Grace comes down to meet us with a picnic basket filled with summer goodies: grapes, diced watermelon, mango and kiwi, cold water, and ice cream for the kids, they are in heaven. She lays her towel on the hot sand and offers me to sit with her, which I do, silently. We sit there side by side for what feels like an eternity and finally I hug her, wrapping one arm around her waist and I hold her hand in mine, entwining our fingers. I can feel her body trembling next to mine, I hold her tighter, firmly, against me untill her mind let’s go and her body surrenders resting leaning the weight of her worries on me and her head on my shoulder. I kiss her forehead. We are one again.
Charlie and Izzy start playing pirates and I notice Grace has fallen asleep in my arms while we were watching them. I bet she hasn’t been sleeping, she has been so meticulous about the appointments, tests and taking care of the kids while all of this was happening, this surgery has to be a success, I won’t stand it if it aint, I can’t do this to them. I can’t stop staring at her, she is so beautiful and has such an amazing heart. I am falling in love with my wife all over again. I pick her up in my arms, carry her home and lay in bed next to her, admiring every inch of beauty and perfection. I pick up a notebook from my nightstand and start writing, I don’t stop untill I’m done and I put the letter folded inside her nightstand drawer closing it slowly so it doesn’t wake her up.
I wake up with the sounds of the kids laughter on the background, Grace still sleeps next to me. I slide out of bed quietly and go for the kids.
“Why don’t we surprise mum with a nice dinner?”
–
“We make her a surprised ‘guetti? We can make a sauce with the sepia mummy brought”
–
“That’s a great idea Charlie! Why don’t you guys go to the garden and pick up some flowers for mum while I clean around and then we all cook”
And off they went to the garden to pick up flowers for her. I washed the dishes from lunch, nothing major we had sandwiches and juice and then began to take out everything we would use for dinner. The children picked up enough flowers to decorate the dinning room and the kitchen and set the table with candles and everything, tonight we were gonna have, what they called, a family “date” so it had to be romantic, “candles and all”. In an hour the whole house was smelling like an italian restaurant and the kids couldn’t be more excited, and in all fairness, so was I. We went for a shower and to get all dressed up for our date with Grace. Izzy decided I must change and get ready in the guest room so she can tell mummy to dress up and that way it’s like a real date.
I take a quick shower and slide into a v-neck mini white lace cocktail dress, black pumps and i let my curls fall freely down my back. I am wearing my rings again, it feels strange but, right and a heart locket Grace said was my favorite, she got it for me when we had the twins, it has their initials engraved. I head to the kitchen to finish the last details. On the chalkboard that’s on the countertop of the bar that divides de dinning room and the kitchen I write:
Carraway’s Maison
Tonight’s Special:
Fresh Tagliatelle with Sepia Sauce
overthink-it 