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We’re staying in Philadelphia all weekend so that we can visit with everyone, but I booked a hotel room for Eden and I for both tonight and tomorrow. It’s been a long time since I was alone with my wife and I’m looking forward to us reconnecting.
I look at my watch, wondering if it’s too early for us to dip out. I can see Alice fighting sleep and I know that it will be bedtime soon.
“Why don’t you take Eden and get out of here?” My dad suggests, sneaking up on Anthony and me.
“You sure?” I ask him, already starting to walk toward Eden.
“Yeah,” he says, laughing at my excitement. “Your mom and I can put the kids down.”
“Thanks,” I say, swiping mine and Eden’s coats off the back of the chair as I head over to join her and the kids.
“Hey guys, Mom and I are going to leave now, but you’re going to have fun with Grandma and Grandpa. Be good,” I tell them as they both race over to hug me and Eden goodbye.
I help Eden up and wrap her coat around her before I take her hand and practically run out the door with her.
“Eager to get me alone?” she teases as I buckle her into our rental car.
“You have no idea, dear,” I say, leaning in and stealing a kiss.
She grins at me when I break the kiss, cupping my face before I can pull back.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Let’s go celebrate Valentine’s Day.”
“Yes, dear.”
FOURTEEN
Eden
Ten Years Later…
“This is the best surprise,”I tell Alexander as the town car drives us down the busy streets.
“I thought for sure you knew,” he says and I can see that he’s proud of himself for pulling this off.
I don’t have the heart to tell him that I knew he was taking me to Las Vegas for our anniversary. I saw the reservations two weeks ago, but just played along.
His mom and dad flew out to New York this morning and are going to stay with the kids for a few days. They’ll have school during the day, but I know they’ve got a long list of things they want to do with their grandparents.
Anthony and his wife had come over to visit and ended up driving us to the airport. It’s been nice having family so close, even though I have a feeling that Alexander would never admit it.
Anthony leaves on tour soon, so I know that Aileen and Arthur wanted to see him before all of that commotion begins.
Alexander and I have cut way back on our hours. He’s almost retired and I only handle his schedule because I also handle the kids’ schedule. We both decided that we wanted to be there for everything with the kids and considering how crazy our kids are, that’s a full time job.
Alice has piano, ballet, gymnastics, and Tae Kwon Do, on top of school work and extra-curriculars. Aiden is the sports guy, so we take him to football, soccer, hockey, baseball—basically whatever is in season. He also plays the drums and is taking sign language so that he can talk to his best friend at school who recently lost his hearing.
Between keeping up with them and the house and carving time out for ourselves, there isn’t much time for anything else. Alexander says he worked hard for the last twenty years so that now he can do whatever he wants.
The town car pulls up outside of the Bellagio and I grab Alexander’s hand, turning to him as the driver gets out to open our doors.
Alexander pulls me from the car, grabbing our bags with his free hand as we head inside.
Everything looks the same as the last time we were here and I grin up at the elaborate ceiling as Alexander checks us in. He leads me over to the elevator and I know before he hits the button which floor we’re going to.
