Page 10 of River

“Did not,” I say, turning around in my seat and poking my tongue out at her. “You big snitch!” I reach over and tickle her sides. She squeals with joy. Her tiny little feet bopping up and down. Then she stops laughing and her face goes pale. Her mouth hangs open and she looks like she’s just seen a ghost.

“Uh-oh, I’ve seen that face before.”

“I need the toilet,” Isabel whispers.

“It’s all fun and games until you pee yourself,” River laughs.

Isabel starts to cry. I slap River's arm.

Twenty minutes later, and I’m getting back in the car with a much quieter, much more subdued little daughter, who’s less than happy about the big wet patch on the back of her lovely yellow summer dress.

We drive in silence to the cemetery. Nothing but the sound of the wind coming in through the window and River tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.

It’s a beautiful day to be outside. But none of us are smiling much as we make out way through the field of tombstones. All the way to the back corner, where Grandma Lilly is buried.

I link my arm through River’s and wipe a few tears from my eyes. Isabel squeezes my hand, and our other daughter, also called Lilly, wraps her arms around River’s leg.

It’s been nearly five years since she passed. But I still wake up sometimes missing her sorely.

“Well, at least she saw us get married,” River says, stepping forward and placing the wreath on her grave.

He kisses his fingers and rests them on the marble stone that marks her final resting place.

Slowly, he gets down on his knees and pulls a few weeds out from around the plot. Careful. Calm. A sad little smile on his face that makes me want to wrap my arms around his neck and never let go.

“And she got to meet her grandkids.” I kiss both their heads and hold them tight.

Neither of them remembers Nana Lilly. They were just babies when the cancer finally took her. But we’ve done everything we can to keep her memory alive.

“Come on, kids,” River says, ruffling the hair on Lilly's head. “Let’s go get ourselves something to eat.”

He picks Lilly up and rests her on his hip. I lift my lips towards him and he bends down and pecks me on the mouth.

I squeeze his hand. “She was an amazing woman.”

“That she was.”

We walk solemnly back to the car. By the time we enter the burger joint, Isabel's dress is dry, and she kind of smells like pee, and Lilly's teasing her about it. Oh, the joys of parenthood.

I catch River’s eye and give him a tired smile. He may be a big, strong mountain man, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see when he’s hurting. Even if he’s good at hiding it. “You okay?”

“You kidding me?” He wraps his arm around my shoulder. “I’m with the woman of my dreams. And two amazing children. I’m about to stuff my face with a delicious burger.” He puts his mouth against my ear and whispers. “And when I get home, we’re gonna put these two to bed and see about us making mom another grandkid.”

I look at him in surprise. We haven’t really talked about another child. Although, I’m not opposed to the idea. “You serious?”

He squeezes my behind and the server taking us to our table pretends not to notice. “As a heart attack,” he grins. “But first, let me get some food in me. I have a feeling I’m gonna be needing all the energy I can get.”

“But leave some room for dessert,” I whisper. “Because I have something you can eat when we get home.”

“Is it pink?” he asks. “And wet? And in between your legs?”

“It might be.”

We sit down and I run my foot up the inside of his leg.

“Okay, girls,” he says, flipping open his menu. “Order fast. No dilly-dallying.” He winks at me. “Your momma and I have some important business to take care of when we get home.”

"That's right." I push my foot further between his legs until it's pressing against his cock. "Extremely important, top-secret, mummy-daddy business."