Page 52 of Marry Your Best Friend

GABE

Ten Years Later

“We’re going to be late!” Chrissy hollers up the stairs.

I pick up our three-year-old off the floor of his room and put him on my hip. “Come on, CJ, we don’t want to make Mommy wait.”

He claps his hands together. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

I laugh as I jog down the stairs and meet my wife at the bottom. “Okay, Momma! Your two Gray men are ready to go.”

She looks at each of us as if inspecting us. “Wow! Well, I’m one lucky woman to be escorted by my good-looking man and my cute baby boy.”

I lean down and kiss her, holding her to me with my free arm. CJ squeals and leans in too.

“Mom! Dad! That’s so gross.”

I break off the kiss and smile at our nine-year-old daughter. She’s at the phase where anything me or her mom does is gross. “You excited to see your cousins?”

She nods and picks up her thick book. “Yeah, Macy is bringing her books too, and we’re going to read together.”

I scrunch my nose up. “You two are excited to get together to read?”

Chrissy smacks me softly on the chest. “Honey, don’t discourage her. She loves to read.”

I hold my hand up. “I’m not discouraging her. I was just curious.”

I pick up the box of food we’re taking with us. Through the years, our time together as a family has changed. When we were younger, we went to play games. Sometimes it was softball, pickleball, or even basketball. Through the years, we still get together, but a lot of the time, we’re watching our kids play together instead while we parents sit on the sidelines and reconnect. Today, we’re meeting up at the Whiskey Run Park for a cookout and to spend some quality time together.

Haven and King have Macy and three more daughters. All those girls have their dad wrapped around their fingers, and it’s a sight to see. King has always been tough as nails, but those girls have turned him into a big teddy bear.

Cole, Holden and Cat’s son, is twenty-five now, and he’s supposed to be bringing his new girlfriend to the cookout today.

Holden and Cat have been enjoying being empty nesters and traveling all over the world.

Dom and Luciana made up for all the years they were apart and now have two sets of twins, two boys and two girls.

Our family is not a conventional one, but I love it anyway. We depend on each other, and we don’t let each other down. I’m thankful for the love they’ve given me, but more than anything, I’m thankful for the love of my wife.

I put the box and CJ down. “Carrie, can you walk CJ outside and get him in the car seat?”

She takes his hand, and I watch as they walk outside.

Chrissy comes over to me. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, knowing what I want to say,but this emotion is hard for me. “Nothing’s wrong. I love you. Do you know that?”

She looks at me curiously. “Yeah, I know.”

I gesture to where our kids just walked out the door. “Thank you for giving me this life…” I take a deep breath. “Do I make you happy?”

Her eyebrows raise. “Where is this coming from, Gabe?”

I shrug. “I dunno. I’m feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. When I look back on my life, I never would have dreamed it would be this good. I owe it all to you, and well, it just got me thinking. I hope you’re happy… with me.”

She puts her hands at my waist. “You want to know if I’m happy with you?”

I nod, holding my breath, waiting for some kind of assurance.

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