A Family Hug

Dinner was over for the kids and me, but my man came home late from work. He pulled out his iPad and turned on the radio while he ate. Third still sat in his high chair. JayJay and Max started dancing to the music and insisted that mommy and daddy dance too. I stood in the kitchen, starting to put food away as my man finished with it. He got up and carried his dirty dishes to the sink. When I turned around, he was shaking his hips with his hands in the air. He looked so goofy and hot that I had to walk to him and give him a hug.

"Did you see that?" I asked. "You're a chic magnet."

"What? No," he protested.

Once my arms were around him, I couldn't let go. There isn't a more comfortable place in the world for me than in my man's arms. It feels like being home. I leaned my cheek against his shoulder and enjoyed the pressure of his strong, warm arms around me. And he smelled so good. I love the smell of a clean man.  Clean Man Smell would turn my head faster than a handsome face, a sexy body, a slick car, or fashionable clothes when I was single. Clean Man Smell gets me every time. And my man wears it like a boss. But I have to get really close to him to smell it. Don't mind if I do. So I stood there and held him and he held me and it was wonderful. We swayed slowly to the music, almost but not quite dancing.

Thump!

Something bumped my leg. Little arms wrapped around us. I looked down to find JayJay's big, brown eyes looking up at me.

"Why are we hugging?" he asked.

"I just really like hugging your daddy," I explained, still holding onto my man.

Smack!

Something plowed into us a bit more violently. I looked down again and found Max with his arms around us too.

"It's a family hug!" said JayJay.

"Yeah!" I agreed, but my thoughts immediately turned to Third, sitting alone in his high chair across the room. I wanted him to be in the family hug, but I knew if I broke the group to go get him, hug time would be over. And I really didn't want to let go of my man.

I was debating the dilemma when Max said, "What about Third?" Apparently, he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Too bad Third can't walk," I said.

"I get him," Max said.

He let go of us and crossed the room.

"Max, what are you doing?" my man said.

We soon found out. Max positioned himself behind the high chair and laboriously shoved it, baby, and all across the dining room into the kitchen until the tray bumped up against us and Third was as close as he could get. Then Max put his arms around our legs again. Now the family hug was complete.

For a few precious moments, we were all together, still and peaceful in the relief of each other's company. I sigh right now just thinking about how beautiful and perfect it was.

Then Max bit me on the butt. I jumped and squawked like a chicken. Family hug time was over.