As the chaos continued with the crying babies and kids running around, Felix took Ella’s hand, backing her up and away from the crowd. “Ella, sweetheart,” he whispered, glancing around nervously. “Are we ready for all this?”

Ella laughed, looking around him at the disorderly loud crowd of their friends. “What are you talking about? It’s been like this all week.”

“Yeah, but now that we told them”—he lowered his voice, feeling genuine fear—“it’s like we agreed to join that wild bunch.”

Abel walked by them with little Abel. “Nellie, did you bring another pair of pants for this one? The air dryer in that restroom wasn’t working.”

Ella giggled. “Ready or not you have two of them coming at once.”

In the midst of voices warning of time outs, babies wailing, little ones whining along with laughter, and even another of Hector’s mimicking high-pitched “Yes, dears!” Felix leaned his forehead against Ella’s.

“I’m ready for the rest of my life with you and this crazy family.”

“Good,” she said, pulling him along, “’cause we have to go register for the five-miler.”

“But I thought we should do the two-miler, babe.”

“No way. Why?” she said, waving at the rest of the gang. “We’ll see you guys at the end.”

Felix’s eyes met Hector’s stupid smirking expression. “Yes, dear!”

Felix laughed out loud as he kept up with his rushing wife. She turned back to see if they were far enough. “It’ll probably take us longer to finish the two-mile walk going with them with all the stopping they’re gonna have to do anyway.”

This was true. He hurried to stop right in front of her then kissed her. “I love you so much.”

She smiled. “I love you too,” she said quickly then tugged him along. “But we gotta hurry. We’re already late.”

As much as he’d like to slow Ella down, Felix knew there was very little that would ever slow his girl down, and there was no way he’d ever complain about that.