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“As a matter of fact, I am. Thanks so much for the delivery service,” I quip.
He puts her down and she steps up on her step stool in front of the sink and I hand her a very pink princess toothbrush already covered in toothpaste and she starts brushing. I figured Jonathan would have left by now, but he’s still standing there watching us go through our nighttime routine. Ireland has a huge grin on her face the entire time she brushes. She tries to finish a little too fast so I stop her from hopping off her stool and help her finish.
“Okay, say goodnight baby girl. It’s off to bed for you.”
She sticks out her lower lip out and looks down at her feet while she hugs my leg. Suddenly shy she pops her little head out from behind me and says, “Goodnight.”
“Don’t look sad, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“You will?” Ireland and I ask in unison.
“I was planning on it so don’t you worry about bedtime. You’ll see me tomorrow.”
Ireland grabs his hand and leads him to her bedroom. She’s up to something. She hates going to bed and can think of a million things to delay the process each night. Tonight, she’s walking toward her favorite stack of books and hands one to Jonathan and then crawls up into her bed.
“No, Jonathan doesn’t need to read you a story. Let’s let him go home and I’ll read to you in a minute.”
“Ah, pease mommy?”
She’s begging me and in front of him. She really is too smart for her own good, and if this is any indication, she’s going to have her way with many male hearts along the way. I don’t want to even think about that!
“I don’t mind if it’s okay with your momma?”
“Okay, but only one Ireland. Jonathan, do not let her talk you into book after book because she’ll do it. Trust me on this one.”
Then I fake whisper so they can both hear me, “It’s a trap!”
He chuckles, kneels on the side of her bed, opens up the classic Where the Wild Things Are and starts to read. She stops him though. She pats the side of her bed asking him to sit on the bed with her. He looks to me for permission and I nod my approval. Once he’s settled with his arm around her and with her pressed into his side once again, he starts to read.
I step out into the hallway to catch my breath. The sight of them together like that is just too much. I’ve had dreams with this same scenario. I wish so badly that her father hadn’t rejected us both, but he did, and I am doing my best to make up for it. Moments like this though, these moments make me realize that no matter how much I try to make up for the loss of her father I can’t. The thought breaks my heart.
My poor baby girl.
Ireland fell asleep half-way through the book but he finished it like a trooper. After we detached her from Jonathan without waking her up we quietly creep out of her room and shut the door. He follows me down the hall and then we awkwardly stand in the middle of the family room not saying anything. In the middle of the screaming silence Frank farts so loud he wakes himself up and that is all it takes for the both of us to start laughing and break the silence.
“How about a drink? Got any wine or anything else around this place?”
“Uh, I do have some wine if you want some.”
I know I am looking at him suspiciously but I really did think he would be leaving now. I can’t believe he’s been here since 10 am.
“Let’s do it. Let’s have some wine and maybe watch a movie but without the G rating.”
Shit, what will happen when we’re alone with wine and a movie? Double Shit!
Heading towards the kitchen I cannot believe I say, “Sure, let’s see what we have.”
After we’re settled on the couch—not close enough to touch but not far away from one another either—he pick up the remote and we search for a movie we both want to see on Netflix.
“So, how’s the new job going?”
“Not too bad. I wish I was working more hours, but I like it. Mick is being really cool about it and won’t let me pay rent. So, with Justine being paid off.”
My reference to the fact that I named my car after meeting him earns me a smile.
“And with no rent or utilities I just have preschool and my schooling to pay for and most of my check goes to that. I would love more hours but then that would just cost more in daycare, so until I finish school and can get a full-time teaching job I’m staying here with Mick. I hate that he’s giving up his privacy for us, but I also know how lucky I am to have him and my mom.”
“How did you do it on your own down in California all these years?”
