EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Owen
“Dad! What do we do?” Francesca says.
“Give her some grass maybe?” I say.
I reach down and pull some out of the ground and hand it to Francesca.
The giraffe’s long neck comes down and he takes it from Francesca’s hand.
“Oh my gosh!” she says, as Mila snaps a picture.
The president just wrapped up his Africa summit and I was able to schedule a couple days on the back end for a family vacation. The president isn’t Mila’s dad anymore, but he is the third president I’ve guarded. It’s nice to be in a position of seniority now. But it’s not for me…it’s for my family.
I’ve worked my tail off the last decade. I’ve built the life I’ve always wanted and now it’s time to enjoy it a little. This vacation in Africa is one of the many ways I’m doing that.
And it wouldn’t mean anything without Mila and the kids here.
It’s hard to imagine way back in Hawaii how dire things were. I had no job. Practically no money. Definitely no woman.
And now I have all three. But I don’t just have a woman, I have my woman.
The one and only for me.
And she’s way better then I am at getting the kids where they need to be, snapping photos so we have all these great memories, and just running the family in general. I’m so focused on work and she’s focused on all four of us. It works out perfect for all of us.
But just because I’m focused on my job doesn’t mean I slack in the dad department. Not in the slightest.
Everything I do is for my family. The work pays the bills and for the trips like these.
Mila’s done an incredible job planning out our itinerary for the next few days down here. Now I just get to kick back and enjoy. I’m not sure who feels like more of a kid…my kids or me.
Everyday I’m amazed at my wife. When I was younger I didn’t think it took much to be a stay at home mom. What do they really do? Just shopping and coffee with their friends, right? It can’t be that hard.
Boy was I ever wrong. Ignorant is an understatement.
I appreciate my wife more than anything and she’s given me an even deeper appreciation for homemakers in general. Hats off to those ladies and all ladies in particular.
They are the glue to this crazy thing called life. They keep the gears of families everywhere greased and running smoothly. The analogy might sound a bit strange, but for a guy it makes complete sense.
And that’s another thing I love about her. She knows I’m a man and doesn’t try to interfere with that. Not that she’d want to.
She never tries to change me or mold me into something else. I think the reason why is because I’m exactly what she wants, even after all these years.
I know for sure she’s the perfect woman for me…my complete dream doll, and no one even comes close.
How did I get so lucky.
“Look dad, a baby giraffe,” Francesca says as she points off into the distance.
“Will we see a lion?” Frank asks.
“Maybe if we’re lucky,” I say.
“Or maybe we won’t if we’re lucky,” Mila says.
I take a couple steps to my side and wrap my arm around Mila.
“I thought I was the protector of our family,” I say as I reach down and kiss the top of her head.
“You may be the protector, but I’m the momma bear. Nothing comes between momma bear and her cubs…especially when it’s big, fast, and has knives for teeth.”
“Well then if we see a lion we can stay in the car.”
“Or just go to the zoo when we get back. That sounds even better.”
“If we can handle sharks we can handle an overgrown cat,” I say.
“Please don’t remind me about our finned not-friends,” Mila says as she laughs. “But speaking of overgrown cats this pussy is going to need to be tamed later.”
“Well your pussy is in luck because I know just the big game hunter.”
“Are you calling me big?” she says, poking me in the ribs.
“Not big, just biggest…as in the biggest love of my life.”
“Awww,” she says. She hugs me back with both arms.
“I love you,” I say.
“And I love you,” she says.
Francesca pets the baby giraffe’s head as she feeds it while Frank does the same to the momma giraffe.
I rub Mila’s head with one hand and grab her jaw with the other, pretending to move it up and down.
“Hey!” she says. She gives me a playful slap but can’t help but to laugh.
“When animals attack!” I say. I lunge forward and grab her, tickling her relentlessly.
“When…animals…bite,” she says in-between laughs and pinches me in the side.
As the kids marvel at their newfound friends, I marvel at us.
No matter how many years go by we’ve still got that playful spirit inside of us. At least when it comes to each other.
She brings out the best in me and I bring out the best in her. And together we share in all the fun.
Just like we are now and how we will tomorrow, the next day, and forever.