For the wise man looks into space and he knows there is no limited dimensions.
– Lao Tzu
:July 27, 1995:
"What the...? Lani!"
"What is it e ipo? Who's there?"
At that moment, the unmistakable sound of an infant shriek pierces the still summer evening, immediately grasping Lani's attention, even as Prince remains motionless, frozen at the front door.
She rushes up to him, and locks her arms securely around his stiff, shocked frame to give his cheek a quick peck before peeking over his shoulder only to confirm what she already knew...
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A now calm looking baby girl cracks a sunny smile, and gives a happy squeal. She starts excitedly kicking her feet at Lani's sudden appearance over Prince's shoulder as he takes a hard swallow past a lump in his throat.
He offers Lani a nervous look, forcing out a rather strangled sounding, "We didn't register for a special delivery from the stork...did we?"
"Uhhhh...not that I'm aware of," she chuckles in response, rushing around him toward the baby in a state of happy confusion; thoughts of both Ronnie and their anniversary temporarily forgotten in light of their unexpected pint sized houseguest.
A still stunned Prince silently observes Lani as her smiling face locks squarely on the infant, cooing sweetly, "Why are you so cute?" as the innocent child's giggles fill the air.
Her parenting instincts are already kicking into high gear, and for a split second he's afforded a glimpse of her mothering their own children and feels his heart swell with tenderness.
The brief moment is only broken when she finally notices an envelope bearing both their names in stark block lettering securely taped to the side of the carrier.
She reaches forward hastily to tug the envelope away as the baby starts to whimper over the abrupt loss of attention; her nervous, fumbling hands ripping it nearly to shreds and revealing a stark white sheet of paper.
Bewildered with the discovery, she grasps it in one hand, the baby in the other, and rushes into the house.
She blindly pushes her way past her still shell shocked fiance, who mindlessly follows behind her into the house, closing the door behind them.
Without another word she sets the car seat gently onto the floor before turning her attention to the paper in her hand and quickly beginning to read.
—-
:October 16, 2020:
"Mommy?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you tell me the story of you and Papa again?"
Ronnie brushes a stray curl out of Marie's inquisitive eyes. "Didn't I tell you that just two days ago?"
