We have one thing in common. Well, we have plenty in common, but we both have readers that like polar bears, and turns out we have the same publisher too. The fact we fell in love in Polar Bear, Alaska, well, it's a literary miracle. Beyond that, it's a fucking beautiful love story if you ask me.
The event's about to start, and I know I need to focus on these tiny readers who've come to meet the storyteller behind Patty Cake the Polar Bear. But before I can give these little ones my undivided attention, I need to let my wife know just how much I love her. I draw her to me, my hand wrapping around her waist. "Juniper," I say, my mouth on her ear, "I fucking love you. And tonight, when we get to the hotel room, I plan on ravishing you. Understood?"
She whispers right back at me, "God, I'm so horny."
She pulls back, her hands on my chest, her eyes finding mine. Her belly between us is round and perfect. She's six months pregnant and looks like a goddamn queen. "This pregnancy is doing all sorts of crazy things to me," she says, laughing again.
"You've never looked more beautiful," I tell her.
She rolls her eyes, and she runs fingers through my hair. "Jacob Whitaker, I love being your wife."
"Good," I say, "because I love being your husband."
"We have a busy day ahead of us," she says, cocking her head at the line that's formed in front of her table.
"Well, you have an assistant who's going to be bringing you decaf lattes all afternoon, and gingerbread cake and anything else you need. So, you got to speak up if you need something."
As if on cue, her assistant Tabitha, with her iPad in hand, asks Juniper if she'd like her coffee ordered now or when the signing starts.
"Now would be great," Juniper says.
I grin. "Thank you, Tabitha."
"Of course, Jacob. And can I get you anything?"
I shake my head. "Nope, I'm good. I'm going to head over to the children's section. I'm going to be finished up there quite a bit sooner than my wife. My fans have a bedtime that's much earlier than her readers."
Juniper laughs. "Fair point."
"In that case," I say, "I will come find you when I finish up, babe." I give Juniper a kiss on the cheek and tell Tabitha thanks again for everything, especially looking after my wife when I can't.
After everything she went through being kidnapped, we have extra security these days. It's not just Tabitha who has an eye on my wife. She has an actual security guard. Bruno is here, too, and he's armed and ready for anything. I give him a nod and he gives me a salute, and then he follows Juniper to her signing table.
I head to the children's section, and I look at all the toddlers and tots crawling and walking around, kids picking up the latest paperbacks and chapter books. Of course, there's a moment of heartache when I see these little kids, remembering Spencer, my son, the little boy who isn't here to celebrate Christmas this year, the boy who brought me to Polar Bear, who in the end brought me to Juniper. The boy I would do anything to hold again, to have forever. The boy I lost way too soon.
I always get sentimental this time of year. Of course, I do. Any father would, especially a father who's lost a child. Now I have another child coming in a few months’ time, and I'll start a journey of loving another human being all over again. It's strange, the starting over. But that's why I went to Polar Bear in the first place, to try and turn over a new leaf, and I did.
Now as I sit down in this chair that's really made for a child, I look at the stack of books: Patty Cake the Polar Bear Goes Fishing, Patty Cake the Polar Bear Goes to School, Patty Cake the Polar Bear Celebrates Christmas.
I pick up a red marker, ready to autograph. And the children begin to cue up, smiling, beaming really, missing their front teeth, their hair in braids or slicked to the side for photos with the famous author. In their Christmas finery, mothers and fathers and grandparents surrounding them, happy to bring their children to a bookstore at Christmas. And I'm happy that they're here, too, because there's really nothing better than a bookstore at the holidays. Christmas music playing, Christmas trees lit up everywhere, my wife yards away.
"How can I help you?" I ask the first little girl who comes up with her copy of Patty Cake Celebrates Christmas.
"Have you ever been to Alaska?" she asks.
I smile. "Why, yes," I say, "I have.” I look across the bookstore at Juniper. She is smiling at a reader, a young woman who has just brought her a gift, a red velvet cape – good God, her readers are adoring.