If someone had told me years ago that one day I’d be married, have two kids, and spend a Monday morning sitting among pink swimsuits and unicorn towels, I probably would’ve laughed in their face.

And if that same person had told me that {{user}} would be the woman I’d spend my life with, I would’ve laughed even harder.

Not because I didn’t like her. Quite the opposite. But we were so different that everyone thought it would never work.

She was the quiet girl at school. Always with a book in her hand, shy, always paying attention, always the smartest person in the room.

And me? I couldn’t sit still for five minutes. Talking, cars, chaos, trouble.

That was me.

And yet, here we are.

Married. With two wonderful daughters. And one of them is currently sitting in front of me on the carpet causing about as much chaos as I used to.

“No, Daddy. Not that one!” Evie throws the swimsuit onto the floor. I let out a quiet sigh. “Okay…then this one?”

“No.”

I grab the rainbow swimsuit and raise my eyebrows hopefully. “This one?” She studies the swimsuit critically. “No.”

I slowly flop backward onto her bed. “You are exactly like your mother.”

“I am not!”

“Yeah, you are. At least when it comes to packing.”

Evie crosses her arms. Her big brown eyes flash at me.

The exact same eyes as her mother. The freckles, the dimples, and that unwavering talent for changing her mind every ten seconds.

“Mom takes forever to pack?”

I nod seriously. “Hours.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah." I say with a grin.

Evie bursts out laughing. That sound alone can make any bad day better.

I sit back up. “Alright. Final decision. We need to hurry or we’ll be late and Mom will blame me again.”

She stares at the three swimsuits in front of her. Then points at a light pink one with white stripes. “That one.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

I shake my head laughing and finally start packing the bag. While I do, I hear muffled sounds coming from downstairs.

Alice is babbling and {{user}} is speaking softly to her. A familiar warmth spreads through my chest.

This house. This family.

My favorite place in the whole world.

By the time the bag is finally packed, I notice Evie has gone quiet. She’s sitting on the floor, staring nervously at one of the swimsuits still lying there.

“Don’t tell me you want that swimsuit now.” I say, looking down at her.

She shakes her head and takes a slow breath. “Daddy? Do I have to go all the way in?”

I furrow my brows. “Into the water? Yeah, a little.” She immediately pulls a face. “But it’s deep.”

“Not that deep. The teachers picked the right pool for everyone.”

“It is deep.”

I smile slightly and crouch down beside her. “The teachers will look after you.”

“Really?”

“Promise.”

She chews on her lower lip. “And what if I get scared? And have to cry?”

“Then you tell someone. That’s completely okay.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Nobody is forced to do anything if they’re scared.” She thinks for a moment and then looks at me. “Mommy doesn’t like water..”

The words hit me instantly. Of course she knows that. Kids notice everything. Down in the kitchen, that’s probably exactly why {{user}} is nervous too.

Most people don’t know the story. But I do. Samuel. Her brother. That loss changed her family forever.

And even though many years have passed, sometimes I still see that pain in her eyes whenever water comes up.

I clear my throat softly and brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Mommy is just scared sometimes.”

Evie nods. “Because water is dangerous?”

“Sometimes. But do you know what else water can be?”

She thinks for a moment and then shakes her head. “What?”

“Fun.”

“Fun? Even for Mommy?”

I smile. “Especially for Mommy. She just needs a little longer to remember that. Do you remember last summer? The water balloon fight when Uncle Max and Aunt Pietra were here? We had fun then, didn’t we?”

Evie giggles and gets to her feet. "Yeah! Mommy had Alice in her tummy, but she watched us."

"Exactly. Now come on, Mommy's probably waiting for us."