Page 4 of Tarek

Then Laura started fussing. Philip looked at me. "I'll take her."

"You sure?"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. "It's alright. Go get yourself ready for bed. I'll bring in the gifts and the suitcases after I've fed her."

I smiled back. "You're a good man."

"I know."

I laughed quietly as he picked up Laura. He was teasing, but there was so much truth in it that I couldn't help smiling as I watched him settle her against his chest. He was tired, too. We all were. Yet somehow, he still managed to make everything feel under control.

I changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth while Philip gave Laura her bottle. By the time I came back downstairs, she was clean, changed, and already beginning to drift off again. Philip stood up carefully and carried her upstairs with me. We tucked her into her crib, waited until she had settled, and then crept back out of the room.

A few minutes later, the gifts and suitcases were inside, the Christmas mess was contained as much as it could be, and we were finally ready for bed. While he'd hauled that in, I'd turned on our heated under blanket, so the bed was wonderfully toasty and warm. I slipped beneath the covers with a sigh.

"That feels good."

Philip climbed in beside me. "It does," he sighed. "Ugh. Tomorrow I have to go back to work."

"I know, and Evan and Matty go back to school the day after tomorrow."

"I'll stop on the way home and pick up the dog."

We'd booked him into the pet hotel while we were away for Christmas, since there was no way we could take him with us nor leave him alone for several days.

"You don't have to rush," I told him.

"I know. But I don't want you taking all three kids out in this weather if you don't have to."

I turned toward him. "It's not that bad."

"It's freezing."

"It's winter."

"There are traffic issues everywhere, the weather's supposed to get colder, and the roads are icy. I don't like knowing you're driving around on them with the kids in the car."

I stared at him for a moment before laughing. "What?"

"You're such a worrywart."

"I'm not a worrywart."

"You absolutely are."

"I'm a responsible husband and father."

"That's a very long way of saying, worrywart."

He narrowed his eyes at me, although I could see the amusement already creeping into his expression. "I'll show you a worrywart." Before I could react, his fingers found my ribs.

I burst out laughing. "Philip!" He tickled me again, and I twisted away, trying desperately to escape without falling out of the bed. "Okay! Okay, I give!" I gasped between helpless bursts of laughter. "You're not a worrywart!"

"That's better."

"You're just a very thoughtful husband."

"Much better." He laughed and leaned down to kiss me.