2 years later
“I’m going to catch you!”
From the other side of the table on the terrace, she squeals and giggles and runs away from me as fast as she can. Admittedly, Holly’s “fast” is basically a walking pace, so I take small steps and open my eyes wide, stretching out my arms down to our toddler’s level to growl softly. She checks that I’m following with a big grin on her chubby little face.
We do four laps of the table on the terrace before I’m a little concerned that she’s looking over her shoulder so much she might face plant, and no one wants toddler tears before bedtime.
So I scoop our daughter up in my arms and blow raspberries onto her tummy until she’s giggling and thrashing like a little octopus.
“I want to chase now!” she demands petulantly, but simultaneously yawns so wide I can see her tonsils and all her little milk teeth.
“How about we read a story upstairs?” I suggest. Woe betide me to say nap, I’ve learned that lesson. But I bet if I do one round of that dinosaur book she’ll be fast asleep.
And I have an idea about what to do while our daughter naps. Surprising my wife and whisking her away is one of my favourite things to do.
I knew I’d love being with Jessa, helping her achieve her goal of a business in interior design. Of course I knew I’d love touching her whenever I wanted, and being in her sweet tight body every night. Ruining her over and over again. What I didn’t expect was that she would be there for me too. When horrible decisions have to be made. When I’m as grumpy and fussy as our baby, Jessa is always at my side. Sometimes with a cup of tea and a cynical eyebrow. Other times with a saucy wink, toeing off her shoes and running, enticing me to catch her before she gets to our bed.
Holly snuggles into my chest as I carry her upstairs. I smooth her blonde curls. “Are you tired, little one?”
“No,” she says, but around another yawn it comes out like a slow yowl.
I huff with laughter as I take my sleepy girl up to bed for a nap. Once she’s settled, her breathing deep and even, I slip away and down to Jessa’s office.
My wife works too hard. I’m going to distract her.
