Page 94 of One More Kiss

Eight years later, Corbin is the light of my life. He is the reason I get up in the morning, the reason I keep going when it seems like my life sucks more than ever. He's everything I have. And I would do anything for him, just as that stranger did for me.

The day that stranger saved me from myself will forever be my Wonder Day. And every year, we celebrate that day by doing something fun and special that makes us remember how wonderful and magical life can be, just like he said. Another day to see the beauty and wonder in the world. My angel gave me my life, my child, and my future. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.

As Corbin disappears from my bedroom, I roll out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. I can barely look at myself in the mirror, but some part of me knows that I need to do it. I need to look at myself and force myself to believe that I am strong and beautiful and worthy of love. I need to see the woman that my little boy needs and not the woman that Corbin's father and everyone else in my life couldn't wait to give up on back then.

My reflection in the mirror is a little blurry, but I can still see the dark circles under my eyes and the way my skin is pale and sallow. I had a rough night. Things aren’t always perfect. No life is perfect. Sometimes I stay up too late thinking about the bills that are due and the grocery shopping that needs to be done. Some nights I cry myself to sleep after yet another one of my high school friends gets engaged, but I try not to think about those kinds of things on Wonder Day. I force myself to focus on the positive: I don't have to go to work today. I have the whole day to spend with my sweet little son.

Once I'm out of the bathroom, I step into the kitchen to start breakfast. I turn on the stove and pull out some eggs and bread. The smell of toast fills the house as I crack the eggs into a bowl and start whisking them. As I mix in the seasonings, I start to sing to myself quietly. A moment later, Corbin appears and starts dancing around the kitchen. He's singing his own song, and the lyrics are a mish-mash of made-up nonsense words that mean absolutely nothing. I smile and hug him, trying to impress upon him how much I adore him and how proud I am of him. I tell him how much I love him over and over again as he squeals with delight and runs away. When he realizes I’m not chasing him and putting his breakfast on a plate instead, he comes back and climbs up on the barstool at the counter.

"What wonderful thing do you want to do for Wonder Day this year, baby?" I ask him as he shovels a huge bite of eggs into his mouth.

Without missing a beat, or swallowing for that matter, he responds. "Ropes course."

I groan. He's been asking to do the damn high ropes course at the local state park forever, but I am not exactly a fan of heights. Not after...

And it's the same state park that the waterfall was in. Wonder Day is all about celebrating how wonderful life is, but I don't know if-- even after all this time-- I am ready to face where it all started.

"Are you sure, baby?" I ask. "It's pretty high and we might get scared."

"I'm sure, mommy." He beams at me, a piece of egg hanging out of his mouth. "It will be fun and then we can come back home and make cookies!"

I can't argue with that. Cookie dough may well be one of my favorite things in the whole world and he knows my weakness.

"Alright, buddy," I say. "Finish up and we'll go."

I’ve avoided that place like the plague. Even thinking about it makes my stomach drop. Every bad memory, every bad thought. It all comes back when I think of that park, that waterfall. But It’s time. I know it’s long past time. I have to face my past at some point and Wonder Day seems to be the most fitting day to do it.

We’ve come so far, Corbin and I. It hasn’t been an easy road and most people wouldn’t consider our little two bedroom apartment on the edge of the city any sort of luxury, but for us it’s everything. We made this life together. Fashioned it with hard work and lots of love. And it’s enough. It’s more than enough. Because we have each other.

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