Page 125 of Unreturnable

Noah was still in my arms. I planted a kiss on Kate’s lips, then one on Stella’s head, who was still asleep.

“Teenagers keeping you on your toes?” she teased.

“Between him and these two?” I laughed. “I’ve got no hope.”

“Ready for lunch?”

“Mum say I get chippies,” Noah said, all innocent eyes and curls.

“Chippies it is then, mate.” I grinned as I slipped an arm around Kate’s waist, and we strolled toward the café near the courts.

We found a spot outside. I got Noah settled beside me with a colouring book and a pack of crayons, which he immediately took very seriously.

I don’t think Kate realised she was smiling. She was always smiling lately.

“You look good out here, you know?” I said, watching her across the table.

“I feel good out here,” she exhaled.

We’d bought a house just outside Melbourne before the wedding, something permanent for the off-seasons so that we had a proper basehere and in Europe. I could tell she was finally at ease. At home. Like this was where she belonged.

She missed Gwen, of course. But Gwen came out when she could, brought the family, made it feel close again. So did her folks. And here, well, here she had my family. Our kids had cousins, grandparents, a backyard to run around in. A life I’d only ever dreamed of for them.

I’d made a decent fortune in my career. But Kate never cared about any of that. All she ever wanted was us. A family who wanted her. Needed her and loved her for who she was. That’s exactly what she got from us. Despite having two under two and a husband that was never in the same city for more than a month, Kate thrived. She was the most incredible mother to them both, had the patience of a saint with me when my playing days came to an end, and honestly, if I didn’t have her, I dread to think what kind of place my mind would be in right now.

I reached across the table and took her hand.

My wife. My world.

My daughter, fast asleep against her chest. My son, tongue out in concentration as he coloured a dinosaur bright blue.

And me sitting in the middle of all of it, thinking…

Yeah…Life looked pretty damn good from here.