If Only We Knew (24 page)

Matt laughed, watching his kids fight over him, he grabbed them both and kissed them senseless. “I’m Daddy to both of you.”

The kids laughed as he kissed and tickled their stomach. “No more, Daddy,” Matthew said between laughs, and Makayla roll
ed
on the beach, getting sand in her curly hair.

“Matt, her hair,” Shannon said, walking over to them, smiling. “I’m the one that’s going have to wash it.”

Matt looked up at her, jumped up, and grabbed her, pulling her down to the sand. “Let’s tickle Mommy,” he said, looking over at the kids. They ran over and tickled her.

“Matt,” she said between laughs. “My hair.”

He stopped tickling her, leaned up, and just stared at his family. Matthew was now four, and looked just like him, expect for his curly hair, and Makayla was a lighter version of Shannon with his eyes.
My family.

After Makayla was born, Shannon’s test came back negative. She has been cancer-free since, going in every six months to get tested. Everything had been back to normal until his mother told them her cancer was back, and it had spread to her bones. His mother had
beaten
the odds a second time. Her doctor had said she had three to six months to live, but she’d lived over a year. She got to see Matthew’s third and Makayla’s first birthday.

She had died peacefully with her family surrounding her.

The kids stopped tickling Shannon and began to run and play with each other.

She crawled next to him. “You’re washing my hair.” She grabbed his hand
putting it in her hair
.

He kissed her. “
Mamita,
I hope you know how much I love you.”

“I do, and I love you.” She smiled, staring at him with concern. “Why the faraway look in your eyes?”

“Just thinking of my mother.”

“She loved you, Matt.” She
moved a lock of his hair from his face
. “She spent her last days happy with the people she loved the most—her sons.”

“I just wish I’d had more time with her, but I’m grateful for the time given to me. After getting to know her, she was a exceptional woman.”

“She was.”

“And I was also thinking of how blessed I am.” He put his arms around her. “You’re still with me.” He kissed her on her head.

“Who would’ve known we would be this happy?” She
laid
her head on his shoulder.

“I did.” He smiled. “I always knew you would be a great mother.” He looked over at the kids running.

“Yes, you did.”

Thank you for reading!