Page 43 of Courageous Devotions

“Well then,” Colton exclaimed happily, hopping back on his hands and knees without Zane – skittering quickly away as Zane chased him, catching up a moment later. “Oh no, you caught me.”

“I caught da’ horsey!”

“Be careful with Daddy…” Eris chided, smiling. “Nobody wants to get hurt or to fall. What’s your horsey’s name?”

“Idj-it… the horsey!”

“Sheesh,” Colton chuckled as Eris laughed aloud, covering her mouth with her hands at the innocent yet inconspicuous name given to ‘the horse.’ “Let’s not call the horse that, okay? That’s not a nice word, and horses should have noble names…”

“Oh yeah?” Eris grinned. “Like Mr. Ed?”

“Um, hello? I was thinking Rambo the studly stallion…” Colton grinned. “Zane, how’s that sound for your horse?”

“I like ‘Idj-it’ better…” Zane frowned, making Eris laugh wildly again.

“Hey, hey… now let’s not get too eager about calling your favorite horse an ‘Idiot,’” Colton chuckled. “There’s lots of other awesome names out there for manly big heroic horses. Mustang the stallion, Fabio the stud, Pegasus, Sleipnir, Seabiscuit…”

“How about ‘Shrek the big ol’ donkey’…” Eris volunteered, smiling tenderly at the duo that was playing around on the floor still.

“What?”

“C’mon Shrekkie… let’s go!”

“Hang on,” Colton sat up, laughing wildly. “Shrek and Donkey are two different characters – so I can’t be two people – that name won’t work. Nice try, Mrs. Fischer.”

“Shrekkie the idj-it donkey-horsey!” Zane cheered happily, holding up a wooden spoon like a knight holding aloft a lance, jumping around Colton’s back and urging him to play. “Let’s go! Let’s go, Shrekkie!”

“I’m gonna get you for this…” but that smile on Colton’s face was anything but threatening. No, his entire face was filled with happiness and love – and she saw it easily. He was enjoying every second of the three of them talking and playing around despite it all. “All right, climb onto Shrekkie the Donkey, and we’ll go save Queen Eris from the dishes.”

Obligingly, she began to make a scene, protesting and playing along with them. She rested the back of her hand against her forehead, pretending to be faint, only to hear them come charging into the kitchen.

“Zane, hang on!” Colton urged. “Your horse climbs mountains…”

“What?” – and heard her son’s peal of laughter as Colton was getting to his feet almost on top of her. She was standing beside the pie crust she’d rolled out and Colton was pressing her against the counter, kissing the side of her neck where she was ticklish. They were all laughing, Colton was hanging onto Zane – who was nearly choking him with his shirt collar, and she loved every second of it.

The house was full of laughter, joy, and something more.

“My queen…” Colton whispered against her skin, before blowing raspberries against her neck, causing her to yelp in laughter once more as she pushed him away.

“Out of here,” she chuckled tenderly. “I wanted to make a pie for dessert.”

“Mmm…” He began, winking at her. “We like dessert – don’t we, Zane?”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go play and maybe watch cartoons together…”

“What a brilliant idea,” Eris smiled – only to have Colton lean forward to sneak a kiss against her cheek once more before he turned slightly.

“Kiss your mama, cowboy…”

Zane leaned forward from his perch, his little lips puckered slightly, as she dutifully presented a cheek to her son. He made a loud kiss sound before laughing directly in her ear as Colton jogged off, bouncing him slightly on his back while holding both of their son’s legs to keep him ‘on’ the ‘horsey.’

It wasn’t twenty minutes later that she heard faint snores coming from the living room. She had just slid the chocolate pie into the oven and set the timer on her cell phone when it dawned on her what the noise was. Peering around the corner, she saw Colton sprawled on the couch with Zane curled against his side, out cold.

The two were obviously exhausted.

Padding silently toward the bedroom, she pulled a coverlet off the bed and walked back into the living room where they were resting. Gingerly, she spread it over the two of them, only to see Colton shift slightly. His eyes never opened. Zane was drooling on his chest, completely sound asleep. Leaning down, she gingerly kissed her son’s cheek and caught her breath, moving slightly to kiss Colton’s as well.

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