Back to Square One

Chapter Forty-Four: Annika

May 2022

I look over at our kids playing in the sand. The whole week has been so rainy it's nice to be out in the sun. "Our kids are so freakin cute," Bianca says.

She and I lay on a blanket under an umbrella with my daughter. Arabella is one year old today. She giggles at birds and blows spit bubbles. Every few minutes, she points to the ocean and says, "milk!" Because to her, every liquid is milk.

We are doing dinner with the whole family tonight for her birthday, but for now, it's beach day. I can't wait till she demolishes her little cake, till she is covers is a chocolate mess—my little Bella girl.

"They sure are." I love that the cousins are so close. I hope they stay that way. "How much longer till the Daddies come back with pizza?"

"It better be soon, or I'm fishing."

"You getting in the water?"

"No, ma'am. You know me. I only swim in water I can see through. I've got Bella; you have fun."

The beach is crowded. The family next to us has kids the same age as ours. They start playing with each other. I wave to their mom, and she waves back. She keeps an eagle eye on her son when he starts playing with Kal.

"Hey, baby," Silas says in my ear, scaring the crap out of me. I roll onto my back, and water sprays onto my face from the squirt gun in his hand. He's dead.

"You gonna get it!" I say, chasing him to the ocean.

"I'm gonna get some that's for sure." I tackle him into the water. He kisses me as we stand in the waist-deep water. "The kids can't hear us."

"True." I slide my hand down his trunks under the water. "You want me, babe?"

He bites his lip and nods. "Am I getting some now?" I tease him, stroking his shaft just enough to get a semi out of him. He is always so responsive to me. "That feels good, Nik." Then I splash him and swim away from him. "Hell no!"

"Karmas a bitch!" I yell as I run up the beach.

"You're gonna get it tonight."

"Don't threaten me with a good time." I wipe off and pick up Bella. "You ready for lunch birthday girl?" She claps as I give her little bits of my crust as I eat. Silas fills her sippy cup with water. The older kids drink sprite and orange soda with the pizza, Connor burps loudly.

Jamie gives him a high five as Bianca yells, "manners!"

The dads go out to the water with the kids while Bianca and I clean up. Bella falls asleep on the blanket; her baby bubble belly is moving up and down with even breaths. Kal stays behind playing with his new friend.

"Your brother had a vasectomy," Bianca says as soon as we sit back down.

"What?"

"We are done with the twins. And I got tired of taking the pill. He did it a month ago for my birthday."

"Good for you, B."

"Excuse me?" Our attention is brought up to the mom of the kid Kal was playing with. She points her finger to Bianca. "You're son just pushed mine over."