Page 135 of All of Me

Sara looks unimpressed. “Barry.”

Barrett groans, throwing his hands up. “Callie! She’s callin’ me Barry again!”

Callie’s beautiful laugh comes from across the room, where she’s sitting on the floor next to Ruby, folding a pile of clothes into a box. “Maybe she thinks you look like The Flash. Get it? Because he has a red suit and some berries are red?”

Barrett huffs but seems to accept that answer, and I shake my head, grinning as I set Sara back down.

“Nice Mom Joke,” I tease.

“One of these days, husband, you’re going to realize that I’m hilarious,” she replies.

“Yes, dear. I know you’re hilarious… even if your jokes are corny sometimes. At least you’re cute.”

“I cute!” Sara jumps in, clapping her hands as she beams up at me.

“Yes, of course you are, sweetheart,” I assure her. “You’re the cutest.”

Callie huffs, pretending to be offended. “Okay, so when she says it, she gets a full confirmation, but when I say it, I get hit with sarcasm?”

“I mean…” I gesture vaguely. “She’s two.”

Barrett jumps in before Callie can argue. “Yeah, and she doesn’t make bad mom jokes.”

Callie gasps. “Excuse you! My jokes are gold.”

Barrett shrugs, unimpressed. “More like… bronze.”

I let out a laugh as Callie presses a hand to her chest, faking betrayal. “Unbelievable. You’re all banned from my comedy tour.”

“Darn,” I say dryly. “Guess we’ll have to find another way to pass the time.”

She sticks her tongue out at me. “You better watch it before you end up banned from the bed and are forced to sleep on the couch!”

“Oh! I want to sleep on the couch! Can we have a sleepover in the living room, Dad?” Barrett asks, bouncing on his heels.

I chuckle, shaking my head. “No can do, buddy. I’m heading to the farm after dinner. Then I’m coming home to sleep in my bed with my beautiful wife,” I say, throwing a wink in Callie’s direction.

She smirks, arching an eyebrow. “Mhmm. That’s what I thought. You better start sucking up now.”

“Always,” I say, grinning.

Barrett lets out a dramatic sigh. “Why do you have to go tonight?”

I crouch down so we’re eye level. “Vince and Malcolm are gonna help me get a few things done before we start moving everything in,” I explain. “I know it stinks that I won’t be here to tuck you in tonight, but once we’re living at the farm, we’ll have tons of time together.”

He thinks about this for a second, then perks up. “Like every day?”

“Almost every day,” I confirm, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Okay,” he says, squeezing me back. “But I still think a sleepover sounds fun.”

I ruffle his hair as I stand. “How about this—you and me, guys’ night at the farm after we move in?”

His face lights up. “Really?”

“Really.”

Barrett grins and takes off running down the hall, already talking to himself about all the cool things we’re going to do. I watch him go, shaking my head fondly before turning back toward Callie.

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