Chapter 45—After All These Years

Standing by the edge of the sea was a little girl who kept dipping her legs on the waters each time it washed up shore. She wore a short white gown, and her black hair was braided into locks as she played under the afternoon sun, happy and without a care in the world.

David sat on the beach sand and watched her from a distance. With his eyes fixed steadily on hers, he could relate her happiness to his. He once lived in fear of a lot of things, especially about the future but lately, all those fears seemed to wash away, replaced by a force much stronger. A force he had learned to trust more than anything else.

"Babe!"

David looked over his shoulder. Then, he smiled. There she was: the love of his life dressed in simple beach clothes yet looking like a goddess. Her black skin glittered under the radiant sun, and the fedora hat on her head was the only thing preventing her full dark hair from dancing along to the direction of the wind.

At that moment, she smiled back at him, like how he did when he met her for the first time.

"Hey," he said as she sat on the bare sand beside him.

"What are you thinking about this time?" Korede teased.

"Oh, nothing," David replied with a smile.

Korede raised a brow in skepticism. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am," David assured. "If I was thinking about anything, it was about how grateful I am to have you in my life."

"Well, it's a good thing we're married, don't you think?"

"We are? How did I miss that?" David exclaimed.

Korede chuckled and punched his arm. "Your jokes still aren't as funny as before. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know," David agreed with a sigh.

"Maybe it's because you're a dad now."

"Yeah, maybe."

They both shifted their gaze from each other to the little girl playing close to the sea. The little girl raised her head and on sighting their awestruck faces, ran to meet them.

"Mummy, Daddy, let's go play together!" she said, pulling their hands upwards.

Korede and David laughed at her relentless plea.

"Hold on, Jessica. Let mummy and daddy get up first." David chuckled.

It all took him back to that day that birthed the very moment he was in, back to the little girl who had asked him to make a wish. His Jessica was probably around her age now, maybe older. David said a silent prayer in his heart, thankful for her silly game with him.

He never told Korede about her. Maybe he would sometime in the future. But it was for that reason that he never refused Jessica every time she asked him to play with her.

Eventually, he and Korede rose to their feet.

"Alright, let's go play together."