Page 106 of Painting Her Fate

Hinder’sLips Of An Angelrings through the speakers, Lili’s fingers tapping the rhythm on my hand and she hums to the lyrics.

This will all be fine. I hope.

After Lili and I were coxed to manage the five children all under the age of ten with the egg hunt, I was then given the biggest guilt trip to fill bubble machines. But it didn’t end there. Five-year-old Finn and four-year-old Julie asked me to help them fend off the invading bubble monsters.

I’m pretty sure it’s sacrilege to say no to rugrats this adorable.

Once the flip was switched on the machine, it was game on.

*Finn/boy* “Oh-no, Zander! They are everywhere! How can we get

them all?”

*Julie* “You gots to get a magic wand, Finn!”

“Watch out Finn! They’re coming for you!” I handed him the butterfly shaped bubble wand and the three of us went to popping.

*Julie* “Take that you bad monsters!”

“Yeah!” Finn screams on a karate chop, “You’re not gonna win!”

We did indeed slay all the bubble monsters until the machine ran empty. I wasn’t done though. They wanted a victory lap around the yard, so, one by one I hoisted them on my shoulders and bounced them around in a wide loop as their parents, and extended family all cheered for us on our success.

Alright, this knight is ready to sit down and take a breather.

The oldest youngster, Jackson, he’s almost ten and according to him doesn’t do baby toys anymore. He likes video games but was inside pouting over his dad taking his tablet away. Jackson did enjoy Lili’s red and blue dragon she painted on his face and soon came outside to take over the knightly duties for me after hearing about all the fun.

Mallory, the littlest rugrat at eighteen months, is in Lili’s arms giggling up a storm as they raced around the yard after her six-year-old brother Bradley.

“No way! You can’t catch me! I’m as fast as the Flash.” Bradley screeches, “ZOOM!See! I’m all the way over here now!”

“We’re going to get you!” Lili calls over Mallory’s giggle fest.

Julie and Finn call to Bradley for him to join in their fun. He races super-fast to his cousins, and they begin a game of tag.

Lili spins the baby around and around in the yard, the two of them giggling and having a ball.

I find anything Lili does to be appealing, but as she holds a baby in her arms, I find it’s the brightest joy from her thus far. Is it weird I find that most attractive of all? She’d make a great mother.

What the hell, man? Kids? This soon? What are you even thinking?

Sure, it’s way too soon to think about her having kids, our kids, but I cannot get over how good she looks; it comes natural to her.

It’s a remarkable sight.

I didn’t know I was smiling so big until her father spoke next to me.

“It’s good to see her happy again. You’re good for her.” He states casually as he moves around in his chair. I turn to him, the smile a constant beacon. “I thought so.”

“Thought what, sir?” I grew up respecting my elders, its driven into you even more so when speaking to a higher-ranking officer. Sargent Daniel Thompson is no exception, our age difference aside, and however many years out of the military, I will respect this man. He gives me knowing look before we both turn back to watch Lili as she held the baby’s hands skyward to assist Mallory as she walked around on wobbly legs.

“Friends or more than that, you have my blessing.” His eyes bore into me, “you know right off the bat what I expect of you.” He keeps his casual tone and sips at his bottled water. When his hand wraps around my bicep, not rough, but enough to get the point across, I turn my stony mask to his, “As long as you don’t hurt her. You hurt my daughter; we will have problems.”

My response comes automatic.

“No one will ever hurt Lili, myself included. You have my word.” A promise made from a Marine is like a binding contract, not written, but never forgotten.

He let go of my arm now that my attention is back on him, his nod of understanding has me mimicking his actions.

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