He leaves without another word. I go to the living room and put Danny on a blanket on his stomach. He pushes himself up in the cobra position. I mimic him and his little eyes go big. He lifts one hand and overbalances. I comically over-exaggerate falling over, too. Danny giggles uncontrollably, beginni
ng to roll around on the blanket. He's so easy to please, so easy to love. I tickle his full tummy. I don't think that he's sick anymore. He seems happy enough.
Chapter 9
Thai Dinner
Elia
By the time that Jeff comes home at 7 PM, I'm pooped. I normally work during the more regular 8 to 5 hours, so today is the longest that I've ever been over here. I honestly don't understand how working mothers could possibly handle the double shift, coming home and cooking dinner and cleaning the house and checking homework after driving the kids around...I have a headache just thinking about it.
The smell of food perks me up. "Is that dinner?"
"Yeah. I picked something up on the way home. There's a Thai place that we...that I love."
I feel like someone just clenched a hand around my heart. It's so thoughtful of him to bring dinner home, but I understand that it's a pattern of behavior that was established with her.
"Well, it smells great."
"I didn't know what you liked, so I thought that Pad Thai was pretty safe."
"I love Pad Thai," I say. "Danny can't eat solids yet, right?"
"Not yet. The doctor said to wait to introduce solids until we felt ready. He's fine as he is now."
I pop Danny into the Pack n Play. He's occupied by brightly colored rings, which he stacks in the absolute wrong order. He's perplexed about why he can't fit other rings on top of the smallest one, which has settled at the top of the toy.
Jeff takes plates out of the cabinet.
"Fancy," I comment.
"Food tastes better if you use real dishware and silverware." He yanks cloth napkins out of a drawer and there are utensils rolled inside.
"This is like a restaurant," I exclaim.
Jeff laughs a little. "I guess."
"Maybe this is an everyday thing for you, but I didn't grow up with a mom. Thank you for setting the table."
"No problem." He opens up the Pad Thai container and puts half on my plate and half on his. "Do you like Golden Purses?"
When I look at him, totally bemused, he laughs. "It's an appetizer that comes with sweet chili sauce." He has a tiny sauce container, which he opens. He dips a spoon in it, just wetting the edge of it. "Taste." He guides the spoon to my mouth with a hand under it to catch anything that would drip. Something that could be really casual turns blazing hot as we make eye contact while he puts the spoon to my lips. I lick the sauce off.
"Spicy!" I yelp.
"It's Thai," he says. "What did you expect?"
"I need milk," I say, fanning my mouth as if it will help, even though I know it won't.
Jeff opens the fridge and pulls out a small half gallon of 2%. He pauses for a minute before taking out a bottle of port. "I'll pour you a glass." I watch as he pours the milk out into a small glass for me and grabs a generously sized wineglass for himself. He puts the milks away. He brings the bottle, wineglass, and my glass to the table. I gratefully accept the glass and pour it down to put out the fire. He pours a ton of red wine into the glass and drains the glass.
"That kind of day, huh?" I ask.
"Your dad is gone, and it was kind of abrupt."
"But he had to," I say.
"Yeah." Jeff fills his glass again. "It was chaos today. I really couldn't have stayed home." He stops. "You didn't call me today. How was Danny?" "He was an angel. No barf other than spit up when I burped him."