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“Do I really need to be blindfolded?” I ask from the passenger seat of Chris’s truck.
His chuckle makes me want to stick my tongue out at him. “Yes, baby. Just hang in there. We’re almost to our destination.” All week he’s been acting cagey, and I’ve been slightly worried. He’s been doing so good since his almost slip up, and I know that’s not what’s going on but he’s up to something but I don’t know what.
My leg bounces as we slow to a stop, and he shuts the truck off. “Wait for me,” he whispers near my ear, making me squeal and jump. A few seconds later my door is opening. “Let me lift you out. I’ve learned you are very clumsy.”
“Hey. I resent that,” I say on a huff. It is sad though, because it’s true. My face being messed up last month was definitely a sign of my clumsiness. Luckily, I’m almost completely healed. The wire is still helping hold my teeth in—they’re no longer wobbly, but I don’t see the oral surgeon for another two weeks. Hopefully I can finally eat more foods. I’ve basically been on a soft food, liquid diet, and it sucks.
I’ve lost weight I can’t afford to lose. The worst part is my milk has dried up, and Madison is completely bottle fed. I’m not happy about it, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Chris sets me down and moves us a few feet. I feel him get behind me and he places his hands on my hips. Goosebumps pop up all over my body as I feel him place his lips near my ear. “I’ve been sitting on this for a while, and I hope you love it.”
He reaches up and pulls the blindfold down. “Oh my god,” I whisper. I take in the two-story home that’s in front of me, with a huge sold sign in the yard. “T-This is the house you were working on, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“I can’t believe you guys sold it so fast, congratulations.” I jump into his arms. “I’m so proud of you guys. Was it a young family who bought it?”
He grabs my hand. “You could say that.” Chris leads me up to the teal front door. One night I told him I wanted a house with a teal door. It does make me a little sad that he used it on someone else’s home. He uses the key to let us inside. The moment I step inside I’m in awe. The foyer is open and the staircase is on the left and to the right is a living room that’s open into the dining room. You can get to the kitchen down the hall when you walk in, or when you go through the living room.
The appliances are all stainless steel and there’s a white farmer’s sink. The countertop and island are a beautiful granite. I smile up at him. “This is really gorgeous.”
Upstairs there are three bedrooms, the master has a beautiful en suite, with an egg-shaped tub that would fit both Chris and me. We head across the hall to the bedroom that faces the backyard. I stare out the window and feel him come up behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist. “Do you think Madison will like this room?”
I freeze and turn around. “What do you mean?” My heart beats frantically in my chest as I wait from him to speak.
“I mean this place is ours, I bought it for us.” He smiles down at me.
Tears fill my eyes. “Oh my god,” I cry. “I want to kiss you so hard but I can’t.”
“As soon as the oral surgeon gives us the go ahead, we’ll come and christen every room.” Chris tips my head back enough to lean down, kissing me softly on the lips.
“Promise?” I say with a pout.
He pulls me into a tight hug. “Come on, let me show you the rest.”
Once we finish and we’re back downstairs, I stop in front of the front door. “You want us to live here with you, right?”
“Of course, isn’t it obvious?”
“I just wanted to double check. I was afraid I was dreaming, and it wasn’t real.” I throw my arms around him and hug him tight. “I can’t believe we get to raise our daughter here. To think that you did a lot of the work makes it that much more special.” I kiss him softly. “You gave me my teal door.”
“Of course, baby. I’ll give you whatever your heart desires.”
I know he means it too, that’s why in the foyer of our home I pull Chris to the floor and promptly show him how much I love him.
Epilogue
Chris
Five years later
* * *
I pull into the driveway and see the curtains move and smile. I hop out of my truck and pick up Madison’s pink motorized Mini Cooper and stick it inside the open garage door. The minute I step inside, I find my little angel standing at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips. “Daddy, the boys are making me mad.”
“Come here, baby.” I pick up my wife’s miniature twin and kiss her cheek. “What did the boys do?”
These past five years have been the best of my life. I’ve been sober for a little over six years and I’m pretty fucking proud of myself. We moved into our home a month after I showed it to her. We got engaged six months after that.
