“Haven’t decided. He’s so gleeful chopping the bread, I might go get him a second loaf.”
She narrows her eyes at me in what I’ve learned is her signature mom face. It’s both adorable and terrifying all in one go. “I will unalive you.”
“He could help. He’s really great with a knife.”
She shakes her head, flinging out one of her all-time-best eye rolls. “That’s dark, Raffi.”
“No one would ever suspect him either. He’s just too cute.”
She claps her hands. “Okay, buddy. Are we finished making sandwiches?”
Wyatt looks up at me, and I answer with a shrug. If Victoria tells me I’m done at something, I’m fucking done. But this kid of mine has no such sense of preservation. He shakes his head. “More.” He waves his knife around like it’s a wand, a huge glob of jelly dropping onto the counter.
If there was a trapdoor under my feet, I’d make it open so I could flee. Unfortunately for me, the architects of this particular house didn’t factor in an escape route from the Mrs.
“Wyatt Jefferson Shaw.”
He tips his head like she said it wrong. He’s adjusting to the fact she’s using my name as his surname now. We both are. His birth certificate has her last name, because she didn’t know mine. She’s applied to have it changed, and despite the ball ache and red tape, she’s determined to set the official record straight.
Makes me so fucking happy.
“Yes, mama?”
“We’re done with the sandwiches.”
He scowls, scrunching up his face. “Not done.”
She plants her hands on her hips. “Am I going to have to intervene here, little man?”
If I gave her the stink eye he’s currently giving her, I’d inevitably end up with a slap upside the head. My son’s got balls, that much is true.
“Wyatt bud?”
He turns his attention to me.
“How does goldfish and Mario sound?” I’m bartering with a tiny version of myself. This is my life now.
He shakes his head.
“Fire?” He calls the movie Elemental ‘fire.’
That should bring him around. He glances at the knife in his hand and puts it on the counter.
“Kraken?” Come on kid, work with me here. My skin’s starting to prickle with sweat. Don’t let me down in front of your mom, please? Let me earn some brownie points here.
He climbs down from the stool. “Turrrrrrrrrrrrtleeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!” He takes off at high speed.
“If he gets jelly on the couch, Mom is going to sever your dick with a cleaver.” Victoria’s got her camera out on the table, there are prints from the past few weeks scattered on the table.
“You’re so good, Firecracker.”
She blushes. “It’s not what I thought I’d do, but I’m good at it.”
There’s no bragging in her voice, just facts. Good is an understatement, but when I correct her she gets all squirmy.
“What did you think you were going to do?”
She shakes her head before collecting all the prints into a stack. I spy at least three I want to buy, frame, and gift to my friends. “Don’t put those away, I want some of those for the guys. They’re so good.”
