“Thanks.” Alex pressed a kiss to her cheek. “This is your dream job. You’re ready. I know you’re going to miss the twins, but everything is going to be so great. Okay? I promise.”
“You don’t know that,” Grace moaned.
Alex laughed. “I do, and you do, too. You’ve already been working there part-time for almost a year. You know the team you’re going to lead. You know the work you’re going to do. And you’re going to be phenomenal at it.”
“Iampretty phenomenal,” Grace said. She glanced at Alex and smiled. “Thank you for being so supportive. Knowing you’re home with the twins means the world to me.”
“Being able to stay home with them means the world tome,” Alex replied.
Over the last year, he had worked hard to limit his time at the office. He delegated to trusted employees (including his new assistant), prioritized the tasks that he really needed to complete, and freed up lots of time to spend at home. He’d been there when Grace had given birth to the twins, holding her hand and feeding her ice chips and encouraging her every step of the way. He’d been there when Leo had taken his first steps and when Ella had said her first word (Dada, quickly followed by Mama). He’d been there when Grace had been worried about the babies and when she’d celebrated their accomplishments, and he’d worried and celebrated right along with her.
Every day, he’d kept his promise and proven himself to her. And every day, Grace loved him just a little bit more for that.
He’d been supportive when Grace had decided to start part-time remote work for Hazelnut, a company that optimized cloud-based search and storage solutions. He’d also been supportivewhen Grace had made the decision to return to work full-time, even taking a few weeks off from work so that he could be home with the kids during the transition (although they were working on finding a nanny as a long-term solution).
“I love you,” Grace said softly.
“I love you, too.” He kissed her cheek. “Now say goodbye to our babies and let’s get you to work. You don’t want to be late on your first full day!”
“No, I don’t,” Grace agreed. She downed the last of her coffee and went to kiss Leo and Ella goodbye. “I love you guys,” she said.
“Mama,” Ella said, reaching up to pat Grace’s cheek. Her tiny hand was warm and gentle—and a little sticky.
“Mama,” Leo echoed. He gave her a big toothy grin and promptly smeared a streak of applesauce across his cheek. Grace laughed.
“You two always make me smile,” she said. “I’ll miss you.”
“We’ll miss you too,” Alex said, speaking for himself and the babies. He stood and walked Grace to the door. “I’m so proud of you. This is a big step, but you’re so ready for it. You’re going to do great.”
“Thanks.” She lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed him. “Have a nice day together.”
“We will.” He kissed her back. “Now go! Have fun!”
So, Grace went.
She had an amazing first day. Her team was wonderful, creative, and intelligent, and they were all excited to have Grace as a full-time manager. She spent the day digging into work in a way shehadn’t been able to since becoming a mom. It felt great to really use her brain.
It also felt great when the day ended and she could hurry back home to her babies. She practically flew into the apartment, picking up and kissing Ella and Leo in turn. They were getting heavier, but they were still tiny and fit perfectly into her arms. Alex waited his turn patiently before giving Grace a kiss.
“I have a small surprise for you,” he told her.
“Oh? What is it? A duck, maybe?”
Alex chuckled. “Not quite. Your mom has been begging to babysit again, so I told her she could come over tonight and watch the twins so that we could go out to dinner.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Grace smiled down at the twins in her arms. “I bet you guys will be thrilled to see your grandma.”
“Gamma!” Ella said happily, clapping her hands. Grace set them down, and Leo took the opportunity to knock over the tower they’d been building. Then he gave another of his toothy smiles. His green eyes, just the same as Grace’s, twinkled.
Grace’s mom arrived a half hour later, after the little family had enjoyed some good playtime together. Grace hugged her and got her set up with the babies, then she and Alex headed out.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“That’s part of the surprise.”
“Wonderful.” Grace sat back in the passenger seat, enjoying the time alone with Alex and watching the scenery go by. They arrived a little while later at a beachside restaurant with wideterraces and a fresh, local menu. They had a reserved table overlooking the ocean.
“This is beautiful,” Grace said as Alex pulled out her chair for her.
