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19
Silence speaks volumes
As night begins to fall,Addy and I head into the kitchen and find something to cook for dinner. With our abrupt exit, and Lola’s only meal being cake, we all need to eat.
Jones and Wyatt carry in firewood while Lola watches cartoons. Her laughter carries through the house, warming my heart. Wyatt hasn’t said much to me since they sat out on the porch and talked for almost an hour. There’s been a smile plastered on his face since they came back in, though.
“Something smells good,” Jones comments as he takes a seat at the counter.
“Addy’s quite the cook,” I say, knowing that her skills in the kitchen could put mine to shame any day of the week.
“Oh yeah?” he says, a sly smile spreading across his face.
“Is that so hard to believe?” she asks, stirring the rice.
“Let’s see… crazy smart, incredibly sexy, and a good cook. I think I just fell in love,” Jones remarks.
“Is that all it takes? Good looks and a full belly?” Addy challenges, turning to face him with her hands on her hips.
“Did I mention sexy?”
“You did.”
“Smart?”
“Yep.”
“Well, then, yes that’s all it takes.”
“You’re such an idiot sometimes,” I say, knowing that these two could keep this up all night. As much as I enjoy their banter, it’s making me nauseated.
“What does sexy mean, Mommy?” Lola’s tiny voice catches me off guard, and when I turn, I still can’t see her. Jones reaches down and pulls her onto the stool next to him, her head barely visible over the counter.
“It means that someone likes the way the other person looks,” I explain, giving Addy and Jones a pointed look.
“So Uncle Adam likes the way Aunt Addy looks?”
“Yes, I do. Don’t you think she’s pretty?” Jones asks.
“She’s really pretty. So is Momma. Do you think I’ll be pretty when I grow up?” she asks, her excitement causing Jones to smile from ear to ear.
“I think you’ll be prettier than both of them,” he says. Lola’s face lights up as she jumps down and goes rushing into the other room.
“Daddy, Daddy. Uncle Adam says I’m going to be prettier than Mommy.”
We all have a little laugh before Addy announces that dinner is ready.
The conversation at dinner is spoken in code. For Lola’s sake. She’s a smart kid, but she doesn’t need to know what we’re talking about.
“Sleepover?” Jones asks everyone.
“That sounds like fun,” Addy replies, her face telling a story Lola never needs to hear.
“Arrangements?” I ask, only noticing two bedrooms earlier when I went in search of a bathroom.
“There’s plenty of room,” Wyatt says, unable to make eye contact with me for the first time tonight.
What did I say? I wasn’t trying to insinuate anything. Maybe it’s the code talk. Maybe he’s trying to distance himself from me.
