I knew I liked this guy. My stomach rumbles, and in order to speed shit along, I stand next before Bear can put his ass in the chair. “I’m thankful for my family and my little surprise, Stone.” I glance over at my little man as he shoves lasagna in his mouth with both hands.
The kids are eating at the next table, but no one seems to care. Back in the day, Ma would’ve knocked us into next week for not listening and saying thanks, but not the grandkids—they always get a pass.
I tune out after Mia says her thanks and stare at my plate. It’s like the food is taunting me, the aroma wafting up from the dish, making my mouth salivate.
Pop stands, clinking his fork against his wineglass, even catching the attention of the kids. “Let’s bow our heads for a prayer.”
Everyone grows quiet, even the kiddos, and we bow our heads and wait. Pop clears his throat before he speaks. “Today, as we’re gathered here together, I want to thank God for the amazing lives we have and that everyone is happy and healthy. Not only am I blessed with such love, but…”
He pauses and gets choked up. I roll my eyes because I know where he’s going before he even says the words. There’s only one thing Pop loves as much as his family. The Cubs. I’d never seen him as happy as he was the day they won. His life had been made.
“But my Cubbies winning the World Series was the best day of my life. I can die a happy man.”
“For the love of God,” Ma mutters. “I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. May we continue to be blessed in the coming year. Amen.”
Joining everyone else, I say, “Amen.” And I quickly do the sign of the cross before grabbing my fork and diggi
ng back into my food.
After twenty minutes of gorging ourselves on an obscene amount of food, the women clear the table and kick our asses happily back to the living room, putting us in charge of the kids. We spread out around the room, leaving enough space for our other halves when they return.
I settle into the couch with Stone in my arms. He’s in that familiar food coma too. His eyes are heavy and his blinks long and drawn-out. He’s fighting it, unlike me. I prop him on my shoulder and rub his back, making tiny circles until he’s fast asleep
I doze off somewhere in the middle of the conversation about the Cubs. The topic has become boring to me, although Pop is still as excited as the night it happened.
“Daddy.” Lily yanks on my pant leg.
“Yeah?” I don’t open my eyes.
“Can I snuggle with you, or are you still mad at me?”
I glance down at her and smile. She’s chewing on her index finger and staring at me while she turns her body from side to side. I pat the cushion next to me, careful not to wake Stone. “Come here, sweetheart. I always want your snuggles. I love you.”
A giant smile spreads across her face. She looks so much like her mother that she takes my breath away sometimes. She climbs on the couch, settling in the crook of my arm and resting her tiny hand on my stomach. “Do you have a baby in there?” she asks into the fabric of my shirt.
“No, Lily. No baby. It’s only food. Only girls can have babies. Remember Mommy and I told you that when she was pregnant with Stone.”
“That’s not fair. I don’t want to ever have a baby. Men should be able to have them too.”
Joe chuckles next to me after hearing Lily’s statement, and I pull her closer to my side.
“Just stay away from gross boys, and you won’t have to worry about getting pregnant.”
She sticks out her tongue and makes a gagging noise. “Boys are gross, Daddy.”
“That’s my girl.” I pray she’ll always feel this way.
“I’ll never love a boy the way I love you,” she says, melting my heart into a pile of goo.
I lock this memory away because I know soon she’ll be dating and will forget the words she just spoke. Someday, I’ll have to have a man-to-man with her new beau, and it isn’t going to be pretty. Soon, probably sooner than I want, I’ll be threatening the life of some asswad horny teenager about putting his filthy hands on my daughter, and Lily will hate me for it.
If she’s ever going to get married, it’ll take a hell of a man to survive my hazing. I don’t know of many fools who will willingly subject themselves to me for a piece of ass. The way I figure it, if he sticks around after dealing with me, then he’d have to be doing it for love.
When the ladies return, gift opening starts. Only the kids get gifts anymore. The main event, as I call it, takes hours. There are so many gifts in the room we’d need twenty Christmas trees to set them under. It’s obscenely beautiful. The kids are glowing as they take turns opening their presents.
“We have a great life,” Mia says, curling into the spot where my little girl had been an hour earlier.
“I wish we could freeze time, Doc. I don’t want them to ever grow up.”
“I know.” She kisses my cheek, nuzzling into my neck with her face. “I love you, Michael.”
“Love you too, Mia.” I pull her closer, careful not to smash Stone. Somehow, he’s sleeping through all the noise and shrieks as each present is opened.
“We gotta wake him up.” She strokes his cheek. “Stone, baby, wake up, sweetheart,” she whispers. “He’ll keep us up all night, otherwise.”
“We’re going to be up all night setting up Lily’s presents anyway. Might be nice to have him with us.”
“I thought we could make love by the fire.” She smiles up at me and bites her lip.
She doesn’t have to say another word. I pull Stone from my shoulder and cradle him in my arms. “Stone,” I whisper repeatedly until his tiny eyes flutter open. He smiles up at me in a sleepy haze before Mia takes him from my arms.
I glance around the room, taking in the moment. My parents are on the floor with the kids, happier than I’ve seen them in years. Ma’s beaming with pride, and
