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“What day is that? Maybe we can work it so we can go together.”
“Like a date?” I ask.
“Mm. Like a date. Which we’ll have to go on one of these days.” Jake’s eyebrows pull together, as though he’s trying to figure out how to make that work.
We skipped over that whole part of the relationship process, going from secret weekends together, to suddenly contending with a later-in-life pregnancy fraught with worries and potential complications.
“We should try scheduling that. In six months to a year from now, we’ll probably be able to swing it.” It’s sort of a joke, sort of not.
“We have built-in babysitters coming out the wazoo. Queenie’s offered a million times to take JJ for a few hours. And when your parents come down to visit next time, we can go on a real date. The kind where I take you out for dinner. Wine you and dine you.”
“I haven’t had a glass of wine in nearly a year, so we should go easy on that part.”
My parents came to visit a few days after JJ was born and stayed with Ryan. It was a little awkward, especially with the way my mom always wants to give advice on how to do things the right way. I bit my tongue and let Jake politely put her in her place. But it was nice to have them visit and for my mom to tell me I’m a good mother. The best part of the visit—which was also the most emotional—was when she asked if she could take a picture of me with both of my sons and told me she knew I would be a great mother to JJ because I’d been a wonderful mother to Ryan, even if he hadn’t known at the time.
“Noted. We’ll go light on the drinks so you don’t fall asleep on me before we get a chance to make out post-date.” He waggles his brows.
“That may have to take place in the back seat of the car if my parents are staying here.” In the post birth-haze phase, there hasn’t been much of an opportunity for snuggling or connection. I miss it. I miss Jake, even though we’re in the same house, under the same roof, sleeping beside each other every night.
“Or.” He holds up a finger and his eyes light up. “We could go back to your house since the lease doesn’t run out for a few more months.”
“Oooh. Now that’s an idea.” And one I hadn’t thought of.
Jake’s phone buzzes with a message. “Let’s put a pin in this conversation for now, but we are definitely going to talk about it later tonight.” He checks his phone. “I should be home around five. I ordered a bunch of those meals for us that have all the ingredients. We can choose whatever looks good to you and we can make it together, sound good?”
“Sure. Sounds great.”
He grabs his suit jacket and heads for the door. Thirty seconds later, he returns because he forgot his keys and his tablet on the kitchen counter. And his travel mug of coffee.
_______________
A FEW DAYS later, Queenie and Ryan come over to watch JJ while Jake and I go grocery shopping.
Since JJ was born, I haven’t been away from him for more than a few minutes. Unless you count sleeping, which I do not.
“I fed him before you came, so he should be good for at least a couple of hours, but if he gets fussy, there’s a bottle of breastmilk in the fridge. It just needs to be put in a warmer for a couple of minutes.” I show Queenie where everything is in the kitchen, and then take her to the nursery where the crib and diaper changing station are set up. We turned the top of the dresser in Jake’s bedroom into a second one, since the bassinet is in there, but over the past week, we’ve been transitioning JJ to his own room.
“We’ll be fine,” Queenie assures me. “You two enjoy grocery shopping and we’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
“Okay. Just text if you need anything. Or you have questions. We’ll both have our phones.”
“King is a baby whisperer. You have nothing to worry about. And this is good practice for us.” Queenie hands me my purse and pushes me toward the front door, where Jake is waiting for me.
Ryan is holding JJ. Jake kisses him on the forehead—JJ, not Ryan—and I do the same. And then they’re shoving us out the door, telling us not to rush back.
“Should we stop and get coffees before we do the whole shopping thing?” Jake asks.
“Oooh, that sounds great! I’d love a latte.” And I could definitely use the shot of caffeine.
We make a stop at one of my favorite coffee places. They don’t have a drive-thru, so we go inside to order. Jake slings his arm over my shoulders as we walk across the parking lot back to the car. He pulls me into his side, his lips finding my temple. “Is it weird that I miss having JJ with us right now, even though I’ve also been dying for some alone time with you that isn’t filled with folding tiny pairs of socks and facecloths?”
