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“How’s that?” I ask.
“Perfect!”
I make a mark on the wall where to put the screws and set the shelf to the side. We’re in the nursery, putting the finishing touches on the room before our little one arrives.
Lucy is eight and a half months pregnant with our second baby. She groans as she pushes herself up from the chair, and I reach out to help her.
“I’m huge,” she complains.
“You’re gorgeous,” I correct.
“Yeah, you’re pretty, Mommy!” Our son, Rocco, tells her, and I smile.
“Thank you, baby,” she coos down at him.
Rocco is about to start preschool in a few weeks, just half days and I know that Lucy is nervous about being away from him for even that long. They’ve been attached at the hip since he was born. Rocco goes to work with Lucy now and plays in her office with her while she works. The girls take turns watching all of the kids throughout the day, and it’s worked out well for them.
“Hey, I let myself in. Hope that you don’t mind,” Romeo says as he comes into the nursery. “I thought I would stop by and see if you guys needed help with anything in here.”
“Uncle Romeo!” Rocco shouts, throwing himself into Romeo’s arms.
“Hey, little dude,” Romeo says with a grin.
The two whisper to each other for a second, and I smile. They’re close; Romeo even babysits for us sometimes when Lucy and I need a date night.
“I’m about to hang up that shelf,” I tell my friend, and he nods, setting Rocco back on his feet.”
Romeo has come a long way in the last ten years. He actually just settled down in a house a few doors down from us. He went through rehab and therapy. He worked hard to move past the depression and anger at losing his leg. I’m proud of him.
I actually joined him for a few therapy sessions. It was helpful. I didn’t realize how much I had buried from my time spent deployed overseas. I ended up finding my own therapist and spent a year working through everything. It was hard to remember everything that I had seen over there, but I wanted to be the best version of myself for Lucy and our kids.
Romeo, Lucy, and Noah were so supportive during that time. They’ve been there for me through everything, including Romeo and I starting our own charity. Our charity has been growing every year, and I love being able to give back to the veteran community.
“I’m going to go start on dinner,” Lucy says, and I give her a quick kiss. “Romeo, are you staying?”
“Yes!” Rocco says right away, and Romeo and I laugh.
“Sure, that would be great.”
I watch my wife go, taking Rocco with her, and I’m left wondering how I ever got so lucky.
“Is Noah all set for this semester?” Romeo asks me, and I nod.
“Yeah, he’s living with June this year. They have a little apartment right off campus.”
“Do you think they’ll get married soon?” He asks.
“I think they’re both waiting until after they graduate. Though, Noah seems like he’s getting more and more impatient.”
“Well, he’s been in love with her for like twenty years,” Romeo says with a laugh.
Romeo holds up one end of the shelf, and I grab the drill, screwing in my end before I pass the drill over to Romeo.
Lucy is still working with Emilia and Scarlett. Their business, Sweet Things Designs, is thriving, and they’ve found a family with each other that they couldn’t get from their own parents.
All of our kids are also friends. Rex and Emilia have two daughters, Mia and Carly, plus Spencer, while Scarlett has two boys, Liam and Ryan. They’re all close in age, and I’m glad that I was able to give my kids a big, stable family.
I never imagined this life for myself. When I was younger, I never thought I would want a family or a wife. Then I was in the military, and I was too focused on surviving to worry about dating or settling down.
Then I met Lucy, and all of that changed. She has given me a life better than anything I could have dreamed of.
She’s the woman that I love more than anyone or anything else. I can’t imagine my life without her, and God willing, I’ll never have to.
“Dinner is done!” Lucy calls up to us, and I smile at Romeo.
“Ready to eat?”
“Always,” he jokes, and I laugh, throwing my arm around his shoulders as we head downstairs.
* * *
