Chapter 1

I don't think ever in a lifetime can anyone have a life changing event happen more shocking and pleasing as had just hit me in that childhood Tree House. Not only had my love for my lifelong love been rekindled but I'd found out our shared love had given us our daughter.

Michelle. OUR daughter! Those words sang to my heart.

There we three were in our tree house. It had been so long since there had been anyone but me in this home of memories. Three of us. Wow! That sounded perfect to me. It filled up my heart, mind and body to excess.

Michelle's non-stop kisses after she pounced on me declaring "Daddy" along with Lindie's as she snuggled against me, sent me to heaven and back. I don't think that I have ever felt so satisfied in my life. Not even back the day that, as first time lovers, Lindie and I had shared our special rite of passage together. Our collective first!

"MOM!" Michelle shouted. It stopped us in our tracks. Her head had lifted up off of my face. Her chin stretched upward and she was looking just beyond my head. Her arm came up. I tilted my head into the floor to look where she was pointing.

"What's THAT!" she asked. "Mom, you never told me about THAT set of hand prints."

Lindie pulled us tighter together and tugged my face back down to hers and we shared the most gentle kiss. It was pure Lindie and pure love. Her hand circled my ear and very satisfying chills raced down my spine.

Michelle's attention dropped from the wall in front of her to our lip-locked faces. Eleven year-old's want answers and they don't want to wait. She grabbed onto my shoulder and to her mom's and shook us both. "What's THAT!" she said almost in a high pitched shout.

Lindie and I let our lips fall apart and we let a collective laugh billow over our faces. "What does it say?" she asked our daughter.

"It's two hands together, just like the one on the other wall. You know, the one with the 14 on it," Michelle answered. "But why does it have a 27 on it?"

Neither Lindie or I could hold back laughing. Michelle was bouncing up and down on my stomach as I bellowed loudly. Lindie reached out her hand to our slightly confused daughter and asked her how old she was.

"I'm eleven."

Then Lindie asked, "And how old am I?"

"Mom, you're 27."

"Well?" Lindie asked.

Michelle took in a confused breath, looked at the wall, then looked at me and then to her mom. "But," she asked, "Where did that come from?"

I reached up and stroked my daughter's face and pulled her cheek to my lips and gave her a soft kiss. Then I told her, "Michelle, we put that up here yesterday morning. Mom and I found each other again, right here."

"But! ... But?" sounded from her confused face and then I could almost see the thoughts shifting around in her head. Then her eyes brightened and then shock. "OH!" she gasped.

Then Michelle's hands darted to her face and she buried it in them, shaking her head. "I'm so stupid," she finally said as she rolled off of me and onto her back as she landed on the floor between Lindie and me.

"I'm so stupid!" Michelle continued to say over and over.

Lindie reached over, placing her hand on our daughter's stomach and I brought my hand to rest on top of hers. "It's OK, Mickey," she said bringing her lips to give Michelle a light kiss. I followed with a kiss to her other cheek as she started to settle down.

"Remember," Lindie was saying. "This tree house is sort of a record of our lives ... yours too!"

"Yes, mom," she replied. "I understand all about that."

"I'm so glad you're here with us, Michelle," I said.

At the same time Michelle answered with "Me too," echoing up from below was my mom's familiar voice, "Michael are you still up there in that rickety old tree house?"

Lindie laughed. I laughed. Michelle just looked confused.

"Yes, Mom," I replied.

"Well, breakfast is ready. Why don't you guys hop down here before it gets cold," she told us.

I yelled back, "OK. We'll be right down."

I waited for another response. None came. When I leaned over to the climbing hole, I could see her back retreating toward the house.

Smiling at Lindie then at Michelle, I asked them if they had eaten yet. When Lindie shook her head I told her, "Come on, let's go eat."