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I lift a finger and watch as I’m served my dish, and then I waste no time in taking a bite because the best way to end a weekend of very bad decisions is to eat my damn eggs Benedict with a bride and the fiancé I made out with last night.
“Do you have any hot sauce?” Yeah, my mouth could go for a good scolding too.
six
“MOMMY!” HUNTER RUNS UPthe front steps with his arms wide open.
I lean down and grab my baby boy, hugging and kissing him, drinking in his delicious little boy smell … even when it currently smells like Cheetos and apple juice.
“I missed you. I love you. Can we snuggle on the couch? I want to show you my new comic book I got.”
This new routine of Tyler having the kids every weekend is going to take serious getting used to. We might have separated two years ago, but the divorce papers still have fresh ink. It took a while for me to agree to the weekends at his house, only because I want my children with me. His argument was that I work long hours on the weekends, sometimes past midnight. Plus, the kids want to be with their father too. They love him while I often hate him. It’s a double-edged sword.
Izzy comes up the steps with her backpack slung on her shoulder. She’s wearing the denim jeans and long-sleeved shirt she went to his house in on Friday night. Tyler thinks it’s best if the kids have wardrobes at each house that shouldn’t leave. Apparently, after a decade of cleaning his underwear, I can’t be trusted with basic laundry.
Hunter’s still in my arms as I greet Izzy. “Hey, sweetie. Did you study with Dad for your social studies test tomorrow?”
Her blue eyes roll up to me in annoyance. “No.”
My mouth pinches. “Why not?”
“We were really busy.” She shrugs defiantly and walks into the house.
Tyler closes his car door and carries Hunter’s backpack to the front door. “Mr. Snuggles and iPad are both inside. We had a good time today, right, champ?” He ruffles Hunter’s hair, and our boy smiles.
“Daddy let us have ice cream on our waffles, and then we went in the pool one more time before they closed it.”
I tilt my head in confusion. “It’s a little cool in the season for the pool. You weren’t cold?”
“Daddy installed a heater! It was so warm. Like a hot tub.”
Of course he installed a heater in the pool.
“Let me guess. Maisie wanted it.”
Tyler places his hands on his hips and sighs. “Hunter, do you mind going inside while I talk to your mom for a few minutes?”
I put Hunter on the ground, and he turns to give Tyler a huge hug. “I love you, Daddy.”
Tyler lifts Hunter and holds him tight. They’re carbon copies of each other with their big brown eyes and wide smiles. Tyler might be a scoundrel, but he’s a good-looking scoundrel who gave us a beautiful son. When Hunter laughs, I see and hear every bit of Tyler.
Hunter grips his dad’s face, smooshing his cheeks together, and lines up their eyes. “Tell Maisie I said good-bye and that she’s the best.”
Yep, like father, like son.
Tyler speaks through his smooshed mouth. “Yes, sir.”
They kiss on the lips, and then Hunter scurries into the house, leaving Tyler and me alone on the front porch.
I remember when he used to pick me up for dates on this porch. He was a teenager with a goofy grin and curly hair that flipped up from his baseball cap, long before that hairstyle was cool.
His hair is much shorter now yet just as full. There’re no signs of gray, nor does the man have a single permanent wrinkle. He’s aging well—not that thirty-four is old, but I’ve already started seeing signs of my own demise on my skin. A line on my forehead is wondering when it’s time to start Botox, and my boobs don’t naturally sit as high on my chest, thanks to breastfeeding two babies.
A cool breeze blows as we stand here on a crisp autumn day and stare at one another as I wait for Tyler to say whatever it is he wants to talk about.
“How are you doing?” he eventually asks.
“Okay,” I answer, surprised by his question.
