Back when we met, Wilder said he was thinking about opening up some business here just as an excuse to be down here, but he made that a reality. The new factory opened last month, and we’ve both been busy with that. It turns out I’m not just good at crafting because I’m also good at designing toys.
I have to say that it’s a lot more fun than I ever imagined it could be. I still do my sewing and crafting because I have a lot of regular customers, and I didn’t want to disappoint them. Also, I love using the machine Wilder got me.
We haven’t talked about getting married yet since we’ve only been together for a year, and I’d like to wait. It’s also not because I’m not certain. I’d marry Wilder this evening if he asked me. We’ve talked about it, and we both agreed we’d like to wait. I know Wilder is it for me, so I don’t feel like we need to rush into a whole bunch of changes right away. We would like to have a family too, but again, that’s more the five-year plan since we’d like to enjoy our time together where it’s just us two. Part of me gets sad thinking about how Pappy S might not get to see his great-great-grandchildren if we wait to have them, but I know he’d also cough up the worst, most epic, nasty hairball of protests—I’m thinking about the cats here—if I ever said anything like that.
Anyhow, I’m sure Pappy S will outlive us all. He was once so worried about me being looked after, but now he always informs me that he’s not going anywhere. I really hope that’s true. Even when the time comes, I know he’ll always be alive for our kids through photos and my memories. And I’ll always make sure everyone knows it was Pappy S who brought Wilder and me together. I have him to thank for the great big love I have in my heart now, for all the happiness in our home together, and for the extra two cats that we adopted because there truly always is room for more, and we’ll always have love to spare.
“I better get this cake out to our parents,” Wilder says.
I snap out of what I was thinking about and laugh as he dices the cake up with quick chops of the knife. The pieces aren’t even at all. “It’s slightly funny that Pappy S went through a whole piece before we even finished serving it.”
“Did you expect anything less?”
“No. No, I absolutely did not.”
“You know, I’m not only glad we did this, but I’m glad you’re here. Always. Every minute of the day. I’m glad you’re my partner, and I’m glad you put up with me. I love how you have so much love to give everyone, and I love that my business is now your passion. I especially love that you tolerate a guy who plays with toys and thinks about toys all day. I’m really, really glad we made it to a year, and I’m seriously looking forward to the next however many years we get. If you’re my life sentence, I’ll happily serve out my time.”
“Oh boy.” I roll my eyes, but of course, my heart is fluttering, and my eyes are getting misty. “That’s a lot of flattery and some really bad pickup lines. Where’d you find that one?”
“Online.”
“Yeah, but what site?”
“You know, I can’t even remember.”
With a huge grin, Wilder sets the knife down and leans over the piece of cake to give me a lovely, wet, smacking kiss.
“Oooh! Maybe we should get out of the kitchen,” I hear Vera say as she walks in. “I thought there was supposed to be cake cutting going on in here, not macking.”
“J Murphy.” I pull away, my cheeks scarlet, and Wilder snorts.
“Holy moly on a trolly, leave them alone,” Monique playfully admonishes before winking at me. “The cake is cut. Look, I can see it.”
“I thought you two were supposed to be entertaining my sisters. If left to their own devices, I’m sure they’ll find a way to get Hector into my bed.”
“It’s a darn good thing that I know Hector is a spider,” Vera says. In a blink, she grabs a plate with a huge piece of cake that was supposed to be for us to take out to our parents on the deck and immediately sticks her finger in the icing, so it’s ruined for anyone else.
“Oh, go right on ahead and help yourself,” I encourage her. “Take some for Wilder’s sisters too. You might as well have that last piece, Monique. We’ll cut more, and everyone will get served eventually.”
Monique takes a plate and grabs the extra two just as I asked. “Come sit down and have a glass of wine,” she encourages me.