Page 121 of Worth the Fall

If bedside clocks are to be believed, it’s far too early to be awake. But Esperanza has other plans, bouncing into our room with all the energy of a caffeinated butterfly.

"Mommy! Daddy! It’s baby day! Baby Alex! I made him something!"

I crack one eye open to find her brandishing what appears to be a paper covered in enough glitter to supply a craft store. Some of it has already transferred to our duvet, sparkling in the early morning light.

"Indoor voice, munchkin," Miguel mumbles beside me, though I can hear the smile in his voice. "What did you make?"

"A card!" She climbs onto the bed, proudly displaying her creation. "See? Unicorns and, and, and dragons.”

“Dragons? Wow!” I’m impressed at her addition of a green scribble to her heard of rainbow colored unicorn scribbles.

“unicorns are better." She says firmly.

"Can't argue with that logic," I say, sitting up to examine her masterpiece. "But maybe we should let your sister's mommy and Mark have some time to rest first? New babies need lots of sleep."

Esperanza's face falls slightly but then brightens. “More cards?”

“You want to make him more cards?”

She nods enthusiastically, “sissy says more.”

"Of course she does." Miguel chuckles, finally giving up on sleep and pulling our daughter into a bear hug. "How about breakfast first, though?"

As if on cue, my phone chimes with a text from Linda.

Linda

Simmons meeting pushed to 11. Also, you left your laptop at the office. Want me to have it couriered over?

I glance at Esperanza, now engaged in an animated three-year-old discussion with Miguel about the proper pancake-to-syrup ratio, and make a decision.

Me

Actually, I think I'll work from home this morning. Family breakfast day.

Linda

Look at you, all balanced and Zen. I remember when you used to twitch if you weren't in the office by 7.

Me

Look at me now, a brand new woman.

"Everything okay?" Miguel asks as I set my phone aside.

"Perfect," I say and mean it. "Just adjusting some priorities."

He gives me that soft smile that still makes my heart flip, even after all this time. "I love you, you know that?"

"I had some idea," I tease, leaning over to kiss him.

"Eww, kissy face!" Esperanza declares, wriggling between us. "Pancake time!"

The kitchen quickly becomes a war zone of flour and measuring cups. Esperanza insists on helping, which means half the batter ends up on the counter instead of in the bowl. But her face when Miguel lets her add chocolate chips to the mix is worth every mess.

That evening, after a surprisingly productive day of working from home interspersed with glitter card-making sessions, I find myself in Esperanza's room for bedtime stories. She's arranged her stuffed animals in what she calls "The Grand Unicorn Council"—a tradition she learned from Felicity that's evolved into an elaborate nightly ritual.

"Princess Waddles needs to sit at the head of the council," Felicity instructs from the doorway, already in her pajamas. She crosses the room with all the authority of a seven-year Supreme Court Justice of stuffed animal proceedings.

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