“Of course they aren’t.” She takes a bite of the eggs. Once she swallows, she holds up her fork to make a point. “But I’m also not in love with any of them.”
“Good, let’s keep it that way.”
“I will,” she says, as the rush of Converse-clad feet echoes from upstairs.
“No running indoors, Abby,” I call out.
The sound slows. “Sorry. Just getting ready.”
“Well don’t run the forty-yard dash.”
“She’s excited for school today,” Katie says as she clears her plate. “She and Audrey and Gabriella and Caroline are doing a presentation on why gymnastics rocks. She practiced it with me last night. It’s about three PowerPoint slides long, and it’s awesome.”
I smile. “That does sound awesome. I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
Once Katie sets the plate in the dishwasher, she moves behind me, plants a soft kiss on my hair, then scurries upstairs to our room to get ready to teach yoga to the San Francisco Dragons.
After that, she’ll make some videos, and then work with Olive and Zachary.
When she rushes downstairs, she calls behind her, “You’ll do great, Abby! Love you.”
“Love you, Katie,” Abby shouts.
Then my wife returns to me, kisses my cheek, and gives Mia a big hug. “Miss you already, sweetie,” she whispers to our little girl.
I walk Katie to the door, hand her her purse and phone, then steal another kiss—a lingering, sweet kiss that makes me think of the dirty things I’ll do to her tonight.
“Mmm. Later, I want to strip you out of those yoga clothes,” I say, eyeing her salaciously.
She leers right back at me. “Do you have any idea what you do to my ovaries when you talk dirty while you hold our baby?”
“I do,” I say. “I definitely do.”
She grabs one more quick kiss. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
She leaves, and I shut the door behind her. After I clean up, I grab a BabyBjörn, strap it on my chest, and put Mia in it as Abby bounds downstairs.
“I’m ready for school!”
“Let’s do it, little bear.”
Abby grabs her backpack and slings it over her shoulders, and we leave the house like that. With Mia on my chest and Abby holding my hand, I walk my oldest child to school.
And then I’ll spend the day with my youngest.
And the night with the love of my life.
Now that’s winning.
***