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Ender’s slightly more cheerful tone said he appreciated the shift in the conversation. “That is a good idea and very accurate. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I wasn’t going to try to get Tabitha to stop telling everyone at work about what she and Harper were doing. It just wasn’t possible, but it seemed like the best I could do would be to help with the fallout. “As the sane partner in her life, I do understand that Harper is making things difficult for you.”
“I’m still managing the fallout from dessert week.” Ender’s tone made me think he was shaking his head. “That was just… Tabitha being happy is slightly stressful.”
I had no idea what to say to that.
I wasn’t going to apologize for making our sub happy.
“I made Harper promise no more than one special delivery a month.” That was as low as I could get it down because Tabitha loved presents of any kind. Big, small, edible, toys from vending machines at the store that dropped eggs with random shit in them… she loved any and all gifts.
“I know. She was very excited.” His sigh had me trying not to laugh at the chaos Harper had caused. “He found a wonderful way to make her feel special.”
His cheeky little had loved getting spectacular desserts delivered to her at work but Ender’s frustration had been with the execution, not the idea in general. It’d been one of the weeks that Tabitha had worked a crazy number of hours and they’d just kept getting more and more extravagant.
His intention had been good but the results… well, that was another story.
I hadn’t heard about the shenanigans until Ender had called demanding I make it stop because the clown that’d delivered a cupcake the size of a small car had had the office in chaos… mostly because Tabitha wouldn’t share.
I wasn’t sure I’d have called it a cupcake but I wasn’t going to argue dessert semantics with the genius and her partner in crime.
“Sorry?” I wasn’t sure that was the right response but it was all I had. “We’re still trying to work out the best arrangement for the long weeks.”
His huff said he understood but didn’t appreciate it. I still felt slightly guilty about the drama they’d caused and I had to keep reminding myself it hadn’t been my fault.
“Have you thought about asking her to stay with you for the weeks when we have long hours?” Ender kept going like he hadn’t basically just told me to have Tabitha move in with us. “I know they don’t have typical schedules but there’s nothing I can do about that.”
Glossing over how odd the conversation was, I took him seriously and tried to decipher what he was actually suggesting.
“You’re saying on regular weeks she’d live at her place and we’d date like normal and then on the crazy weeks she’d stay here all the time?” Repeating it back made it sound slightly more reasonable but it was Ender’s tone and acceptance that made me think it wasn’t as crazy as I’d first thought.
“Yes, then she’d have more structure on those weeks when her stress level is higher and you’d see her in the evening at the very least.” Ender’s matter-of-fact tone had me looking at the pros and cons as he just kept going like it was a normal idea. “It would also let you test out the next step without having to jump in headfirst.”
“The next step?” I thought I was being subtle but he genuinely laughed.
“She has a nursery and a playroom at your house and Harper is trying to decide if they could get anything done if they shared an office at your place. Even Tabitha was asking what it meant when Harper asked her about her opinion on furniture placement.”
Clearly, Happy Daddy hadn’t been subtle at all.
“He and I have been talking about next steps but I didn’t realize he’d hinted a bit too much.” My response had Ender nearly giggling.
It was nice to know he was relaxing but I didn’t like being the cause.
“And speaking of things you didn’t realize… you might want to go see what they’re doing in the kitchen. The pictures I’m getting say it’s a mess.”
What were they doing in the kitchen?
They’d been curled up on the couch where they’d fallen asleep watchingThe Little Mermaidfor the thousandth time when I’d snuck off to get some work done.
“Fuck. Got to go.” Disconnecting the call as Ender laughed again, I quickly saved the plan I’d been working on and jumped up from my desk.
I wasn’t sure if I should be quiet to see what they were doing or loud to give them a chance to behave, but Ender’s teasing warning said that ship had probably already passed.
Yep.
Chaos.
They were so intent on whatever potion they were concocting that neither one heard me walk into the kitchen.
