It’s cold outside, so we bundle up, and Me-Me shows me a few of her favorite places in Newcrest.
Melisa: This is Founder’s Park. My parents used to bring us here a lot. It’s where my mom chose my dad during the costumed dating challenge. It’s also where they had their first solo date during the challenge.
Kai: Oh really? That’s pretty cool.
Me-Me leads me to the large fountain in the middle of the park.
Melisa: Jay and Lia used to play in this fountain when our nanny Brock used to bring us here. They’d wait until he went to the restroom, then jump in.
Kai: Just Jay and Lia? Not you?
Melisa: I was too scared of getting in trouble. But they’d have these intense water fights – splashing each other until they were soaking wet from head to toe.
Kai: Did they ever get into trouble?
Melisa: No, Nanny Brock was too nice to really punish them. He’d just give them a look of disapproval – as he’d call it. I was the only one who never got the look.
Kai: The ultimate ‘good girl.’
Melisa: *chuckles* Yeah, I guess so. But when I went to college, I wanted desperately to change my ‘good girl’ image, so I went and got this nose piercing. Of course, it didn’t change much; I was still me – just with a nose ring.
Kai: I can relate. I was always the rule follower too. When I was in high school, my friends and I went to this out-of-town music festival – I can’t believe I never told you this, but they didn’t want to stay there. So they decided to sneak off with fake IDs to a bar. I ended up staying at the festival all by myself. It was slightly humiliating.
Melisa: Aww, poor Kaby. *laughs* I would have done the same thing, though.
Me-Me’s laughter reaches her eyes, making them even prettier than they usually are. I’m enjoying every minute of this time alone with her. It reminds me of why I fell in love with her in the first place.
Suddenly I receive a text from Mase. I glance down at it briefly, then respond, reassuring him that we’ll be back to get them in the morning. Mase sends three more texts afterward.
Kai: That’s it; I’m turning the phone off.
Melisa: The kids?
Kai: Mase
Melisa: What if they need us?
Kai: Their grandparents can help them with anything they need.
Melisa: What if they just want to talk?
Kai: I don’t want to talk to them. I want to talk to you.
I turn off the phone.
Kai: So, what’s next?
We get up from the bench and walk over to the pavilion at the edge of the park. There’s a jukebox there. I turn it on and choose a song.
Melisa: Aww, it’s our wedding song!
Kai: Yes, it is.
There’s a pleasant chill under the pavilion as I pull Me-Me into my arms, and we slow dance to “At Last,” just like we did at our wedding reception.
I quietly sing along.
Kai: *singing* At last. My love has come along. My lonely days are over – And life is like a song… *continues* (source)
As we dance, I realize we seem to have lost our way to each other somewhere in our marriage. We’ve been so busy with Me-Me working full-time, me working the farm and training for Mt. Komo, and us raising three kids that we rarely take time for one another. This has to change. It seems that Me-Me is thinking the same thing. She takes my hands.
Melisa: I miss this.
Kai: Me too. Let’s promise to make more time for each other. No matter what.
I realize that it’ll be harder with ma gone. I feel like we wasted so many opportunities, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Melisa: I promise.
We walk over to the waterfront and take a few selfies to remind ourselves of the good time we’re having. Maybe seeing these pictures will help us keep our promise to reconnect more often.
Melisa: Okay, one silly one to send to the kids.
We continue our stroll around the park until we get to the swings.
Melisa: When’s the last time you’ve been on a swing?
I think about the swing set we have in the backyard and realize that I’ve never even thought about using it.
Kai: My last lifetime
Melisa: C’mon – let me push you!
I try to picture myself on a swing and instantly feel silly.
Kai: I have a better idea. I’ll push you!
Me-Me’s excitement is childlike. She doesn’t hesitate.
Melisa: Okay!
She sits on the only empty swing, and I give her a big push. She’s instantly eight years old ago, kicking her legs out in front of her as she soars through the air.
Melisa: Wheeeeeee!
Me-Me has one last place to show me before it gets too late and it’s time for us to check into the motel. So we cross the street to what she calls the Trolley Stop Diner. We pause by the model train, and I read the plaque while Me-Me shares more memories from her childhood.
Melisa: This was our favorite place to eat. They serve breakfast all day. Nanny Brock used to bring us here all the time. Only he never ate anything – he’d just order Earl Grey tea while we feasted on as many pancakes and waffles as we could eat.
Kai: You spent a lot of time with your nanny, didn’t you? Did you miss being around your parents?
Melisa: He mostly watched us while they were at work. He usually had nights and weekends off unless my parents really needed him. Then, he moved out and only took care of us part-time when we were school-aged.
We enter the diner that looks like a large trolley. According to the plaque outside, this location used to be a working trolley station but was converted into a restaurant a few decades ago. We grab a menu, but we’re still full from Merlin’s large brunch, so we end up ordering desserts. Me-Me also asks for one of those child placemats to color while we wait.
When Me-Me receives it, she starts coloring away. She looks so youthful and happy that I can’t resist blowing her a kiss.
Melisa: What was that for?
Kai: For being the love of my life.
Melisa: Aww, thanks, Kaby. I love you too!
Kai: I’ve been thinking about this trip to Mt. Komorebi. I’m not sure how we should play it out. Our original plan was for you to go up with me.
Melisa: Yeah, but we both know I’m much too clumsy for that. I’d fall off the mountain for sure.
Kai: How about you come with the kids anyway? We can make it a family vacation.
Melisa: Without you?
Kai: I mean – I’ll technically be there. But you and the kids can enjoy hiking and snowboarding while Mo, Stef, and I tackle the mountain.
Melisa: That sounds like a disaster. Clumsy me – hiking and snowboarding with three kids. I think I have a better idea. How about we spend Winterfest together at home – you leave with the guys and go to Mt. Komo, and I invite my mom and dad over to spend the rest of the Winter Break with us. It’ll give them more time with the boys.
Kai: You’re a genius. I think that’s the perfect solution. I always knew I married well.
Me-Me smiles as her glazed donut and my vanilla ice cream arrive.
We enjoy our desserts very slowly, glad we don’t have to share with the kids. But, eventually, we finish eating, which means it’s time to head to the motel. I’m more than ready to make the rest of the evening even more memorable. I can’t wait to hold Me-Me in my arms with no chance of any interruptions from the kids.
Kai: *flirty* We should go.
Melisa: *equally flirty* Yeah, we really should.
We make the short trip back to Willow Creek and check into the Garden View Motel.
Melisa: I guess we should have downgraded our reservation to a smaller room now that the kids aren’t with us.
Kai: Yeah, maybe so.
I sit in a chair in front of the TV while Me-Me goes into the bathroom to wash up.
She reenters the room stripped down to her underwear, and I promptly do the same.
Kai: *walking towards her* You are as beautiful as the day we married.
There’s the smile again – brightly shining all the way into her eyes. I pull her close, loving the feel of her warm half-dressed body pressed against mine. I’d love to take this slow and draw out this moment for as long as we can, but it’s been a while since we’ve been intimate – so the desire for one another is too real. So we don’t waste a lot of time before crawling under the covers and making sure this anniversary is one we’ll remember.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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