I close my eyes and swallow hard, letting my shame wash over me. She's right. I should have. And I didn't. And now we're here. And it sucks.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" I open my eyes, throwing a smile on my face and squatting down as my two girls come racing into the room and jumping into my arms.
"Oh, my girls!" I kiss them all over their faces and dig my fingers into their ribs, tickling them. "I missed you girls so much."
"Daddy, Mommy got me some princess flip-flops. See?" Myra shoves her foot in my face, almost falling over in the process.
"Oh, they're so nice," I say in that exaggerated response most parents use when their kids get excited about the small things in life.
"Me, too, Daddy." Lina just points at her feet instead of trying for balance.