He’s got it all wrong. Faye does those things for me, as well. Instead of sharing that with him, though, I simply nod and say, “I appreciate the vote of confidence, Herb. It means a lot.”
Not that I needed his approval, but now that I have it, a weight has been lifted.
Suddenly, Herb looks around my place. “Wow, you’ve certainly been busy with this place. I took a tour before it went on the market, and it looked nothing like this.”
My chest puffs with pride as I look at my accomplishments through his eyes. “Yeah. This certainly has kept me busy since I bought it. I’ve still got plenty to do, but I’d be happy to show you around.”
“Hey, Dad. Can you grab that pool noodle?” Lanie asks the moment I walk into the indoor pool at Lizzy and Cameron’s home.
“The green or the purple one?” I clarify, scooping them both off the concrete floor and walking toward the water.
“The purple one.” Candace grins. “Vanny can have the green one.”
Tossing the noodles toward each of the girls, I take a seat next to Lizzy on a lounge chair.
Settling back against the headrest, I slowly look around the active pool. As I watch my grandson dive and swim under the water as easily as he glides down the promenade on his skateboard, I can barely contain my excitement over how much improvement he’s made. “Way to go, Jay!”
To Lizzy, I add, “One thing about Cameron purchasing this home is we’ve turned these kids into fish. Look at how much Jason alone has learned this summer.”
“No kidding,” Sloane muses from the other side of her. “Unlike last year, both Josh and Jason are begging to attend lessons each week because they want to beat the pants off Milli in the pool someday.”
“Ah, the power of peer pressure.” Lizzy chuckles. “Don’t I know the blessing and the curse of it well.”
“What curse?” Lanie scoffs, clearly not understanding.
“Said the oldest…” Raven deadpans. “Between you and Sloane, Liz and I never had a chance.”
As I tune out my daughters’ playful banter over the merits of peer pressure and birth order growing up, I focus on my grandkids playing in the pool. The kids are on their way to becoming great swimmers, but we always keep a sharp eye on them. With Lizzy’s two youngest inside taking a nap and all four of my girls suited up to be in the pool should the need arise, I take this moment and settle further into my chair to do something I seldom do—relax.
Raven’s girls, Vivy and Vanny, are so much like their mom and Sloane growing up, it’s uncanny. I love their closeness. Somehow, their personalities are polar opposites, yet they always remain connected at the hip. My heart melts at the way their vibrant faces light up as they play with Milli and Candace in the shallow end of the pool, trying to synchronize their dance moves above and below the water. Ever since they all started gymnastics, we see their feet as much as their heads rise above the water at times like this.
The boys are zooming from the deep end to the middle, where they can touch. Carter’s showing off, and Jason and Josh are eating up the new techniques he’s teaching them from his lessons earlier this week.
These carefree afternoons are the things I missed so much when my girls were younger. As a dad, I was always in the thick of things. Between work and caring for the girls, there were many days I hardly knew which end was up. Since I shared visitation, I went out of my way to make every moment with them count when we were together.
Gah, those were wild times.
When I wasn’t deployed or stationed abroad, I was always on the move and going to their next thing. I swear, there was never time to just be in the moment and simply exist. But this, right here, is what I love most about being a grandparent. Their parents get to do the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and I just get to tag along and enjoy the ride.
I wonder what Faye would think of this beautiful chaos.
Knowing her, she’d likely be in the pool and a part of the action, just like me.
If I hadn’t just helped get the littles down for their naps, I’d already be waterlogged and zipping around the pool with the boys. I love the wild and crazy times as well as the calm ones with these kids.
Speaking of calm, I can’t believe how sweet Everett was when I put him down for his nap. He reached up to cup my cheek and just stared into my eyes adorably for the longest time. Thinking he wanted to be tucked in tighter and given a good night kiss, like his mother usually does, I tried to kiss his cheek. But he just held my face and blinked, then whispered so his brother in the other room wouldn’t hear, “Papa, can I come for a sleepover by my lonesome soon? Maybe we can play trucks and watch Paw Patrol.”
Knowing Everett is a master of pulling at my heartstrings and trying to get me to talk, especially at nap time, I quickly told him I’d check with his mom. Then I promised we’d plan a Papa Date, as I like to call my one-on-one time with my grandkids.
I started these dates before my retirement. It not only gave each kid a break from their siblings, but it was the perfect opportunity for me to build close bonds with them. I watched my mother make a point of doing it with my girls, and it’s something they cherish to this day. Now that I’m living in Seaside, it’s much easier to plan dates with them around their busy schedules.
Speaking of dates, I wonder if Faye will reach out soon before she heads to bed.
Gah, I can’t believe it’s been nearly three weeks since I’ve seen her in person.
I miss her like crazy and find myself jumping every time my phone buzzes like a lost schoolboy, hoping like hell it’s her. I know this is a great opportunity for her and her business, but selfishly, I hope this job ends soon, and she’ll return to Seaside.
“Look at us, Papa,” I hear from the other end of the pool.
