"What about Jamaica?"
I took a sip of my pale ale as I looked at my gorgeous wife of ten years. Amy was holding a brochure with vacation listings for the Caribbean, briefing through the leaflet as we relaxed at our favorite terrace. The kids were with my mom, giving us a much needed afternoon off.
"What about it?"
"Look, Jamaica is perfect for surfing lessons! You always talk about how you'd love to take up surfing, right?"
"True, but isn't that ridiculously expensive?"
"Not over there. According to the brochure, you can hire a private instructor for three days for only a hundred bucks."
"Whoa, that's not a bad deal at all."
Amy continued rattling on about all the sights we could see, the food we could and the pearly, white beaches we could sunbathe on. Meanwhile, all I could think about was how luscious she would look in a tiny bikini. After giving birth to our two beautiful baby boys, she felt like she had lost a bit of her sexuality. Nonsense of course, I was still crazy about her, but she felt different. More mother than wife.
I'd do anything to make my wife feel happy and sexy again. I even stopped going to my weekly volleyball practice on Tuesdays so she'd have the time to go for a long evening run. I fully supported her in all her endeavors. Slowly but surely, her chipper attitude was coming back, but there was still a glumness surrounding her. Maybe a long vacation, just the two of us, would get me my happy-go-lucky Amy back.
"Do you think we should do it?"
"Is it what you want?"
"It is," she smiled back at me, a wide, ear-to-ear-grin. "This place looks really nice. We can rent our own private bungalow near the beach, you can take up surfing while I can just lounge on the beach all day... Fuck it, I can really use a break. Things have been so hectic at work lately, and the boys, bless them, but..."
I nodded, smiling back at her. I could tell from her inflection that she was dead serious. Don't get me wrong, we love our two kids to death — but changing diapers and wiping snot doesn't get either one of us in the mood!
"It would be nice to take some time off, yeah, but when? We can't just take off..."
"Why not, though? Listen. Do you remember when we went to Mexico?"
"I remember what we did in Mexico," I said with a smirk.
Amy chuckled. "How could I forget, right? Seriously though, how long ago do you think that was?"
"I don't know," I said, searching my mind. "It as a while ago. Three years. Or was it four?"
"Five years," Amy proclaimed. "It's been five whole years since we had a proper vacation, Michael!"
"No way!"
"Yes way! Just count with me here. Last year we decided not to go because the kids were too young, the year before that I was pregnant, the year before that we had just bought the house so we didn't have any money..."
I counted the years and damn if she wasn't right. It had been five years already?! Time does fly, damn. One moment you're just turning thirty and suddenly the years just fly right by.
"Wow, I guess you're right."
"I want to do it," Amy said confidently. "Jamaica. This year. This summer. Hell, this month! Let's go home and book the tickets. Right now."
"Right now? Now now?"
"Now. We have the money — I know we're saving for a new car, but, well, fuck it. I want to go on a vacation before we grow old. At this rate we won't leave the country until we're past forty. I don't want to become a boring mom, Michael."
I ran my hand through my hair, taking a moment to think. It's been a long time since I'd seen Amy so fired up about anything — she had really set her sights on this vacation. We hadn't really planned or budgeted accordingly however. I'd have to call in a few favors at work, find a babysitter, and we'd have to dip into our savings... but that trouble should be well worth it, if it meant spending two weeks in paradise with my wife.
"You'll never be a boring mom, babe, trust me. If it's really what you want then... let's do it."
Amy clasped her hands together in joy, a wide, cheeky grin on her face.
"I can't believe you said yes! God, this is so spontaneous and exciting!"
"Can you get the time off work that easily though? And who will watch the boys?"
"Philip won't be pleased, but he can get over it. I've been busting my ass for him all year, he can manage two weeks without me," Amy said. "And I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind having the kids over for a week or two? She's always going on about how she wants to spend more time with them. Besides, isn't that what grandmothers are for?" She smiled cheekily. "We're going to Jamaica and nothing can stop us!"
I laughed at my wife's infectious enthusiasm. I was a little surprised by her decisiveness, but I didn't mind one bit. Normally, if we'd go on a holiday, she'd plan the whole thing down to the finest detail for months on end. It was a nice change of pace to suddenly decide, on a whim, to go to the Caribbean. I couldn't wait to finally get on a surfboard and mess around in the water, and afterwards, dry up on the beach, sipping on a cool margarita while Amy pranced around in bikinis and dresses, showing off her gorgeous curves to the island boys.
I raised my glass for a toast.
"To us!"
"And to Jamaica!" Amy chimed in.
***
"Should I do it?" Amy asked me, hesitating slightly. "This is it, baby... the point of no return."
Amy had called her boss and gotten two weeks off, while I had done the same. My mother was happy to watch the kids while we were gone. Now, after filling out the necessary online forms, we were one mouse-click away from booking our spur-of-the-moment vacation. We managed to find a flight leaving tomorrow morning.
"Should I do it?"
Amy's voice was tingling with excitement, her feet bouncing off the floor.
"Do it, baby!"
Click.