Boone
“What would you guys like to do today?” Margot loads waffles on my plate.
“I want to play outside with Crockett.” Amelia follows her statement by shoving two pieces of pancake in her mouth.
“That sounds like a great plan. This is a beautiful area, and I’d like to get some more photographs.” Margot’s nibbling on a piece of bacon as she looks contemplatively out the window. “It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day.”
“Well, I know some great places I can show you guys. And you’re going to love all the wildlife and scenic views for your photos.” I can’t help adding, “These waffles are really delicious. I’m so glad we had enough flour.”
Margot’s head pops up as I say this, and her face flushes red.
“Yes, that really was an unfortunate accident in your pantry. I’m sorry about that.” Her quick humor is one of the great things I love about her.
I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively. “Not a problem.” She’s still blushing, and it’s so cute.
“Crockett can come outside with us, right?” Amelia’s been a real champ on her plate and is already winding down.
“Of course, sweetie. He pretty much comes and goes as he pleases.”
Amelia looks immediately relieved and fills her mouth again.
One of the great things about having a pet raccoon is I don’t usually have to feed him. He scrounges pretty well for himself outside. I just need to make sure that I keep all the food stored away and the pantry door closed on a regular basis.
“Do you want another piece of bacon, Amelia?” Margot holds out the plate in front of us. “You better get it while it’s here.”
Laughing, I hold my hand up and shake it. These three waffles have really filled me up.
“Make sure you get another piece, Margot.” I don’t want my beautiful girl withering away.
Both girls grab another piece and finish the plate.
I think about where I’d like to take them first. Margot should be able to get some fascinating photos of the plant and wildlife.
“There’s a beautiful creek not far away. As long as Amelia understands she only visits it with one of us, I think it’s a great place to spend the morning.”
Amelia’s head nods vigorously at my words.
“I’m done. Can I go outside?” Amelia is trying to push her chair away from the table and get down from her makeshift booster chair.
“How about you help clear the table while I start washing?” Margot smiles and moves behind Amelia’s chair to help her get down.
Amelia’s excited hooray makes doing dishes sound as exciting as going out to play.
I hope she’s always this excited about everything. I’m so looking forward to watching her grow up and develop into as beautiful a woman as her mother.
It doesn’t take long to get the kitchen cleaned up.
The only hiccup is when Margot tells Amelia she has to go brush her teeth before we go outside.
Dental hygiene is obviously not very high on a four-year-old’s priority list.
Volunteering to do it with her seems to make it more exciting, so we both head to the bathroom.
Amelia wants to show me how great she is at putting toothpaste on her own toothbrush, so I let her do mine as well.
We make idiotic faces in the mirror as we brush and foam up our mouths.
By the time we are done, I have to spend a few minutes cleaning the mirror while Amelia takes off downstairs.
“I’m walking out with Amelia and Crockett,” Margot calls up the stairs as I’m finishing up.
“Sounds good. I’m right behind you.”
It’s amazing how, in two days, so much has changed.
My bedroom looks lived in and homey.
It looks like Margot made an effort to make the bed, but I know Amelia had been romping on it shortly after we woke up, and the covers are rumpled, giving the whole bed a relaxed feel.
Just the way I feel right now: full, happy, and definitely content.
Heading outside, Margot rounds up Amelia and Crockett to follow me into the woods on a barely discernible trail used by game in the area.
Amelia and Crockett flit on and off the trail, mostly with Amelia chasing Crockett and investigating everything that seems to interest his nose.
Grasping Margot’s hand, we walk companionably in silence down the trail.
I wonder if she’s having the same thoughts as I am.
“We’re going to need to figure out other sleeping arrangements for Amelia long term here.”
I can’t help it if this is a top priority on my to-do list. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to constantly have sex on the floor or in the pantry.
“Why, Boone, are you inviting me to move in with you?” Margot’s coy tone lets me know we’re on the same page.
“No, I’m not asking you to move in.” Her head jerks up, and her smile dims slightly.
Stepping in front of her, I bring her to a halt, chest to chest. “I’m working on the arrangements for more than just here. This doesn’t have to be our home. I just want us to be constantly together, and you’ll be my home, Margot.”
She melts against me as her head tilts back, and I eagerly kiss her with all the emotions swelling in my chest.
They are both now my everything.
I don’t want Margot to feel like she’s losing anything by being with me.
We both have money and could go anywhere together. If we stay here for any length of time, the most logical idea would be to add on.
“I love you, Boone.” Margot breathes out as soon as our lips pull apart.
Lifting her golden blonde hair away from her neck with my fingers, I admire the sunlight playing in its strands as I lean in to peck her lips one more time.
“I love you too, Margot.”
Margot’s breath catches as she stiffens, and I’m almost afraid of what I will see as I quickly turn around.
“Isn’t that incredible?”
Margot’s right. It is incredible.
That damn doe that I was just hunting the other night is only a dozen feet away from Amelia. She’s about 50 feet up on the trail and standing stock still, watching the deer.
Margot brings the camera to her face and starts to take pictures.
The deer hesitantly moves even closer to Amelia, who begins to sing in a cooing baby voice.
Margot’s shutter clicks continually as the deer moves closer and closer to Amelia, who looks like a fairy princess with her shiny blonde hair and small stature.
Suddenly, Crockett comes bounding from the other side of Amelia where he must’ve been exploring ahead.
The deer startles and turns, running off and gone in seconds.
“Woah. Wow, Amelia! She likes you.” Margot shakes her head in wonder.
Amelia has excitedly turned towards us and is skipping back.
“She did! She loved me! Did you see that, Mommy?”
“I sure did. I got a bunch of pictures, too.” Margot crouches down and shades her cameras screen to start flipping back through them.
Amelia squeals appreciatively at a few and then looks back over at Crockett.
“Silly Crockett scared her away.”
Crockett’s come back to within a few feet of us and just tilts his head at an angle like he’s understood her words.
“You’re like a real Disney princess.” Margot’s words make Amelia’s smile beam.
I have to agree: it was fucking incredible.
“You’re not only a Disney princess, Amelia. You’re my princess, too!” I swoop her into a bear hug and swing her around in a circle as she squeals before setting her back down.
She immediately runs off with Crockett trailing behind.
Margot, still reviewing photos, watches them leave.
Everything is so perfect. I’m not sure why I still feel like there’s something I’ve missed.
It could be that I just haven’t been this happy in so long, and I’m afraid of it being ripped away.
But we still haven’t found out or seen any more of Amelia’s mysterious bad man.
So even though my gut is telling me that something isn’t quite right, I’m going to ignore it and make the best of this great adventure I’m starting with Margot.
Admiring her profile as she snaps some pictures, she swings the camera to me and starts clicking the shutter.
“Oh, no, no. Enough of that.”
She just smiles at my words and blows a kiss my way. “Get used to it.”
Cheeky.
So this is what living with a photographer will be like.