"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children."
— Charles R. Swindoll

"Up and at 'em, Bentley." Kip called from the door, but the kid didn't move. Kip smirked as he shook his head. "That's the alarm going beep, beep, beep. Time to wakey-wake, get on your feet."

"Okay, I'm on my-" Bentley sat up, then fell face-first into his bed. "Ugh, face."

Kip chuckled at the antic's of the 7-year-old. "Morning, buddy."

Kip left Bentley's room, knowing the boy was going to go brush his teeth, and went to the nursery. He quietly opened the door and peeked inside, looking at the crib. The room was silent for a moment, but he began to hear the incomprehensible babbles of a baby and snickered at them. He stepped inside and went to the crib, looking inside to find Mairi staring up at the ceiling as she had a one-sided conversation with it. When she noticed Kip was watching her, she smiled and kicked her tiny legs in what could only be a display of happiness.

"Hi, darlin'. Good morning." He greeted as he picked her up and went into the kitchen where Marceline was getting breakfast started.

"Hello, pretty girl." Marci stuck her tongue out at her daughter and the tiny ginger mimicked her mother, smiling. "Bentley, come get breakfast!"

Kip gave Marci a quick kiss goodbye before he walked outside with Bentley. As they made their way to the bus stop, Kip- with his untamed bedhead, gray sweatpants, plaid house slippers he got last Christmas and unzipped kutte- was asking his son about the things he's been learning in school and what his favorites were. Bentley seemed to be more interested in numbers and shapes, Mathematics and Polygons, rather than World History and Social Studies. He kept good grades in all his subjects, but he really excelled in anything involving numbers and Kip could easily see Bentley being interested in becoming an Accountant or even an Astronomer when he got older.

When they reached the end of the block, they were met with the sight of the school bus pulling off and the parents who were just about to leave began waving or yelling for the bus to stop, but their calls made no difference. Kip quickly scooped the boy up and tucked him under his arm before taking off in a sprint down the street. Bentley was almost screaming in laughter, which made Kip start laughing. He wasn't sure if some of the schoolchildren noticed him running after the bus or if the driver spotted him in the mirror, but the yellow bus unfurled its red stop sign and finally began to slow to a stop.

Kip jogged up to the opening doors and finally set a giggling Bentley on his feet. He tamed the boy's wind-rushed hair before giving him his lunchbox. "Have a good day, buddy." He said as he tussled the boy's hair, not enough to mess it up again.

Bentley gave Kip a hug before climbing in the bus. Kip stepped back as the bus pulled off and he saw Bentley claim a seat before pushing the window down. He stuck his head out and waved to Kip, a bright smile on his face. "Bye, Dad!"

Kip smiled and waved back, blindly walking backwards as the bus got further away. When he passed the bus stop, he saw that a few of the other parents were lingering and they all seemed happy that Kip managed to catch the bus. He walked back home and poked his head into the kitchen, but he didn't see anyone in there.

He went to the bottom of the stairs and called, "Marci?"

"We're in here!" She called back, making Kip turn around when her voice sounded like it came from where he just was.

Kip went into the kitchen again and looked around, but he didn't find his girlfriend anywhere and Mairi certainly wasn't in his sight either. He heard giggling and smiled as he figured out where his girls were hiding. Kip knelt down in front of the table and lifted the cloth, revealing the darling faces of his family.

Marceline was lying on her stomach and Mairi was sitting, both of them sharing a bowl of milk-less Apple Jacks. Mairi wasn't old enough to properly eat all kinds of solid food yet, but that didn't stop her from sucking on cereal until it was soggy mush. He also knew Mairi liked eating under the table rather than in her highchair for some reason and her brother would usually share a meal under there with her.

~.~.~.~.

Donna volunteered to do the after school carpool that afternoon. She picked up her kids, Abel and Bentley, driving them to the clubhouse to see their Dads and start their homework before they started playing on the set the Prospects built on the lot. The Sons had Church and once they were done, Kip went looking for his son, finding him playing with Abel and the Prospects on the playground they built a few weeks ago.

"Bentley, I wanna ask you something. It's really important." He told the boy and that caught his attention. He climbed down and Kip led him to an empty picnic table. "You know I love your Mom, right?"

"Yeah, that's why you kiss her all the time."

"And you know that I love you and your sister too, right?" Bentley nodded in affirmation, so Kip dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a ring box, popping it open to reveal the rings inside. "Take a look at that."

"Wow, they're pretty. I think Mommy would like them." Bentley admired.

"I'm glad you think that 'cause it's a gift for her. Bentley, I'm asking for your permission to marry your Mom. You think I'm good enough to be her husband?"

"You're not already her husband?"

Kip chuckled, admiring the innocence of children. "No, not yet."

"I think you're gonna be a good husband, so you can marry her."

~.~.~.~.

"Marceline, come look at this!" Kip called from the backyard and Diesel's ears perked at his voice.

Marci went to the sliding door and Kip was standing with Bentley at his leg and Mairi on his arm. The boys were smiling and I knew they either had something planned or were scheming.

Kip bent down to set Mairi on her feet and was telling her to come to me. And she did. I gasped when she took her first wobbly step and Bentley was behind her like a shadow, making sure she wouldn't fall, but she was doing fine.

I was on my knees when Mairi got to me and she was smiling like a little angel. She came into my arms and babbled in my ear, most likely coating my hair in drool, but I didn't care. My little girl just took her first steps. When I pulled back to kiss her cheeks, I noticed she had something in her hand and I took it.

There was an octagonal box sitting in the palm of my hand and the wood it was made from was polished and smooth. I noticed the small golden latch and pushed the small nub to unfasten it. The top of the box flipped open, revealing the white material inside and…rings.

There was a heart-shaped diamond resting in between a pair of butterflies, both having a duo of matching diamonds on their wings. The entire ring was rose-gold and there were five diamonds going along either side of the band to about the middle of the ring. Behind the ring was a matching rose-gold band and it was studded with diamonds going around the entire ring.

Tears blurred my vision, but they just seemed to make the diamonds sparkle. I looked up and Kip was coming over with Bentley. When he got down on one knee, making my heart race, I saw the tears in his eyes as he smiled at me.

"He thinks you're beautiful and he loves you a bunch and he loves me and Mairi too and we think he's great. Wanna be with him forever?" Bentley innocently asked and we both laughed at him.

Kip lightly ruffled the boy's hair, then looked to Mairi. She was busy tracing the rings in the box, but he ran his finger over her cheek before his eyes were on mine. His warm hand caressed my cheek and made dozens of tears fall.

"Will you marry me?" He asked in such a tender whisper that made my heart flutter as if this were the first time we've met.

I couldn't form coherent words in my head and whenever I tried to speak, a happy sob slipped out. I settled for nodding and Kip tried to wipe the tears from my face, but more just poured out. He leaned forward and kissed me with such softness that made me feel like I was flying. He pulled back and rested his forehead on mine.