Page 82 of Cross My Heart
“Lanie? Are you home?”I yell as I walk through the front doors headed toward the kitchen.
“We are in the playroom,” she answers. “I’m helping Tate with his costume.”
Entering the playroom, I see Tate standing there in a full astronaut costume. Lanie spent the past two days making it after he changed his mind at the last minute. “I can’t believe you made this, Lanie. It’s incredible,” I tell her.
“Isn’t it awesome, Dad,” Tate screeches. “No one is going to have a costume like this one. I bet I win the best costume award, don’t ya think?” He is so excited he is bouncing all around the room while Lanie patiently follows him, trying to add the final touches.
“It is awesome, buddy. Lanie did an amazing job, I hope you’ve thanked her, I happen to know she has been up very late the last couple of nights to get this finished.”
Running from the room, he whizzes past me and is back before I can comprehend what is happening.
“I did, Dad, see? I did,” he is waving something around in his hand, but he is moving so fast I can’t see it.
“Hold still, buddy, what is that? What did you make?” He stops bouncing for a second to hand me a card.
“It’s my thank you card to Lanie, I told her thank you, thank you, thank you. Then I told her I love her so much and this is the best Halloween I’ve ever had.”
Opening the card, I see that is precisely what he did. Fatherly pride consumes me. “I see, Tate. I’m so proud of you, buddy. This was a lovely thing you did for Lanie.I’m sure she appreciates it a lot.”
Nodding so fast, I have whiplash just watching him go back to bouncing while talking to me, making poor Lanie contort on the floor to get his left pant leg.
“She does, Dad, she does. She already asked me to hang it on her wall so she can see it every day. She even cried, I might make one every day, so Lanie gets so used to them she won’t cry anymore,” lowering his voice to a whisper he says, “I don’t like it when she cries.”
“Me, either buddy. We’ll have to make it our job to make sure Lanie never cries.” I give him a little fist bump, and he tells me I have a deal.
“Tate, I told you, they were happy tears, it's alright to have happy tears sometimes. It means something was so special you didn’t have enough room to hold all your happiness, so the extra comes out in tears.” By the tone of her voice, I can tell she has had this conversation a lot.
“Nope, Lanes. I don’t like it. Happy smiles, sad tears.” Tate says matter-of-factly.
Deciding to help Lanie out, I put my hands on his shoulders and hold him still.
“How much candy have you had today, Tate?” I look from him to Lanie, who looks guilty.I thought so.
“Only five pieces. Lanie even let me have the big ones,” he reports happily. Lanie raises her hand as if to ward me off.
“I know, I learned my lesson, trust me,” she says, making me laugh.
“Alright, bubs, you’re all set! Let's get a look at you,” she tells Tate, raising to her feet. He whirls around, arms flying wildly.
“You look like a real astronaut, Tate,” I tell him. “Now that you’re all set, should we give Lanie her costume?” Lanie snaps her attention to me.
One hand on her hip and the other pointing directly at me, she says, “Oh, no. I didn’t agree to dress up. Tonight is for the kids, Dex. Not me and not you.”
Ignoring her completely, I take Tate by the hand. “Come on, Tate. You and I can get the girls dressed, then you can help me put the finishing touches on my costume.” Winking at Lanie as I walk by, I tell her, “Your costume will be waiting on your bed.Spit-spot.”
“Well, aren’t you cheeky,” she replies with a laugh.
* * *
Tateand I are leaning against the door in my bedroom, waiting for Lanie to walk into her room where she will find a very authentic Mary Poppins costume.
“Shh,” I tell Tate, “I hear her coming up the stairs.” Her door opens and her laughter fills the halls. Good, just as I’d hoped. “Okay, buddy. Come on, you’ve got to help make my face dirty.
Meeting Lanie in the kitchen, I love how carefree she appears in her Mary Poppins costume, tending to the girls. I walk up behind her, whispering into her hair, “I’ve never found Mary Poppins so fucking sexy in my life.”
Turning to look in my eyes, she tells me, “Behave.”
“I will, but first, I want a selfie. While we are out, we will ask someone to take a picture of all five of us.” Holding my phone out in front of us, I snap at least ten pictures.
