Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“Did you even wear your hood?” Her hair was soaking wet and little ringlets stuck out from her ponytail like a halo.
“It kept falling off,” she replied, coming closer to sniff at the air fryer. “Chicken nuggets!”
“Sister, you need to go put on pajamas first.” I laughed as I caught a glimpse of the huge wet spot on her butt. “Your pants are soaked.”
“I didn’t pee!”
“I didn’t think you did.” I swiped a hand over her wet hair, getting it out of her face. “Were you guys playing on the slide?”
“Yeah.” Her eyes widened as she reached both hands behind her to pat her butt. “Oh.”
“Go get some jammies and I’ll help you change.”
“Is it almost bedtime?”
“Nope.” I leaned down to grab the spoon Forrest had lobbed halfway across the kitchen. “Daddy’s going to work tonight. I was thinking we could have a movie night with popcorn after brother goes to sleep.”
“Yes!” she yelled, running toward her room. “Meg, we’re having a movie night!”
“You guys always have the fun nights when I’m gone,” Mark complained, dodging out of the way as Olive flew past.
“I’m bored when you’re not home so I make the kids hang out with me.”
He laughed. “You know you could’ve said that you liked having me to yourself after the kids go to bed or something like that.”
“Well, that too.”
I’d never get tired of having Mark’s arms wrapped around me. I leaned against him and inhaled against his neck, memorizing, for the thousandth time, the way he smelled. I loved our house and the life we built, but for me, Mark was home. It didn’t matter where we were.
“While I’m gone—”
“Alarm set,” I murmured against his throat. “No playing outside alone—as if that ever happens anyway. Keys and wallet by the door. Load and unload the car in the closed garage.”
“I let your pop know that I was gonna be gone, so don’t be surprised if he shows up.”
“I never am.”
“I know, I know, we’ve done this all before.”
“Every couple of months for the past four years,” I reminded him.
“Don’t get complacent,” we both said at the same time. He growled at me.
“I’m always careful,” I said, leaning back to look at him. “And I’m extra careful when you aren’t here.”
“Good.”
“You know, the last time you went out of town my dad walked in the house like he owned the place and got a good eyeful of me breastfeeding topless on the couch.”
Mark choked.
“It was pretty horrific for both of us.”
He wheezed.
“Forrest’s foot was up on the boob he wasn’t nursing on. They were basically pointing in opposite directions.”
He tried to laugh, but no sound came out.
“Horrific,” I repeated.
“And that’s a good reason to set the damn alarm,” he gasped, laughing so hard that tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Nus!” Forrest yelled, banging his spoons. “NUS!”
“And now your son wants to nurse again,” I said with a sigh. I looked at the baby. “I said the magic word, didn’t I, bub?”
“Nus!”
“Let’s have some dinner first!” I pulled away from my still laughing husband.
“We got movie pajamas!” Olive called as little feet pounded down the hallway.
The girls rounded the corner in their underwear, pajamas in hand.
“Oh, these are movie pajamas, huh?” Mark asked, kneeling down as Olive handed them over.
“Help me,” Meg ordered, handing me her pajamas.
I just looked at her.
“Please.” The tone hadn’t changed a bit, but at least it was almost polite. I crouched down.
“Ooh,” I said, looking at the nightgown in my hand. “Princess nightgown, huh?”
“I love my princess dress,” Meg replied, as I pulled it over her head.
“What makes these movie pajamas?” Mark asked as he helped Olive.
“Nus!” Forrest yelled again.
“Just a second bub, and I’ll get you some applesauce!”
“They got movie people on them.” Olive pointed to her chest. “See?”
“Yeah, that makes sense,” Mark replied seriously.
“I love my princess dress,” Meg said again as I stood up. She was swishing the nightgown from side to side, a dreamy look on her face.
The girls got up to their spots at the table while Mark and I worked together to assemble their plates.
“I’m bummed I’m missin’ movie night,” he said quietly, kissing my cheek.
“We can have another one next week,” I promised, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
“Nus!” Forrest yelled angrily. I worked faster.
“I left all the hotel information in the notebook,” Mark said quietly as we brought the kids their plates. “Obviously you can get a hold of me on my phone, but just in case.”
I paused as we headed back for our plates and put my hand out to stop him. “Baby, we’ve done all this a million times before. What’s going on with you?”
Mark huffed. “Don’t know.” He shook his head. “I know you got this.”
The next half an hour was filled with eating, getting up to get ketchup for Meg, refilling drink cups, helping Forrest get food out of his eye, refilling plates, scraping applesauce off of one of Olive’s chicken nuggets while she fussed about her food touching, and finally getting every kid’s face and hands washed. I watched my husband through it all. From the time Olive was a baby, he’d made it a point to be present when he was home and that hadn’t changed, but there was something off that I couldn’t put my finger on.