“We can study while we eat,” she says.“If we can manage to not get wing sauce all over my notes.”
She goes into another room and returns with a notebook, setting it beside me.“These are the things I have to know by heart.”
“Okay.”I read her neat cursive handwriting.“What are the things you need to check in a postpartum assessment?”
“Breasts, uterus, bladder, bowel, lochia, blood clots, perineum.And keep monitoring for hemorrhage.”She gives me a quick wink.“Sexiest Friday night ever, right?”
I don’t let my eyes roam as I say, “Honestly, very sexy.Best Friday night I’ve had in many years.”
Movement near my plate catches my eye and I turn to see Dong, who has just jumped up onto the table and is heading for my plate.
“No, Dong.”Blair wipes off her hands and starts to stand up, but I scoop the cat up by its midsection and set it on the floor.
I look down at the notebook, about to ask her another question when she says, “Fuck studying.Tell me more about your sister.”
A smile tugs on my lips.“Tell me something about you first.We can go back and forth.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Is the boys’ father part of their lives?”
Her shoulders sink slightly.“No.He took off before Coop even had a chance to know who he was.Eli doesn’t really remember him, either.”
“How would you feel if he tried to come back?”
“Ha.”She doesn’t sound amused.“He won’t.But if he did?I don’t know ...angry over my boys having to know he exists and doesn’t want to see them.”
“Would you let him see them?”
“Nope.Not unless it was that or jail time.”
“Are you afraid of him?”
These are all the questions that run through my mind when I’m traveling.Could this guy show up unannounced, and if he did, what would Blair think?Does she still love him?
“No.As long as I don’t try to get him to pay child support, he’ll stay away.I think that’s best for all of us.”She takes a bite of pizza, finishing it before she says, “Your turn.Is Elin your only sibling?”
“Yeah.”
“And you mentioned your mom.What’s she like?Is your dad in the picture?”
“My dad died about ten years ago.He was a furniture maker.And my mom ...she’s great.Her name’s Helga and she’s an amazing cook.She watches every game I play online, unless she has a really important conflict.Even if she has to get up in the middle of the night, she watches them.”
“I love that.Does she call you Magnus, or is there a nickname, likemy little Swedish meatball?”
I smile.“She calls me Magge.”
Blair’s eyes widen when I pronounce the short version of my name in Swedish, which sounds like MAH-geh, but softer.
“I mean, I guess I knew you spoke another language, but it sounds so cool to hear it.Your English is perfect, too.”
“We’re taught English in school.Everyone knows it.”
“Do you know any other languages?”
“I’m passable in Norwegian, and I know a little German, but not much.”
She stands up, taking her plate to the trash and then washing her hands.She hardly ate anything.
