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the sound of laughter rang through the fresh, summer air. the bright blue sky reflected the color of the boy's eyes, the ones that filled with wonder at the sight of his favorite animal.
leon had taken their son down to the pond to get a better look at the swimming ducks, the ones that he had been obsessed with since the first time he saw them. leon crouched down, holding the boy in his arm so he could get a better look. the boy babbled and pointed at the ducks, trying his hardest to say the word but only came up with "duh." if his first word hadn't been mama, it certainly would've been duck.
"one day, i'll teach you how to count them. you'll really impress mommy then, huh?" leon beamed. the blue-eyed boy simply blinked up at his father before pressing his palm against his moving lips, giggling as he did so. leon sputtered his lips against the boys hand, which caused him to laugh even more. leon couldn't help but laugh along with him. in one swift motion, leon scooped the boy up and stood up to spin him around. he screamed with laughter, grabbing at leon's shirt for stability. after a few spins, dizziness began to take its toll on the both of them.
the toddler let out a quiet yawn, signifying that he was ready for his afternoon nap. his head rested against leon's shoulder, his eyes already fluttering closed. thankfully, he was able to fall asleep very quickly. when he was a baby, ada and leon had struggled to get him to sleep. now, he would be out within seconds. i guess the excitement wore him out, leon thought to himself as he approached the south end of the park, where on a bench his wife sat waiting.
ada's bright eyes came alive in the sunlight. warm summer winds danced through her hair, sending raven strands to disarray. freckles decorated the bridge of her nose and kissed her cheeks. they always say new parents have a glow about them, and leon believed it. ada radiated happiness. a halo of warmth surrounded her, drawing leon in and making him want to bask in it with her forever. even though they had been parents for about months, it seemed to him that the light surrounding them would never fade as long as they had their son.
leon lay the boy down in his stroller where he peacefully slept. his long lashes rested on his rosy cheeks. his pouted lips parted slightly to let out the quietest of snores. he inherited that from you, ada had said to leon in a playful tone. truthfully, she couldn't sleep unless she heard leon's snores next to her. hearing her son's snores brought her peace, allowing her to relax, at least for a little while.
ada gazed lovingly at their sleeping child but a wistful shadow fell upon her gaze, one that leon caught onto.
"you're thinking," leon said, more of a statement than a question. ada hummed in response. he cupped her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face towards him. "tell me what's on your mind."
his tenderness was still able to make her blush, a sentiment he would never tire of seeing. the crimson in her cheeks deepened but still no response.
"tell me!" he insisted, a chuckle following. she couldn't resist, so instead of telling him she just leaned in to press her lips to his. he couldn't help but smile into the kiss. her lips were soft, gentle, light. her kiss said "i love you" in the softest tone.
"a year and a half and i'm still not used to this," she gestured towards the stroller. "it always seemed like an impossibility to me-- being a mother, even when i was pregnant i couldn't grasp the idea. i don't think i'll ever get used to it."
"i dont think parents ever get used to it. little guy's alright"
ada rolled her eyes. "alright?"
leon laughed as he rested his head on her shoulder. his lips placed a gentle kiss on her collarbone, speaking against her skin in an affectionate tone. "you know in movies or tv when a father sees his kid for the first time? and he says he first felt like a father when the kid holds his finger?"
he felt ada's head nod, so he continued. "i think, i felt like a father the second you told me you were pregnant. i had so much love for him at that point. but when he grabbed my finger that first night in the hospital... i knew that everything i had been fighting for had a meaning now. it was all worth it for him. i almost gave up so many times and now that we have him i couldn't imagine not doing everything i possibly could to make the world safer for him."
there was a thoughtful silence that hung in the air. the words hadn't been said out loud before but they both knew how much they rang true. leon had been in a hopeless place, lost in the crossroads between not knowing how to go on and losing faith in what he believed in. the restoration of his hope came in the form of a brighter future. a light that could revive the optimism he once felt for the world. something to live for.
"we both had no one," ada spoke, capturing leon's attention. her pensive frown had transformed into a hopeful smile. "now we have the entire world."