It was a big day. Not only did it mark the joyous matrimony of Teun and Rosa, but it marked Niels and Amanda's 4th wedding anniversary. As usual, Emi was a bundle of excitement. Amanda had lost count of how many times she’d had to fix her daughter’s hair. It was probably less than the amount of times Isa had brushed Aubreys curly hair. But at last, both flowergirls were settled. Aubrey was quiet in Isa’s arms, sucking on a bottle, while Emi sat and gazed in awe at Rosa’s wedding gown. “Is pwetty!” she’d remarked. “Can I weah it?” Amanda’s eyes wandered over to where her mother sat. It was obvious that Rosa was nervous, and knowing her mother, Amanda guessed she was silently rehearsing her vows or praying for the best. Was it already four years ago that Amanda was in that exact situation? Amanda could still remember how patient Rosa had been with her, keeping her calm until the moment of the ceremony. It was hard to believe that four years had sailed by so quickly, but many, many happy memories certainly filled the gaps. Emilia, their three-year-old daughter, was everyday proof of their ever-growing love. Amanda smiled, the overwhelming joy bringing tears to her eyes. She fanned at her face with her hand, trying to ward off the tears lest they ruin her make-up. Emi stood up from her spot and ran over to Amanda. “Are you oki, mummy?” she asked. Amanda nodded and smoothed Emi’s hair with her hand. Emi giggled and put her own hands on Amanda’s growing, asking “Can I kiss witto bwotho?” Amanda smiled and permitted her to do so. Emi pressed her face against Amanda’s belly, gifting it with a big kiss. “I’m sure he liked that,” Amanda said with a wink. “Now go get your flower basket. It’s almost time for Grandma to get married!” “Yaaay!” Emi rejoiced. “Yay!” Amanda echoed. Thanks to all the available babysitters at Rosa and Teun's wedding reception, Amanda and Niels had the perfect opportunity to sneak out for some alone time. While Isa looked after Emi, Amanda and Niels excused themselves from the party and ventured out into the crisp night air. With a shawl wrapped around her shoulders and Niels' warm arms, the chill was rather easy to withstand.
The town was beautiful, even in the scant illumination of the moon. Hand in hand, the two strolled past the lovely houses together. They spoke of their parents' marriage, Amanda inquiring if it bothered him that they were lawfully "siblings" now. But Niels' response ("we were first") made Amanda giggle. He was right, though. No amount of legal papers could separate them or delegitimise their relationship. They'd been soulmates since childhood and married for four years. At last, they arrived at the nearby botanical gardens. Even in the winter, and in the darkness of nightfall, it was a beautiful sight to behold. The fountain glowed with a mysterious, blue light, giving off a romantic ambience. And as if that wasn't enough, Niels had a picnic set up for them... by candlelight. Amanda nearly squealed with delight at this discovery. As they sat down on the blanket, Amanda cuddled close and Niels handed her a cup of alcohol-free champagne. "Thumbs up for the most unique anniversary surprise," she said, beaming. "Oh?" Niels asked, grinning. "Happy anniversary, baby."
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It was no longer easy to hide. Even with loose T-shirts, the mound of Amanda’s stomach was noticeable. At first, they didn’t want anyone to know yet while their daughter was still unaware. Any talk of babies or pregnancy would confuse the young child, especially when there was no “proof” for the mind of a toddler. Now, however, when Emi looked at Amanda’s belly and said, “Mummy, you eat wots of cookies” they knew it was time.
Amanda took Emi into the living room. “Tell daddy what’s in mummy’s tummy,” she said. To which the toddler replied, “Cookies!” Niels burst into laughter. He and Amanda quickly exchanged looks of amusement before Amanda sat with Emi between them. They tried to explain to her that there was a baby growing in Amanda’s belly. For a moment, Emi frowned in deep thought. Then at last, she asked, “Can I see it?” She put her little hands on Amanda’s belly, looking at it in awe. Right on cue, Amanda felt the baby shift. Emi gasped. “It move!” Laughing softly, Amanda nodded. “Yes, it moved.” “I want to see it,” said Emi. Niels smiled and got up, fetching the latest sonogram pictures. He sat beside Emi again, letting her look at the images of their upcoming addition. Emi smiled widely, bouncing excitedly on the couch. “That’s your little brother” Niels explained. “Bwotho?” Emi exclaimed. She hopped off the couch and did a little dance. “Are you excited?” Amanda asked. “Yes!” Emi exclaimed. “Can I fee’ it?” She moved back towards Amanda, putting her hands on her belly again. Soon the giggles took over. “Can I ho’d baby?” Emi asked. “Not yet, sweetie. We have to wait a while longer.” “How wong?” “Still a few weeks, princess,” Niels told her. Emi giggled and did another little dance. “Baaaaby,” she said, hugging Amanda’s stomach. She looked up at Amanda with puppy eyes and asked, “Now can I ho’d him?” "Dis one?" Emi excitedly asked. Amanda laughed . As much as she appreciated her three-year-old's help in choosing flower girl dresses, Emi still needed some lessons in fashion. Amanda directed Emi's attention to another dress. One of a subtle shade of pink, a stark contrast to the gaudy hot pink, glittery one that'd caught Emi's eye. "I wike it!" Emi approved. Niels chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes. Amanda dropped the dress into the cart before the walked on, eventually finding two more formal dresses in Emi's size.
Soon, they worked their way out of the children's clothing department and ventured into the adult sizes. It wasn't so easy finding dresses for Amanda. For one, she was a lot pickier than their three-year-old and she was excessively concerned with the fit. Eventually, Emi grew bored and cranky and demanded to go home. "Not yet," Niels told her. "Yessss!" she tugged on Niels' hand. Amanda steeled herself for a tantrum, but Niels quickly scooped Emi up into his arms an showered her with kisses. "Noooooo not now!" he said, tickling Emi until she squirmed and squealed with laughter. Amanda grinned. She appreciated Niels' tantrum interventions more than words could say. Niels placed Emi in the trolly, and began to wheel her through the aisles. Meanwhile, Amanda continued the seemingly-impossible search for dresses. By the time Niels and Emi returned to her, her arms were piled high with dresses. Niels immediately burst into laughter, causing Emi to laugh as well. "Baby! You're buying all of those?" "No, I'm trying on all of these," Amanda replied with a grin. When Niels looked at her as if she had four heads she said, "We have three weddings to attend! Why aren't you searching for outfits?" "Because I already have mine," Niels said with a wink. Amanda laughed and rolled her eyes. "Men," she mumbled with a playful grin. Spring was certainly in the air. The birds were chirping, a gentle breeze swept through the city every now and then, and there were beautiful flowers in bloom everywhere. Amanda laughed at Emi's excitement as she looked through the window as they left the city and headed to the countryside. The three-year-old had no clue where her parents were taking her, but she was certainly excited.
After hours in the cab, they all arrived at Cape Cod where Amanda led them to their secret spot once again. Emi's eyes were alight with delight as they gazed upon the sea. Once Niels and Amanda spread the picnic blanket in the grass along the sandy beachfront, Emi stripped off her shoes and gleefully ran around barefooted in the surroundings. The previous year, Emi had been welcomed into toddlerhood with a party back in Paris, but this year, Amanda and Niels decided to settle down for some quiet family time. They worried if their little girl would be disappointed, but now, given her reaction, they knew they'd made the right choice. Amanda didn't even bother to tell her little girl to calm down. Rather, she sat back on the blanket and watched Emi while she ran around happily, chasing colourful butterflies and picking flowers nearby. Three years... she couldn't believe how quickly time had gone by. Wasn't it just yesterday she'd held a brand new infant in her arms? Now, that helpless infant had blossomed into a beautiful three-year-old, full of life and energy, confident and outspoken. Amanda's cheeks were already hurting and they day had barely begun. After a while, she laughed and finally called out to Emi. "Oh birthday girl! Don't you want to open presents and eat your birthday cake?" It wasn't the typical mushy, lovey-dovey valentine's day. Yet, as Amanda admired her two loved ones from ashore, she realised she didn't want to celebrate in any other way. In the quietude of the beach, the sun sinking into the ocean, the waves gently caressing the sand, Amanda felt at peace with life. In fact, she felt blessed.
Niels couldn't be a better father, and Emi would readily agree. Amanda watched as Niels and Emi strolled hand in hand along the incoming tides, Emi chatting away as usual. Amanda observed the way Niels gave his undivided attention to their little girl. The way his face lit up at her chatter. Amanda chuckled. She knew how much of a chatterbox Emi could be at times, even when all of her words weren't clear. Still, Niels was as patient as the virtue itself. There was no doubt that Emi would grow up, knowing what to expect when it came time for her to court. As much as Amanda hated to think of her little girl being of dating age, she somehow knew that Emi's standards would be high. After all, her daddy was her first love. Amanda smiled and looked down at Emi. The toddler wiggled her toes, giggling at the sensation of the sand beneath her feet. Ghost bounded ahead of them, his white fur blowing in the gentle sea breeze. “Ghost wun!” Emi remarked, tugging on her parents’ hands so she could be free to run as well. Amanda and Niels exchanged glances before they warned her not to stray too far.
The closer they got to the dock, the more anxious Amanda became. Most of the time, when they took Emi to daycare, Emi put up quite a fuss. Today, they would attempt to leave her with grandma and grandpa for a short boat trip. Amanda could already imagine how Emi would react when she realised mummy and daddy weren't coming along. As they neared the boat, Niels called out to Emi and she obediently came running, Ghost at her side. They were warmly welcomed onto their parents’ boat. Emi was instantaneously fascinated with her little aunt Aubrey, who sat perched on Rosa’s lap. Meanwhile, Niels chatted with his father. Amanda made sure that Emi was settled. She knelt to her toddler’s level and told her, “Mummy and daddy will be right at grandma and grandpa’s house waiting for you, okay? But we want you to have lots of fun.” “Oki,” Emi replied. Her focus remained on Aubrey. Amanda smiled and gave her baby sister some attention as well before she prepared to console her child. She knew at any second, Emi would have a meltdown. For a moment, Amanda hesitated to move, but then she felt Niels take her by the arm. "She's fine," he said. "Bye mama, bye dada," said Emi, waving. For a moment, Amanda felt like crying. She'd expected a tantrum or two, but instead, this separation was harder for her than it was for her little girl. It was actually a pleasant surprise how the tables had turned. As she and Niels stood ashore, Amanda waved. "Have a good trip!" "Have a good twip!" Emi replied. Amanda smiled, listening to the steady thud of Niels' heartbeat. A sound that always brought her comfort, along with his warmth. His fingers ran through her hair gently. She could feel his soft breath on the crown of her head. As much as she loved her family life--spending time with Emi and Niels, and the family pets--she cherished these alone times. The times when she was reminded of the spark that brought them together so many years ago.
She'd been grateful to Rico and Ceci for babysitting Emi on Niels' birthday, enabling them the most alone time they'd had in a long time. Days later, she still beamed, thinking of those wonderful memories. As Niels rolled over, gently pinning her beneath him, she giggled. The playful spark in his eyes never ceased to give her butterflies. "I love you," she whispered. "Don't you ever forget." |
Amanda at a GlanceNames: Amanda Pontremoli, Amanda van Loon Archives
August 2017
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