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“I’ll give you a massage you’ll remember.”
***
The next day taxed Sienna’s endurance. The children were too noisy, her belly hurt, and the principal annoyed her with a special request to attend and help at the school Christmas party on Thursday, the last day of school. With her appendix hurting and the surgery incapacitating her, she’d kept postponing her Christmas shopping to the last minute. She’d hoped to leave early and navigate through the mall in search for Tyler and Dalia’s presents.
Physically and mentally exhausted by the time she reached home, she changed and collapsed on the sofa, unable to lift a finger to cook. Tyler arrived half an hour later in a cheerful mood, hugged Dalia, and gave Sienna a quick kiss.
“Today was a perfect day. No emergency, no difficult cases, no problems. I wish we had more of those days. How about you, sweetheart?” He hung his parka and pulled off his boots at the kitchen door.
“Totally the opposite. I’m exhausted and haven’t cooked yet.”
“Not to worry. I’ll order a pizza and minestrone soup. Okay?”
“Thanks.” She sighed. “I hate schoolwork. I don’t have enough patience to be a good teacher.”
“Then quit being a teacher.” He texted the Italian restaurant and put his order.
“How can I quit? I need to work.”
Suddenly sobered, he peered at her, concern simmering in his eyes. He sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her neck. “Tell me about your day. Start at the moment you arrived.”
For a change, she didn’t ask him to stop acting like a doctor, or rather a psychiatrist. And she poured her soul. “I’ve always hated this job, but I didn’t have a choice. It paid the mortgage and Dalia was with me all day. No need for babysitter. No problem with summer and Christmas vacations.”
“Now you reached the end of your rope. You can’t cope with it anymore, right?”
“I don’t know why I feel this way.”
“Maybe because you’re still recovering from surgery and you’re tired. Or you’re simply fed up. Why don’t you contact your former employer?”
“Senator Markson? And then?”
“Wish him a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday. Ask him about his office recent news. Hint that you miss everyone.”
“What if he asked me to come back?”
“Say you’re very tempted and need time to think about it.”
“Are you crazy? What about Dalia?”
“Dalia is not a baby anymore. We’ll enroll her in a reputable daycare. Now we’ll be two to care about her, drop her in the morning, pick her up in the evening. When I’m not on call I have flexible hours. We’ll coordinate our schedule.”
“Are you serious?” An incredible hope invaded her heart.
“Very serious. We’ll talk more about it and exchange ideas, but first call them tomorrow as soon as you return from school.”
She’d put her life on hold at Dalia’s birth. With Tyler at her side, she could start living again, without sacrificing her daughter.
