Page 29 of Unexpectingly Happily Ever After

As I cross the marble floor of the lobby, heading to the concierge desk, I realize I must look like the kids did when they first saw the characters at Disney. Sophie squealed with excitement as she hugged Tigger; Ben’s eyes were huge with awe as Mickey shook his hand, and Lucy hid behind me, afraid to go near the Little Mermaid.

I have a mixture of all of those emotions.

″Good morning,” the girl at the desk sings as I stop before the desk. “Welcome to the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Resort.”

She’s a perky one. But I fix the smile on my face even though perky people often make me cringe, especially early in the morning. “Hi. I just got here from Toronto. I’m meeting my friends later, but I got an earlier flight–” I stop myself before I give the girl the full story. “When would I be able to check in?”

Perky or not, Ashleigh is helpful, promising me I can get into my room by eleven thirty rather than the usual three o’clock, and stores my bags for me.

And then I head out to the Strip, feeling exhilarated as I merge into the packed sidewalk with a need to see everything.

For the first time, I’m glad I left the kids at home because I’d be petrified that I’d lose them in the crowd.

I walk the length of The Strip, hitting ten thousand steps on my Fitbit in no time. I find Circus Circus at the north end, lingering outside as I think how much fun the kids would have in Adventuredome, the indoor park.

I shop, picking up a bag of souvenirs for the kids, including a toy slot machine that shoots out candy instead of quarters. I find purple-and-yellow scarves for Brit and Morgan, cheap and tacky but a perfect memento of our weekend together. I stop for morecoffee and swap my heeled boots that I didn’t want to pack for a pair of cute red TOMS so my feet won’t rebel.

For the first time in six years, I have fun being by myself. The kids are fine, and even though they pop into my mind at regular intervals, I don’t worry. There’s no one calling my name, trailing me to the bathroom; there’s no need to ask if anyone needs a washroom or a snack. I stop when I have to pee or if I’m hungry.

This is freedom for a mother and I enjoy it.

But I tire after a few hours and head back to the Cosmopolitan.

Brit booked us a two-room suite, with king-size beds and a terrace with a view of the Bellagio fountains. I spend long minutes hanging over the railing and watching the water rise and fall before I explore the place.

The bathroom alone is huge, with a Japanese soaking tub and a rain shower stall, thick towels and the softest toilet paper I’ve ever experienced. The minibar is stocked full of drinks, snacks and countless tiny bottles of alcohol and wine–

And the bed...

The bed looks like an island paradise after being shipwrecked. I don’t take off my shoes before I take a running leap. Then I get up and strip off my shoes and pants and shirt and crawl back under the covers. It feels like I’ve been up for an entire day.

I do the calculations in my head. I’ve been awake long enough for a nap. In no time at all, I drift off to sleep, nestled among the cool sheets and fluffy duvet.

The nap was nice, but what isn’t nice is that I forget to turn down my phone. The insistent sound of a baby crying yanks me out of sleep.

The kids are crying!

And then I realize it’s just my phone and the stupid ring tone J.B. put on, knowing that the sound of a baby crying would instantly get my attention, no matter what I was doing.

I find it on the bed beside me. “Hello?”

″GOOOAAALLL!”

My eyes blink open at the chorus of little voices. “Hello?” I ask, my voice still sleep-clogged.

″Momma, Benny got a goal! A GOAL!” It’s Sophie’s little voice, yelling to be heard over Lucy and Ben’s.

″He got a goal?”

″His first goal ever and I helped him! I set it up perfectly and he kicked it in and it looked like the goaltender was going to stop it, but he didn’t and Benny scored!”

It warms my heart that Sophie is more excited for her brother than she had been when she got her first goal last year. Then my heart breaks when I realize Ben got a milestone and I wasn’t there to see it.

″That’s so great!” I heap every ounce of enthusiasm into my tone; hopefully, Sophie won’t hear the sleepiness in my voice or sense the fat tears filling my eyes.

″Here’s Benny.” Distant voices and then Sophie’s strident tone. “Just put her on speaker!”

″Ben?”

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