It was late Saturday afternoon and we were on a family weekend in California when we decided to go to the beach. In fact, it was Izabella who decided and how Tasha agreed, put on beach clothes and went. The girls were in blue bikini and I was wearing a black shorts. Izabella had learned to walk a few months ago, and she was already speaking a few words and we loved watching her grow.
She had some beach toys, playing in the wet sand and jumping when the water advanced at her feet. His laughter echoed through our ears and ran through the air along with the sea breeze, which always made us smile. It was wonderful to watch her brown hair flying in that room, as well as her mother's hair.
Tasha and I enjoyed that moment in the silence of our presence, sharing the same towel on the floor. Some time later, she laid her head on my lap and I played with her hair. She turned her head and smiled as I felt my hand on her neck and then looked back at Izabella.
"Thank you for the peace of this moment." I said after a moment and she looked at me and smiled.
"We deserve it after all"
I answered with a kiss on his forehead. "Yes, we deserve it."
Our moment was interrupted when Iza approached. Her blue-green eyes were as bright as mine.
"Mom, the star." She said showing an attempt to make a star drawn in sand on her little hands.
"You're my star." Tasha replied and she smiled and hugged her mother, who didn't care to have her sand-dirty belly right now for her daughter.
"And you are my stars," I said, running a hand over their faces.
"I love you, Daddy," the girl replied.
My heart was always about to burst with happiness when Iza called me a father, or when she showed her tenderness. It was incredible how such a small being had so much power under me, even without understanding.
They both smiled at me and then Izabella rose from her mother's lap and returned to her toys.
We continue to observe her. Tasha looked glazed on the girl so I watched her.
It had been a long time since we had dated and some of us had lived together, but I had never had the courage to ask her in marriage, even though I had so much desire.
I didn't know why. I knew none of us wanted a big party, that we didn't care about it, but now that we were a family, I missed having her legally as my wife.
Suddenly, it didn't seem right to me that I had spent so many years without any status, although our relationship was as serious as the so-called legal relationships for justice.
Maybe Izabella had dropped me some love and love chips, and the marriage record was one of them.
I had planned this weekend to ask her to marry me, but I still had not done it. The exact moment was missing. But now, looking at her looking so lovingly at the fruit of our passion, I knew the timing would be any moment that I would have had them there happy with me.
Tasha suddenly looked at me and saw that I was staring at her.
"What is going on?" But she asked with a smile.
I looked deep into those brown eyes that had the power to pierce my soul and dominate every physical and spiritual part of me and then I answered it.
"Marry me?"
I don't think she believed that expression. It had been so long since I should have asked her, and I felt like a fool for the delay.
"I know it seems like it's out of nowhere, but I think this is the right time to ask you to do this."
She lifted her head and gave me a quick kiss.
"I don't think it's the right time." She replied with humor. "You took too long."
She pretended to be thinking until she stole one more kiss from me. One more of those kisses of hers that said everything the words could not express.
"But I guess I'm ready to say yes now."