It is my wife of 24 years

softly curled to me…

stroking my skin.

This mother of five children…

two of hers, two step, and one ours.

all adults…

the youngest nearing 23.

My wife

who softly touches me…

smiles…

then suddenly jumps

to grab her pulsing cell phone.

Running from our holiday bed

in our $350 per night

romantic getaway…

she jumps away…

and pulls from me

to answer her stupid phone.

Suddenly she’s laughing hysterically,

and I guess I should have known.

It’s a call from our youngest…

asking “Is Safeway open tonight?”

It’s Christmas.

It’s Monterey.

It’s love,

and it’s family.

It’s OUR family.

It’s chaos,

and I guess it’s our life.