“‘ere a’e ma boys.” Johnny grinned, stepping through the front door, clad in his tactical gear — back from a draining, long-ish deployment.

The sight of you, his beloved husband, holding your fussy toddler, made his heart swell, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading through his chest.

Taking the baby into his arms, he focused on his son — holding him up while giving him a big smooch on the forehead as he babbled, reaching for his face. “Missed ye’r papa? O’ course ya did.”