I watched him from across the room, our daughter tucked into her daddy's arm. She giggled gleefully at him as he spun her around in circles.
5 years of marriage and a 3 year old later and he still gave me butterflies every time he smiled. My husband. My Thomas.
7 years ago we met at a charity event for Unicef. He had been standing at the desserts table stuffing his face with some kind of chocolate concoction. I pointed out to him that a big glob had missed his mouth and landed right on the lapel of his jacket. I helped him get cleaned up and the rest was history.
God, how I loved this man. He looked up from our blonde, curly haired daughter, the spitting image of him, and shot me a smile as she yawned.
"Off to bed with you, little princess." he said, giving her a quick tickle.
"But daddy!" she protested, making her bottom lip quiver, an act that was sure to thaw even the coldest hearts.
"No but daddy's," he kissed her pink little cheek and tugged a curl, "Tell mummy goodnight."
He carried her over to me and she leaned down to press her little lips against my cheek.
"G'night mummy."
I smiled and kissed her blonde curls, inhaling the sweet scent of lavender. Her bubble bath. It helped her sleep at night.
"Good night my sweet girl."
He was singing her a lullaby as he carried her up the stairs. A yawn escaped her little mouth and I covered my mouth so she wouldn't see me smile. She could protest all she wanted but she was tired. Stubborn just like her father. And maybe her mama too.
"She's down for the count," Tom said returning a moment later, " I barely got half way through 'My Girl' before she was snoring."
I smiled and leaned into his arm when he joined me on the couch. He intertwined his fingers with mine and kissed the top of my hand.
"Thank you for putting her to bed."
"You know I enjoy singing her to sleep. I don't get to do it nearly enough in person."
A shadow crossed briefly over his face. Tom loved his job as an actor but it took him away from us a lot, which he didn't love at all.
He called every day and sang Lucy to sleep every night over Skype. Not matter how tired he was or the time zone he was in. Still, I knew he felt guilty in his absence.
We missed him of course but there was no resentment at all. I knew what I was getting into when I married him and the pros of loving this man far outweighed the cons of his job.
"We are so happy you are home." I snuggled into his neck and placed a soft kiss against his pulse.
