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“First of all, thank you all for coming. As my husband and I both know it’s not easy growing up without a mother…or a daddy,” she begins, and I swallow hard, knowing she’s throwing me an inside joke right here in front of all these business leaders and people from the community. “Sometimes life puts obstacles in your way that would be much easier to climb if you just had someone with a little more experience guiding you…someone who’s been there and done that. And that’s why my husband and I created Kids Care. We want kids to know we care about them, and if they need a place to go just to get a set of ears, so they can get what’s bothering them off their chest, we’re here for them. Of course, we want to offer so much more, but we want kids to find us on their terms. We don’t want to push and pry, and we also don’t want to be available only sometimes. That’s why we have counselors on-site twenty-four hours, including Carter and I. We’ll work the desks just like everyone else as we think our backgrounds growing up alone can help us relate.” She pauses, her bottom lip suddenly quivering. “Not only that, but I’d like to share a quick story with you all. See, there was something that hurt me very much in high school and it caused a shy girl to close up even more. I thought my brattiness was pretty cool, but really it was just a defense mechanism to keep from ever putting myself out there, from putting my heart on the line for anyone. Well, Carter showed me that I can trust others, and am I ever glad I did, because when I found my ability to trust, I found true love.”
I’ve never cried in all my life, but right now there’s definitely a ‘gnat’ or some small bug that’s found its way into my eye. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
“And we’re both dedicating the rest of our lives to make sure kids know just how valuable they are to this world and the future of our planet.” She pauses. “And speaking of kids, and the fact that we love them so much, Carter and I are excited to announce we’re expecting our first, in six months’ time.”
“Whoa! Congratulations, buddy,” I hear as those surrounding me pat me on the back, but I’m just frozen, in shock.
“We are?” I mouth, as Camila turns and looks at me.
She just places her hand on her perfect tummy and nods. “I love you,” she mouths back.
“I love you too, baby girl.”
Like a true professional, my angel uses the applause from the crowd as a cue to step back from the mic. Always leave them wanting more they say, and despite all the love she gives me that’s exactly how I always feel.
I just can’t get enough of my little one…and now we have another kind of little one on the way.
Who woulda thought that when she was hired to clean my house in reality she would have cleaned up my entire life, showing me the true meaning of life, and in the process turned my gigantic house into a loving home, where no matter the square footage, we always feel cozy inside because we’re always inside together.
And that’s what life’s all about. Together. Just like the foundation we’re christening today…together. And just like our first child, we’ll be welcoming into the world…together.
“Family first,” she whispers into my ear, repeating the mantra Daddy always says.
I wrap her up in a hug and spin her around before carefully helping her feet back down to the earth. “Family first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and always.”
“Did you say you want five children just now?” she teases.
“When it comes to you, I want everything.”
“Well, then you’re in luck, Daddy. Because you’ve got all of me.”
“Just like you’ve got all of me, my queen. I love you.”
“I love you.”
Extended Epilogue
Camila
Fifteen years later
Carter stacks the last of the paddleboards next to our table in the sand in Antiparos, Greece, and then joins us for lunch.
“How’d you like it, kids?”
“Amazing,” Caleb says,
“Great, dad!” Caroline adds.
Cameron, Carson, and Callie seem stunned as they open their menus. “This looks Greek to me,” Callie says, unaware she’s touched on an age-old joke for seeing letters and words that one can’t make out.
“You can’t go wrong with the octopus,” the waiter recommends.
“Octopus?”
“Octo, an Ancient Greek word for eight, as in eight arms, not tentacles, as it’s commonly thought.”
“Come for the amazing beaches, stay for the history lesson.”
