in time // h.s.

epilogue

As I dropped my son off for his first day of school, I watched with a swell of pride as he excitedly ran into the playground and played with anyone who showed the slightest bit of interest. He wasn't picky, yet. A friend was simply someone who flashed a smile in his direction and included him in whatever they were doing. He had no reason to be cautious or wary of their intentions. I hoped he had many more years of that delectable innocence ahead of him, before the school politics kicked in and taught him otherwise.

I wasn't the only one to become overwhelmed at that momentous milestone in my son's life. His mother, my wife, hastily fished around inside her brown leather handbag, searching for a tissue to mop up her falling tears.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked, as I put my arm around her and pulled her into my chest for a hug, kissing the top of her head and taking comfort from the familiar smell of her shampoo.

"I'm being silly. Sorry..." she mumbled, shaking her head slightly at the emotion continuing to mount inside of her. Unable to regain control of her breathing, she allowed soft sobs to escape as she continued to talk. "He's just so grown up. Where did the time go?"

"He's still our little scruff," I assured her, using the nickname we'd given him on account of the fact that no matter what we dressed him in, and no matter how much we scrubbed him clean, our little tyke always looked like he'd been on some great grubby endeavor. His rosy cheeks and unruly dark curly hair didn't help to make him look any smarter.

She pursed together her lips and gave a little nod of agreement before exhaling and pulling her golden brown hair away from her face. "I just hope he likes it," she shrugged.

"He'll love it."

"But what if he misses us?" she frowned, turning to check on his whereabouts, her bottom lip pouting out in the same way our son's did, it was hard to decide which of them had picked up that little habit from the other. I wondered if she'd always pulled that expression, and whether it was just amplified now that I had two gorgeous faces showing their scrummy bottom lips whenever they were worried and looking for comfort. Either way, they both had the ability to melt my heart within seconds. I wanted more than anything to resolve their woes, for them to know I was there, with them unconditionally, that they'd always have me for support. I was never going to be a dad who upped and left, or a husband who deserted his wife without a second thought. But then, why would I when I knew the two of them brought out the best in me and that I had everything I'd ever need within the four walls of my family home? Nothing would ever tempt me into tearing our happy existence apart. I knew that unquestionably.

"J," I breathed, unable to stop a smile from spreading across my lips, she really was adorable. "We've been stood where he left us for the last five minutes and he hasn't looked round once to check if we're still here. He's far too excited about getting up those monkey bars and having a swing."

"True," she sighed, as she brought her crumpled tissue up to her light brown eyes once more.

"He'll be home in a matter of hours, chewing our ears off with every little detail."

With a nod, she smiled up at me, "I know. You're right. We'll never be able to shut him up."

"Exactly," I laughed, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Nice to see my wife's not the only one who's an emotional wreck," Matty mockingly grunted before laughing, as he walked towards us with his wife, Kate, clinging on to his arm. Her face was as red and swollen as Janet's, leaving no doubt that she'd been finding the morning our little ones gained some independence just as tough.

"Shove off," she choked, nudging him with her elbow, before covering her face and dissolving into laughter herself.

"And to think we used to laugh at our mums for doing the same thing," I said.