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He laughs, though I’m not so sure he’s kidding.
After tonight and how reinvigorated I feel, I’m not so sure I’m against the idea.
12
delphine
“Will you slow down, woman!?”Sasha shrieks in a winded pant. She hustles to pump her legs harder and push the stroller faster so she can keep up.
I’m on a roll, riding a runner’s high. I take the lead between the two of us with ease. Dominic’s sitting obediently in his stroller, giggling and squirming at the scenery whizzing by.
I may not be able to run as fast with him and the stroller, but I’m making better time than most moms who go for jogs with their babies.
The cool air refreshes me along the way. So does the sun beaming down on us, working its magic like an injection of Vitamin D into the bloodstream. I could go for another couple miles if I didn’t have to take Dominic’s nap into consideration—andSasha’s exhaustion.
We reach the end of our running trail with polar opposite reactions. I’m still buzzing with energy, running in place, my face sheening with a nice dew. Sasha’s puffing and lurching along as though she’ll face plant any second.
“You are crazy,” she pants, shaking her head. “Only a crazy person would be this hyped after a trail likethat.”
“It was only two miles.”
“Two miles of hell! Last time I fall for your lies. Slow, scenic jog in the park, my ass.”
I laugh and then point out a nearby park bench. “How about we take five? The babies are getting fussy anyway.”
As we take our seats at the bench, I can’t help noticing how reinvigorated I feel. It’s beyond a simple runner’s high, it’s an overall lighter mood. Slowly, as I’ve made an effort to include some me time in my days, I’ve learned how to find balance. I’ve found myself again.
I’m a wife and mother.
But I’m also still Delphine Rose Adams at heart. In my basest element.
I had forgotten that for a little while. These runs in the park remind me. So does the time I’ve been taking to read books and pamper myself with pedicures and facials. Every few afternoons, I’ve been leaving Dominic with Salvatore, or a trusted babysitter like Stitches, Sasha, or our nanny, and I’ve gone out to spend time on my own.
At first it felt impossible. Guilt ate me up. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dominic, if he was fussing or crying without his mommy. Then I came home to Salvatore and Stitches entertaining Dom with funny faces and sound effects to the point the baby’s giggles could be heard rooms away. He hadn’t even noticed I was gone.
I calmed down after that.
Sasha slumps on the bench with her arms spread out along the back and her head tilted up toward the sky. “I take it you’re feeling better.”
I smile. “You can say that.”
“And you and Salvatore?” She opens one eye to peer at me.
My smile widens. “The best it’s ever been. Very…passionate.”
“Now, you know you’re not gonna drop that bomb and then run, right? Share all the passionate details with the class. Especially those of us going through a very long dry spell.”
“I don’t kiss and tell. Not even with my husband,” I say, watching her face fall. “But I will say there’s no quenching Salvatore.”
“Doesn’t sound like it. That man is going to be forever thirsty for you.”
We laugh at the undeniable truth of the statement.
“Have you thought about dating again?” I ask a few seconds later.
Sasha shrugs. “It’s complicated for me. After… you know… everything. I’m focusing on raising my little guy and my job. I’ve thought about it, but going through with it is a whole different thing.”
“Salvatore and I should set you up. He knows plenty of available men! How do you feel about Italian?”
