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“I want to do a bit of an experiment.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. I want to have… I don’t know if this is the right word.”

“Go ahead and try,” he said.

“I would like to have something of a summer camp this week.”

He was staring at her like she had grown a second head.

“Well, I’m going to call in some favors, and I’m going to have art supplies, archery, badminton…”

“Are you going in alphabetical order?”

“Not on purpose.”

“What are you even talking about?”

“I had a thought,” she said. “That we should try doing different activities to see what you like.”

He was looking at her like she was well and truly insane now. Like she had two heads and both of them were insane. “You think my problem is I don’t have a hobby?”

“I think part of your problem is you’re still stuck in survival mode. That’s what you think everything is. A means to survival. And I think there needs to be more. You asked me when you came to my apartment a few weeks ago why I didn’t have a personal chef. It’s because I know what I like to do. You don’t. You’ve automated all these things in your life. Like you’re some money-making machine. Maybe you need to remember things you might like to do. Besides amassing wealth.”

“I do other things,” he said.

“Yes,” she said. Her face got hot. “You do other things. But… I do feel that you have to do more than eat, sleep, fuck and work.”

“Disagree,” he said.

“Adonis,” she said. “I think that it would be good. If you find something you really love then you could teach… You could teach our son.”

She felt a little bit guilty saying that, only because she knew it was going to hit him right where he lived. Only because she knew that it was going to be the thing that made him agree.

“I don’t think we need to go as far as having adult summer camp at our own house.”

“But it will be nice.”

“Please tell me you didn’t invite other people.”

“No. I just procured the supplies. But… Come on. Please? We really never did play enough.”

He sighed heavily. She could see that he felt extremely put upon. “Yes, Esme. For you, I will do this.”

“Oh good,” she said. “Because I think you’re going to like it.”

“I don’t know about that.”

She moved closer to him, and she kissed him on the lips. “I’ll do everything with you.”

She was gratified when he softened just slightly. “Well, that I can see liking.”

“You liked the cooking,” she pointed out.

“No. I liked being with you.”

That made her feel even better, but she tried not to let him see it, because maybe he wasn’t trying to make her feel nice; maybe he was just being stubborn about activities.