To this day, I couldn’t agree more.
Every nook and cranny of our home is adorned by one kind of Christmas decoration or another. Layne is so very excited to have all of our family under one roof again. With Zoe coming home from college, all of our kids will finally be together again. River just turned ten, the same age her biological mother was when she first started showing signs of problems. I compare the beautiful, happy girl in front of me to Margot, but I see no signs of her in River. My daughter is one of six of the sweetest, most caring, and funniest kids I’ve ever seen.
Of course, the other five who fit in that category also happen to be my children—Zoe, five-year-old Kylie, four-year-old Zach, and our two-year-old twins, Micah and Mason. I’m currently trying to talk Layne into having one more since the boys outnumber the girls in the house. She hasn’t agreed yet, but my swimmers are super potent.
That, and she can’t actually take her birth control pills if she can’t find them.
My involvement in the case of the boys mistaking them for magic beans, and subsequently burying them in the backyard so we can have a huge beanstalk, is still under investigation. One thing I’ve learned from living with lawyers is how to plead the Fifth, especially when the evidence against me is incriminating enough without adding my verbal statement.
Kids can be such tattletales.
“Ace, would you like to explain this?”
“That’s my beautiful wife, Layne,” I say into the camera. “Layne, I’m making our video Christmas card for all of our friends and family. Say hello to everyone.”
“Hello, everyone,” Layne says into the camera. “I’m glad you’re all here to witness Ace explain why my birth control pill pack is empty and why it was hidden in his tool box.”
“I’m sure that’s an old one, honey. You know the kids like to play with all kinds of things.”
“This is my new one, Ace. Look at the date on the label.”
“I’m not wearing my reading glasses.”
“You don’t wear any glasses at all.”
“So, where was I?” I ask the camera. “Oh, yeah. The family. You all remember Frankie, right? We can’t leave him out. Like everyone else who’s met my wonderful wife, the horse is also in love with her and she has taken him away from me. But, he still helps me at the center.
“Our equine therapy program has really taken off and I’m proud to say that we’ve taken on several more kids who need love and attention and former soldiers who suffer from PTSD to our therapy sessions—and both groups are seeing great results. We’re very excited about it.
“My love, is there anything else you want to add before I say I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a life full of love?”
I smile into the camera, because I just said it.
“Just one thing,” she says. “There will be a new addition to the family before next year’s video Christmas card since I’m about eight weeks along right now, courtesy of Ace.”
She leans in and kisses me. “Thank you for my beautiful love surprise. I love you, babe.”
“Yes! My plan worked!” I shout. Loudly. Into the camera. And now my admission is part of public record for all time. “I mean, I love you, too, Layne. With all of my heart, mind, body, and soul, I love you.”
About the Author
A.D. Justice is happily married to her husband of more than twenty-five years. They have two sons together and enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities. A.D. has a full-time job by day, with a BS degree in Organizational Management and an MBA in Health Care Administration. Writing gives her the outlet she needs to live in the fantasy world that is a constant in her mind.
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