Some things never change.
I glance around for my daughter, but Lynsey is wearing a breastfeeding cover over the top of her clothing, so the odds are, Julianna is feasting. I make my way to the table, and Lynsey’s eyes lift at my approach.
“Hello, my wife.” I lower my head and drop a kiss to her lips. We’ve been married a solid month, and I still love calling her that whenever possible.
Originally, we were going to wait and do a big, traditional wedding next summer, but one baby-free night and a few too many tiki bar beverages ended up with Lynsey and me on a plane to Vegas. The wedding was impulsive, and the twenty-four-hour trip was full of nonstop sex because Lynsey had just been cleared by Dr. Lizzy. You’d have thought we’d never had sex before the way we were going at it all night. God, it was a good night. It was our first night away from Julianna, and we stayed up the entire time fucking and talking about our future together.
When we came home, I thought our elopement would send our parents into a tailspin, but my mother was bubbling over with happiness. Lynsey’s parents came around when we agreed to baptize Julianna at their church. It all worked out pretty perfectly.
“Hello, my husband,” Lynsey volleys with a dopey smile that I never want to disappear.
I peek under the cover where Julianna’s eating. “Hello, my daughter.”
Her head instantly pulls away from Lynsey’s breast, and milk shoots into her face as she looks toward my voice. She cries out at the onslaught of liquid, and Lynsey quickly reconnects her to the breast.
“Don’t distract a girl when she’s eating,” Lynsey exclaims, nudging me so I move away.
Laughing, I sit in the open chair beside her, unable to hide my amusement. “A little breastmilk on the face isn’t as bad as pie on the crotch.”
Lynsey rolls her eyes. “Touché.”
I pull a piece of pie in front of me and tuck into it.
“How was your mommy and me class?” I ask around a mouthful of French silk.
“Very informative,” Lynsey replies and then opens her mouth when I offer to feed her a bite. She licks the remnants off her lips and adds, “Today, we discussed Kegel exercises to get our vaginas back to their former glories.”
My brows furrow. “I told you sex is just as good as it was prior to Jules. You’re being nuts about this.”
Lynsey’s nose wrinkles. “Still, I want to keep my situation high and tight for my hot doctor husband.”
“You can’t improve perfection.” I lean across the table and kiss her temple. I glance down at her mess all over the table. “What do you have for me?”
“Okay, so there are a couple of buildings the realtor said we can go look at tonight,” Lynsey says, turning her laptop in my direction. “One used to be a family practice clinic, so I think that’s our best option.”
“This looks like it has some potential,” I reply while clicking through the photos.
Lynsey nods her agreement. “We’ll have some major construction, I’m sure, but check out the square footage. There’s plenty of room for your exam rooms and my group counseling rooms.”
I sit back and marvel at my superwoman of a wife. She’s been focusing on the idea of the two of us opening our own clinic basically her entire maternity leave. She’s a mom boss through and through, and I have to admit, she’s getting me excited with her vision.
The concept is a family wellness center featuring medical and emotional care. We would have family therapy, Lynsey’s children’s group therapy sessions, and I would run a family practice out of half of the clinic. We can take on partners and grow it or keep it more boutique-style if we prefer. The concept should give both of us better hours so we can be home together as a family more often.
Since Jules was born, I’ve really taken to the whole Dad scene. I like wearing her across my chest and going for walks in the neighborhood, showing her off to anyone we pass. She’s such a pink, perfect little bundle that even when she cries, I want to love on her. Lynsey says I’m obsessed with my daughter, but considering I’m also obsessed with my wife, it’s all a good thing. And if opening this clinic will enable me to become a total family man, then bring it on.
And frankly, I miss working with children. Connecting with Julianna has made me remember my true calling in life. Yes I become a stressed out mess every time she gets a sniffle. And I know the bigger she gets, the more accident prone she’ll be, so boo-boos are bound to happen. But Lynsey reminds me that the rewards are worth the risks. And my memories with Julian are a testament to that.
Julianna finishes eating, and Lynsey deftly pulls her out from under her cover and hands her to me with a burp rag. “Hi there, kid, how has your day been?”
She smiles a big, toothless smile, and my heart aches in the most wonderful way that I never thought possible. Lynsey shuffles her chair over beside me, and the two of us coo over this beautiful baby who has turned our home completely upside down these past several months.
What once were Lynsey’s shoes that drove me nuts have been replaced by baby toys and contraptions and all the things a developing four-month-old needs. But it’s a mess that I want in my house all the time.
“When are we going to have another one?” I ask, pressing my lips to Julianna’s soft cheek.
Lynsey laughs. “You’ve asked me that question every day since we could start having sex again.”
“I want more,” I grumble, holding Jules to my chest and gazing at Lynsey who’s so beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes. “You grow good babies.”
“Which is why I’m checking the expiration dates on all our condoms,” Lynsey says with a laugh. “Clinic first…then more children.”
I exhale heavily. “Fine.”
She smiles and presses her lips to mine for a long, lingering kiss. She groans as she pulls away, her hands outstretched. “You have to get back to work, so we’d better get going.”
“One moment please,” I reply, wrapping my arm around Lynsey as I hold Julianna to my heart. “I’m enjoying my family right now.”
THE END