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That day was pretty awesome for other reasons, too. I visited Hana Chen at her office, wrote her a nice check to pay off the billshe sent me, and then managed to get her to go out with a sweet guy I met at the little used bookshop on Main.
They’re married now. The last time I ran into them, they were happily shopping for baby strollers. Hana and I are even getting along okay these days. She and her new man come to the Friday Night Checkers club now and then, when they feel like skipping out onLaw and Orderreruns.
Outlaw plops down by the back door. I open it for the two of us. Once inside, I unclip him and hang up the leash.
He lopes through the kitchen and trots up the stairs, no doubt to visit Mittens. She spends most of the day on our bed lately, snoozing. She always perks up when she gets snuggles from Outlaw. I hear him reach the top of the stairs, push the bedroom door open, and then settle onto the bed.
I can also hear Nick’s footsteps upstairs.
Now that I’ve found our furry houseguest, I’d better go help him put Lily down. Not because I have to. Nick always does great around bedtime, soothing her with her stories and making sure she has her favorite stuffy on hand. But I want to be there because it’s so satisfying, watching her little eyes drift closed.
It’s been a year and three months since we welcomed our daughter into the world. And in another eight months, maybe she’ll have a little brother.
I climb the steps, feeling thankful.
Wood creaks under my weight. The banister is smooth under my hand. The upstairs is hushed, except for the low murmur of Nick’s voice and the faint, rhythmic sound of our white noise machine, on the wave setting.
The sound of waves mingles with my husband’s whispered words. I peek around the doorframe and catch sight of him, sitting with our daughter in the rocking chair.
She’s snuggled against his chest. He has a book out before them. He turns the page slowly, whispers some more words in a low tone.
Her blond hair matches his, but her eyes are green, like mine. I lean against the doorframe, watching them.
He turns the page, and she rests her head against his chest. Her eyes close.
He closes the book gently, moving slowly and carefully so as not to jar her awake. Then notices me.
I join him as he lifts her sleeping form and places her in the crib.
“Is it movie time?” he whispers to me, as he settles Lily’s favorite stuffed elephant into the crib next to her.
We watch her sleep for a moment. Nick hugs me close.
“Yeah, it is. Are you sure you want to watch it again, though?” I lean my head on his arm.
We’ve watched my movie twice already, since it came out. I wanted to watch something else tonight, but Nick’s insisting.
“I’m sure. It doesn’t get old.”
“Maybe not for you, but I wrote the thing. I know every line inside out.”
“I’m still catching some of the zingers.”
We step out into the hallway. He closes her room door halfway and then leads the way to the stairs.
We both walk on the right side of the staircase, knowing it’s the less creaky side. Down in the living room, I settle onto the couch.
I wait for Nick to join me, but he doesn’t.
I hear movement in the kitchen.
What is he up to now?
I reach for the remote and scroll through the menu options to get the DVD set up. It’s wild, seeing my movie pop up on the screen. The actors that the studio chose for the parts are totallyperfect. I couldn’t have done better myself. I get a little thrill as I look at the background scenery when the first frame fills the screen.
I dreamed the setting up, and here it is, on our TV.
It was even better seeing it on the big screen in LA, for the premiere. I’ll never forget what it was like to be there in the city, dressed in a glittery gown with my arm threaded through Nick’s elbow.
