"MUM!" David yelled from the garage door, bringing her out of her thoughts. She quickly brushed away the silly tears from her cheeks, smiling at her sweet and loving son.
"I'm coming, sweetheart. Just a second." She called to him. Slowly she moved to the back door where David was bouncing up and down like a kangaroo. Suddenly she longed to be younger and have such boundless energy again; the kind she had when she was a schoolgirl. Amazingly David's energy seemed to increase as she worked to insert her key into the lock. The second the door was opened, David flew inside the door scrambling around the kitchen. "Yea! We're home!" He shouted.
"David, wait for Mum, all right? You know that I don't like you running in the house!"
Like a tin solider he straightened, shame filling his face as though he'd disappointed her. "Sorry Mum."
She smiled and touched his cheek. "It's all right. No, just let me get these inside and-."
"I thought I heard voices in here."
Her heart skipped a beat (as it had done even all these years later) at the sound of the familiar voice.
"DADDY'S HOME!" David shouted, his tin soldier routine all but forgotten. He ran out of the kitchen and into the living room, jumping into Niles'; arms, hugging his father tightly.
"Daddy, we went to the zoo!" David shouted.
Niles smiled and hugged him back, no doubt trying to match his son's enthusiasm. "I know! And it sounds like you and Mommy had a lot of fun!" His eyes went to Daphne's and she smiled wearily. Oh how she loved her husband.
"Daddy, I saw a butterfly!" David shouted.
Daphne couldn't help but laugh. Leave it to her son to mention the smallest and least important thing they'd seen all day.
"Yes we did, David. But we also saw a lot of other animals too, remember? And afterwards we rode the merry-go-round and-."
"Daddy, the butterfly was so pretty! Just like Mum!"
Daphne gasped at the unexpected comment from her young son and tears filled her eyes, spilling onto her cheeks. She went to David and crouched down, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Sweetheart."
When David drew out of the hug, Daphne stood and took Niles' outstretched hand. "You're right, David. Your mommy is very pretty."
Daphne began to cry harder. "Oh Niles…"
Niles smiled, but David looked upset. "Mum, why are you crying? Are you mad at me?"
Daphne picked up her son and kissed his cheek. "No sweetheart. I'm not mad at all. I'm just… I love you and Daddy so much. I'm so glad that we had so much fun today."
David smiled. "I love you too, Mum."
But Daphne noticed that it was Niles' whose smile had now disappeared;the familiar worried expression taking its place. "Um, David, why don't we take these things to your room and you can play for a while before you take your nap, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy."
Niles kissed her softly. "Just wait here, okay? I'll be right back. I love you."
She kissed him again. "And I love you."
The smile remained on her face as she watched Niles take David's hand and carefully lead him up the stairs, armed with the shopping bags from the zoo balanced under his arm. David's tiny hand gripped the banister railing, while holding tightly to the green and blue balloons emblazoned with the logo of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo.
When her husband and son were out of sight, she moved to the chair where she'd been sitting when Niles had proposed to her all those years ago. And it was there that she began to cry softly.