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Maddie was used to being woken up by a hungry Jee-Yun in the morning, but today, it was Chimney who shook her awake. A lot earlier. Their daughter had been rising with the sun lately and Maddie was happy that they were starting to have habits and a routine as a family of three. It had taken some time, but it really felt like they were getting somewhere, it was becoming their everyday life, no longer an overwhelming new reality.
“Hey, Maddie, wake up, I want to go somewhere.”
“What? Is something wrong? Is Jee okay?”
She sat up, almost instantly wide awake at the sheer thought that there could be a problem with her baby. Chimney was quick to put a calming hand on her shoulder, and reassure her.
“She’s fine, still sleeping. I was almost late waking you up because I couldn’t stop staring at her.”
“Late for what? Howie, it’s still dark out.”
“I know, but I want to show you something.”
“Can’t it wait for the sun to be up? Or breakfast?”
“No. Besides, I’ve prepared a breakfast picnic basket for us. We’re all set, all that’s left is for you and Jee to get dressed. So, will you please get ready while I take care of our beautiful daughter?”
“You’re going to change her while she’s still sleeping? Well, I hope whatever you have planned is worth getting deafened by her cries when she wakes up.”
Chimney left the room and Maddie was left confused as she started getting ready for this impromptu early morning date. Maybe too early considering how late they were up, trying to get their daughter to sleep.
“How early did you get up?” She asked once she joined Chimney in the living room, all dressed and ready to face the day.
“An hour ago maybe? I don’t know, I was awake in bed a while and I couldn’t fall back asleep and then I had this idea, so I just did it.”
“There really isn’t anyone else like you,” Maddie leaned close to put a quick kiss on his cheek. “I love you, even when you wake me up insanely early on my day off.”
“It’ll be worth it, I promise.”
She picked up Jee, who seemed confused about the change in routine, he picked up the picnic basket and they were off. It was still dark out and Maddie had expected the streets to be empty, but, even at this time, the city was bursting with life. There were people jogging on the sidewalks, some riding bikes or skateboards, people driving most likely to work, in bakeries or restaurants, or filming sets. The closer they got to wherever they were going, and Chimney refused to tell her, the more cars there were. It seemed they were headed to what must be the most popular spot to be this early in the morning.
“Here we are.”
They’d arrived at the beach, which was in fact pretty crowded. They walked across the parking lot among a crowd of other early risers, carrying surfboards as they bit into energy bars, not wasting a single second. Most of them probably came to get some time in the water before a long day at work, and she couldn’t blame them.
The beach was big enough that everyone spread out nicely across it. It was very peaceful out here and the glow of the water under the first light of day was simply breathtaking. Chimney put down a blanket and started taking food out of the basket.
“You were right, that view really is worth getting up early for. It was a nice idea.”
“Thank you, I thought so.”
She smiled and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, Jee on her lap, fallen back asleep during the car ride, and they watched the sun rise silently for a while. Until they all got hungry. And as Maddie fed Jee, Chimney helped her with her own food so she could eat as well.
“You know, this is what I felt like when I first met you,” Chimney said, pensive, his face turned toward the rising sun, “as though I’d been in the dark all these years and you were the light slowly covering every inch of my life. I’ve never been happier than I have with you, Maddie.”
“I’ve never been happier than since I met you. You saved me, Chimney.”
“Oh, I don’t know if that’s true.”
“It is. You showed me that there were still good people in this world, that I could trust again. You showed me I could find happiness, and I am eternally grateful to you.”
“I think maybe we saved each other.” He glanced down at Jee for an instant and, when his eyes met hers, a serious look had appeared on his face. “But as happy as I am with you and Jee, I still think we need to make a change.”
“A change? What kind of change?” Maddie asked, a little nervous, but knowing that Chimney would never ask her to do something she didn’t want or wasn’t ready for.
“We can’t stay in the apartment. Jee sleeps in the living room. Soon enough, she’ll be able to walk and she’ll need an actual bed. I want her to have a bedroom, and a yard where she’d have space to run around and play. I want to take the most important step a couple can take together. I want to buy a house with you, Maddie Buckley. I want us to find the perfect place to grow old together, and watch Jee go from this adorable little baby to a grumpy teenager. What do you think?”
“Let’s buy a house, with a nice yard and a big kitchen, and fill it with love.”
Their smiles were so big, they could barely kiss. It was a perfect morning under the sunrise, with the sound of waves in the background and Jee cooing between them.