Page 74 of Marked By Ink

Sure, it’s not the first time we’ve had arts and crafts in the garden, but it still makes me well up every time.

Tears fall easily, especially when I watch Felix scoop up Hudson and Colby, holding one in each powerful arm.

“Daddy, you lose!” Colby laughs, painting a big streak of purple down Felix’s cheek.

“Yeah, Daddy!”

Hudson joins in, and Felix laughs in a way only the children can make him. It’s likehebecomes a kid again, and it’s so beautiful to see the light in his eyes, the love.

Lucy walks over to me, laughing. “This never gets old, Mommy.”

“Just wait until you’re a grumpy teenager,” I say, a teasing note in my voice. “Then you’ll wantnothingto do with it.”

“Nuh-uh.”

She throws her arms around me. I hug her tightly, savoring it as I always do with all our children.

And then Felix walks over, still with the boys in his arms.

“What do you think, boys?” he says, with his eyes on me.

There’s a mischievous twitch to his lips, and suddenly I know my time watching from the sidelines has come to an end.

“Shall we see if Mommy makes a pretty painting?”

I step back slowly, hands raised, knowing this is going to end in a wonderful chase.

Hudson and Colby will run around the garden, then finally catch me, flecking my overalls in paint.

These are the overalls I’ve worn every time we’ve done this. They show evidence of all the other times we’ve laughed, loved, and turned our garden into a world of brightness and fun. The canvases hang in my large studio downtown, or at least pieces of them since they’re huge.

To anybody else, they simply look like abstract art.

But I can detect the footsteps, see Lucy’s getting bigger each year, see the new additions of Hudson and Colby. And soon Mila’s footprints will be there too.

The boys approach me, their paint brushes aimed, Felix grinning from behind them. The sun lights up the tattoos on his body but especially the one on his shoulder, the full heart which sealed our closeness.

“Are you ready, boys?” Felix calls.

“Yeah, Daddy!” Colby yells.

“We’re gonna get you, Mommy!” Hudson beams.

“You’ll have to catch me first,” I yell, turning and running around the garden.

The boys chase after me, yellingMommyover and over, thebestword.

The word I’ll never get tired of hearing.

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