box was smaller than Ben’s. Long and narrow, like one built for a necklace. Ben’s was thicker, and square. Each one was wrapped, so they required a little maneuvering, and I tore off the paper and lifted the lid.
What I saw inside made me speechless.
It made my fucking heart explode.
It made me appreciate my wife more than I already did—something I never thought was possible.
I slowly looked at her, my eyes closing, my pulse hammering so hard, I could feel it in my throat. “Emily ...” I whispered.
When I opened my eyes, her lips were sucked inward, an attempt to stop herself from smiling.
Ben took a few more seconds to get inside his box, and he removed a T-shirt, letting the bottom unfold, reading the words that were printed on the front.
“I’m going to be a big brother!” He dropped the shirt on his lap so he could look at Emily. “Is that true?”
She nodded. “It’s true.” She pointed her gaze at me. “Dad has the proof in his box.”
She’d had her IUD taken out two months ago. We didn’t think she would get pregnant this fast.
But in that belly, covered by her loose dress, was the blessing we’d both been wishing for.
I pulled out the pregnancy test, showing it to Ben, wrapping my fingers around the hard plastic as I got up from the couch and surrounded her in my arms. “We’re having a baby.” I squeezed her, holding my lips to the top of her head. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
“You know, I feel the same way.” She smiled even harder. “I’m also kinda hoping it’s a girl. I’m surrounded by three males. I need some pink in my life.”
We both laughed, and I cupped her face and kissed her.
But the kiss didn’t last because Ben threw his arms around us and shouted, “I’m going to be a brother!”
We opened our stance to position Ben between us, and I looked into the eyes of my son, wondering if the baby in Emily’s belly was going to have her eyes the same way Ben had Sarah’s.
“You’re going to be the best big brother,” I told him. “But you know, with that role comes a lot of responsibility. Do you think you can handle it?”
Emily laughed as Fenway jumped out of the pool, jealous he wasn’t getting attention, and he put his wet paws on our arms.
“I would say these two guys”—she kissed Ben’s cheek and got a huge wet lick from Fenway—“are up to the task.”
