When I wake up with my face half-stuck to the couch upholstery, I expect Tabitha to still be giving me the silent treatment. It’s the first weekend since she’s moved in, and this is definitelynothow I wanted to kick off a Saturday morning.
But just as I get up to go and check on Teddie, I see Tabitha’s bright and smiling face coming down the hall. Teddie is already awake too and walking hand-in-hand with her toward me.
“Good morning,” she smiles as if she has done a complete one-eighty.
“Morning,” I say back to her in confusion. “And morning to you too, little man.”
I reach down and pick Teddie up, swinging him up over my shoulder.
“Aren’t you supposed to be staying off that toe?” I ask.
“I am,” he laughs. “I’m walking on my other toes instead.”
Tabitha smiles and I can’t help but feel like her smile is contagious. Plus, his answer was cute.
“What’s everybody doing up so early on a Saturday morning?” I ask as the three of us walk into the kitchen and I head straight for the coffee pot after setting Teddie down at the table.
“I have a whole picnic packed for all three of us today,” Tabitha beams.
“You do? But I thought you were mad at—”
She cuts me off with a look and I see Teddie watching the both of us. Since I don’t want to get into any sort of argument again, I simply let go of my question and make the coffee instead. I paid over four hundred dollars for this coffee press, and the beans were imported from South Africa. Theoretically, it should be one of the best cups of coffee that I’ve ever tasted. But honestly, as long as it wakes me up and reduces the whisky-induced brain fog from last night, then that will do.
“I thought that a nice afternoon at the park would do everyone some good,” Tabitha says as we talk over coffee. “I’ll bring some board games so that Teddie can play without running around on his toe.”
“Sounds good,” I smile. I am still feeling a bit unarmed, as if this all feels too nice, like Tabitha is already a part of our little family.
I had expected her to still be angry with me today, but now I have a small, rekindled hope that maybe she isn’t. And by the way it feels so natural for us to talk over coffee and plan a family outing on a nice Saturday afternoon, I allow myself to foolishly hope that maybe I still have a shot at winning her back. Maybe I didn’t blow things for good after all.
Our picnic at the park is great fun. The day is nice, the food is good, and I can’t remember ever spending such an enjoyable chunk of time with my son without being interrupted by work. We sit on the picnic blanket and play one game after another, and he snorts with laughter half the time.
“Did I beat youagain?” Teddie howls with a wide grin and barely containable laughing.
“You sure did,” Tabitha nods. “I think you must be an expert at this game.”
Teddie beams at her compliment and then proceeds to beat me in the game too.
“Yep, you’re definitely the game master,” I say as I pretend to bow down my head in reverence.
We all laugh and then Tabitha pulls out another game. We’ve almost played through all the ones that she brought with us. I didn’t even remember that I had all these games at the house.
“What a sweet family the three of you are,” a woman walking past stops to tell us.
She means it in the nicest way, I am sure. She’s trying to bestow a lovely compliment on us, which is why none of us say anything. The woman stands there for a second smiling at Teddie, who is already plotting his next round of game winning. She is attractive, dressed in a short skirt and a top that clings to her figure. She reminds me a bit of Molly—the kind of girl that wouldn’t hesitate to take something she wants.
“It’s so refreshing to see a mom and dad playingrealgames with their child instead of all those online games the kids are into these days,” the woman says. “You both look like wonderful parents.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Tabitha shrink away. I don’t know what about it she is shrinking from, but the entire encounter is making her uncomfortable now.
“Oh, I’m just the nanny,” Tabitha says quickly as she motions toward me. “He’sthe parent.”
The woman’s eyes dart noticeably toward my ring finger to check and see if there’s a wedding band there, which of course, there is not.
“Awe, that is truly great of you to bring your nanny along on a picnic with your son. What a great dad you must be,” the woman gushes. I recognize the look in her eye. It’s the kind of look that practically begs for a ride on my cock. “My name is Kate.”
Kate smiles at me with an “after hours” grin and then proceeds to flirt a little while Tabitha helps Teddie set up the gameboard. At any other time, I would politely ask this woman to leave. She’s pretty, but not my type. And I was enjoying our time herebeforethis woman interrupted our picnic. But I’m mad about what Tabitha said. Just as I thought that she and I were starting to rekindle a connection, she just dropped it all and took herself out of the equation by making it very clear she was “just” the nanny. It’s as if none of this really matters to her. She’s just working a job, maybe even playing a game, and in six months she’s going to take all her cash and go.
I suppose that serves me right for having bailed on her before, but it still makes me mad. So, out of frustration, and in the childish hope of making her jealous, I do something rash.