Emery [bxb]

184

Our one-year-old boy has blond curls, big blue eyes and cheeks so fat they sag on his face. He waddles ahead of us in his diaper, gleefully pointing out all the animals behind the chainlink fences at the park.

I'm wearing the baby carrier; Emery is pushing the stroller.

"Make sure he doesn't stick his tiny hand through the fence," Emery cautions behind me.

I lift the sweet little bub up into my arms and kiss his cheek while he strains and fusses to be closer to the fence.

"C'mon, little bug, you know mommy never lets you have any fun."

"Like I said, taking him surfing wouldn't be fun, daddy; it would be disastrous." Emery's lips twitch with humour.

Adonis babbles happily in his own language until we return to the massive spread we call home: a sumptuous Miami villa set amidst lush verdant acres of rolling hills. Emery was right; settling down here was a good idea. He was right about everything.

My parents are waiting in the driveway to babysit Adonis for the day so we can enjoy the night together.

"Babe," I crowd Emery against the counter while he works on that broccoli salad I love. The fresh-cut flowers I got him today are in a vase nearby. "Let's go upstairs. I wanna check your balls and prostate...again..." I snuffle into his neck with a neediness that should be embarrassing.

"I'm sure nothing's changed from yesterday." But he grins and kisses me, obliging me because - thirty years. That's a long time to want someone, and now he never passes up sex.