Instead of refilling this glass, I get one of my metal tumblers out of the cabinet. That should keep him from getting out of bed with this excuse again. I turn toward the fridge and push the cup against the dispenser, filling it with ice, then water.
This will hopefully put him down for the night. What if Carlos calls before he goes to bed? I should have gotten his number so I could call him when it's appropriate. But, no, I was ridiculous and didn't think that far ahead. I had to get to work, and that was the fastest way to get him my information.
"Are you coming?" David's tired voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
"Yes, I'll be right there." I pull my phone out of my pocket and toss it on the couch. It's nights like these, when I'm anxious about other things, that it'd be so much easier to share the responsibility. My mom's help is great, but it's not the same as having someone here all the time.
He's sitting on the edge of his bed when I walk into his room. I didn't even hear him come out of the restroom. He reaches for the cup. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." I wait for him to take a drink. He sets the cup on his nightstand and pushes the blankets over to lie down. I pull them over him. "You need to go to sleep now. You have school tomorrow."
"Can you tuck me in like a burrito?"
"Absolutely." I push the blanket underneath him until he's swaddled. I thought kids grew out of that when they were babies, but I think I get it. It's a sense of comfort. The same way my weighted blanket makes me feel secure. Leaning down, I give him a quick peck on the forehead. "Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you to the ends of the universe," he responds. A part of me wonders if he'll outgrow this, and I hope like hell he'll keep this sweetness as he gets older.
The nightlight by his door, and the hall light, are the only things lighting my path out of his room. I close the door, but leave it a few inches ajar.
I turn off the hall light as I head back to the living room. Plopping on the couch, I take a drink of my now warm wine, and press play on the remote. Luckily, David didn't come all the way in here because where it was paused isn't exactly child appropriate. Vampire shows are my go-to when I need a pick me up from a long day.
My phone lights up and vibrates where I threw it. There's only one person it could be. The thought of not answering passes through my mind for a split second. Am I really ready to take this step with someone? Even if it is fake. If I don't, the girls are going to want to know what happened, and I'll be forced to tell them the truth.
Without a second thought, I pick up the phone and answer it. "Hello?"
"Hi, Caroline?" I hear music in the background. I can't tell what it is, and I hope he isn't calling from the bar.
"Who else would it be?" Smart ass defense mode activated.
"You're right," his voice wobbles, and now I feel like crap. The music stops and I hear a door close. "I'm sorry. Is it too late to call?"
I glance at the clock and it's a little past ten. For most people, it's not. But I usually go to bed shortly after David. Between work and helping David with his homework, I'm wiped. "Nope. I actually just got my son back to bed."
"Let me guess...he needed to go to the bathroom?"
"Close," I laugh. "His water got warm, and he wanted a drink."
"Solid reason." Another door opens, then closes, and something clatters on his end of the phone.
"Is everything okay over there?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"I keep hearing noises." That reminds me I need to pause my show. Otherwise, he might hear vampires having sex in the background.
"Sorry, I just got home."
"It's okay. I thought you might still be at work."
"Not at all. Angie let Eric and I go early tonight." He brought up Angie, and she's common ground between us. Well, other than the bar. She's someone we both know.
"Why?"
"She was bored and her boyfriend is playing poker."
"That actually makes sense. If there's anyone who would rather work than be bored, it's her." Jesus, this conversation is as riveting as talking about the weather.
"Pretty much. I'm surprised I haven't caught her sleeping up there. She still lives for the bar, but slightly less since Dylan's been in the picture."