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11
Happy Here
Celine
I was going to kill my parents.
Gifting my kids a puppy without Ace’s or my consent was unimaginable. And now, I had a little, black lab running around the lake house on some sort of steroids as if Summer hadn’t just walked her a few minutes ago.
“She’s biting my toes, Mommy!” Jessie shrieked, running over to me and clinging to my leg. I picked up his little body, and he wrapped around me almost instantly.
Roxie ran straight into my legs and then stood on her hind legs, trying to reach for him, whining loudly.
“She just wants to play, my love.” I kissed the top of his head and then walked over to the kitchen counter where I had been making a cup of coffee. It was still early – the sun only had risen an hour ago. Ace and Charlie were sleeping after spending yesterday out on the boat, fishing in the big lake.
Roxie had woken Summer up, who in return felt obliged to wake me up, too, so we walked the active puppy through the quiet neighborhood, listening to the birds wake up as we soaked in the stillness of the early morning.
She had gone straight back to bed the moment we walked in the door, and I let Roxie off the leash, letting the pup wander the big house.
She had been good – didn’t bark or whine throughout the night – unlike her brother who had kept Kennedy up most of the night.
“Can I have hot chocolate?” Jessie pointed to the box of hot chocolate next to the coffee on the counter.
“Of course.” I made him a cup, and together, we sat at the breakfast table, munching on cookies and looking out at the still lake. There was nothing prettier than an early morning view of the lake before all the boaters came out.
“I love you, Mommy.” Jessie wrapped his little arms around my neck and curled into me.
“I love you, too, baby.” I kissed the top of his head. I had never thought that my heart would have enough room for a third child – not when it was so full from Summer and Charlie – but the second I saw him on the monitor, my heart grew, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without him.
Ace came into the kitchen later, pulling a hand through his messy, black hair, squinting at me through bleary eyes as he smiled lazily. Roxie immediately jumped up from her spot at my feet and ran over to him, pawing at his legs as she licked his feet in greeting.
She was a sweet little monster.
“Good morning, Rox.” Ace bent down to scoop the little puppy into his arms and brushed his nose against her. “Aren’t you a good, little girl?” His voice dropped as he talked to her with so much affection in his voice, it warmed my soul better than any coffee could.
“She’s an early riser, that’s for sure.” I stood and headed to the coffee bar to brew him a cup. He stood behind me, his warmth so close, yet so far. I closed my eyes and leaned back into his touch. He adjusted the puppy to one arm and wrapped the empty one around my stomach, holding me firmly to his chest. His warmth soaked into my cold bones.
“Why didn’t you wake me, princess?” His lips were at my ear, and I could smell the peppermint from his toothpaste tickle my nose.
“Are you going to kiss, Mommy?” Jessie piped up, looking at us over the rim of his hot chocolate, a white mustache on his upper lip from the whipped cream.
“Maybe.” Ace held me impossibly closer. Roxie whined near my other ear, but I was too lost in his touch to care.
“Ew! Don’t kiss Mommy.” Jessie got up from the table and ran over to us. Wrapping his body around my legs, he whispered, “don’t take Mommy away from me.”
I pulled out of Ace’s arm to bend down and pick up Jessie who snuggled right into my chest. “He’s not taking me away from you, baby. He’s just loving me.”
“But I love you.” My heart swelled.
“And I love your mommy, too, Jess.” Ace kissed my cheek to prove his point.
“Do you love daddy more than me?” He pointed to his chest, his blue eyes – the carbon copy of his father’s – looked up at me fearfully.
This little boy was an exact replica of Ace, and every time I looked at him, I saw his handsome daddy.
“No, silly boy. I love you both the same.”
“I guess that’s okay.” He sighed and leaned his head on my chest, wrapping his arms around my neck. “But I love you more than daddy does.” He giggled, and Ace groaned at the same time.
