Chapter 20

20

The next morning, Adrianna woke up to an empty bed and the aroma of fresh coffee wafting from downstairs. She stretched out her arms and smiled, relishing the few moments of solitude before the kids burst into the room.

Mickey appeared in the doorway, two mugs of coffee in hand. "Morning, beautiful."

She sat up and took a mug from him, wrapping her hands around the warmth. "You're up early."

"I wanted to get a head start on some lesson plans before Jack and Lily wake up." He perched on the edge of the bed and glanced at the clock. "We have about twenty minutes if you want to continue where we left off last night."

Heat flooded Adrianna's cheeks as she remembered, and Mickey's smoldering gaze told her he remembered too. She set her coffee aside and pulled him close, her lips finding his in a slow, sensual kiss.

By the time the kids tumbled into their room, Adrianna's hair was mussed and Mickey's shirt was halfway unbuttoned. But their smiles were bright, the lingering effects of their passion melting into tenderness.

After breakfast, Adrianna settled in at her desk to work on her new novel, while Mickey helped the kids get ready for school. The old house fell into its usual rhythm, filled with laughter and chatter and the pitter-patter of little feet.

Adrianna typed away, lost in the world she was creating on the page. But amid the solitude of her craft, she felt profoundly happy. Because she had a loving husband and two beautiful children to come home to. A life they had built through trust and sacrifice and choosing each other every day.

And that was all she needed.

The kids burst through the front door after school with Mickey in a flurry of backpacks and jackets. "Mommy, Daddy, look what we made in art class!" Lily waved a brightly colored painting, while Jack showed off a lopsided clay vase.

Adrianna and Mickey exchanged a smile, pride swelling in their chests. "They're wonderful!" Adrianna exclaimed, giving each child a hug. "We'll hang them on the fridge so everyone can see."

After snacks and homework, they gathered in the living room for family game night. Laughter rang out as they played Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, the kids' giggles mingling with Adrianna and Mickey's playful teasing.

When bedtime rolled around, Adrianna tucked Lily in with a bedtime story while Mickey helped Jack brush his teeth. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she gazed at her sleeping daughter's cherubic face. How had they gotten so lucky?

Mickey came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Our little angels," he murmured. "Can you believe how fast they're growing up?"

Adrianna leaned into his embrace, her hands covering his. "It feels like just yesterday I had both of them. And now..."

"I know," Mickey said. "Our family is everything to me."

And in that perfect moment, with her family safe and happy under one roof, Adrianna's heart overflowed with gratitude. The future was uncertain, but as long as they faced it side by side, she knew they would be alright.