I couldn’t believe we were doing it! I tried to remember the last time we let ourselves go; we were like teenagers! It felt exhilarating, surreal, like a dream…even a bit naughty! Somewhere, far away I heard a faint little voice trying to call me back to my senses. My body tensed as hesitation overcame me. I felt a warm tickle at my ear, “This is our night!” My breath quickened to meet the demanding pace of my heart. Adrenaline began to rush through my veins as my husband pushed me out the front door. He clasped his hand hard around mine as we both heard that same little voice, this time not so faint, “MOM! Where are you going? When will you be home? Can I stay up late?”

It was date night! We were a couple out on the town! A night out in fabulous downtown Jacksonville! It was a kid-less and it was going to be magical!

We relished in the euphoric freedom as we ordered drinks on the patio of the Jacksonville Inn Restaurant. Grinning stupidly, we nurtured the embers between us as we attempted to be flirty. We were seeing one another for the first time in what felt like years. Fearing our night might be stolen from us at any moment, due to an unexpected fever, pesky cough, unruly behavior or a clumsy fall we savored every moment.

My husband maintained eye contact with me as he took long sips of his beer; I reciprocated the sentiment as I nibble on the appetizer. Refusing to be shaken by the sounds of a discontent toddler at a nearby table, I held his gaze. I began to waver and reached for my napkin; which seemed to cool the spark between us, “I forgot to tell you, Liam wants to do camp this summer.” We establish the financial and logistical plan for the camp and proceeded to reminisce over how big our oldest is getting, “Soon he’ll be off to college, not just away at summer camp!”

After a deep breath my husband sets a rule for the remainder of the night, “No more kid talk!” He closes his eyes and when he opens them the spark between us returns. Sexy, silent staring resumes over a seriously satisfying meal. Once the dinner plates are removed I notice the discontent toddler has been replaced by an adorable six month old little girl, with a giant pink polk-a-dot bow. Blessed with boys my observant husband immediately knew how much of a distraction this little darling would be for me and quickly suggested we switch seats. As we play musical chairs the spark must have flown to another table and my husband breaks his own rule, “Oh! Nolan was invited to a birthday party tomorrow.” For the next few minutes we discuss Nolan’s social life and diverse friend pool. The spark returns when the desert arrives.  Unable to put a dent in the enormous cake we ask the waiter to wrap it up for the kids that we’re not supposed to talk about.

We make our way, hand in hand to the Britt grounds and locate a perfectly romantic viewing spot. I settle in as my husband opens the bottle we just picked up from South Stage Cellars. Half way through our first glass of Serendipity a bouncy ball flies past us followed by three kids in pursuit. We look at one another tenderly and smile. I say, “We should have brought the boys.” My husband replies, “Yea, I really miss them too.” I ask, “Should we make it an early night?” My husband raises an eyebrow, “Do you not remember the lost baseball glove fiasco, the melt down over the neighbor kid, the incessant whining and back chatting?” I nodded in recollection and agreement, “Right, I’m never going back there!”  We were the last people to leave Britt that night!

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