Later that evening as I was in the kitchen washing dishes, Liam was in the Playroom with Soren. It was also time for David to be back from work, as his recent project gets to the finish line he doesn't stay at work for long.
As I stood at the sink, my hands submerged in soapy water, I could hear soft laughter coming from the playroom. Liam and Soren seemed to be getting along well, and it made me smile a little. Despite his playful attitude, Liam had a natural way with the baby.
The sound of the front door opening pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned my head just as David stepped inside. His tie was already loosened, and he looked more relaxed than he had in days.
"Hey," he greeted, walking over to me and placing a quick kiss on my cheek. "How was your day?"
"Not bad," I replied, drying my hands on a towel. "Liam showed up out of nowhere, though. He's here for the week."
David raised an eyebrow, like he already knew his arrival. "Great, now we have a babysitter. We can go on our little date!"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised at David's enthusiasm. "Wait, you knew he was coming?"
David chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, he texted me earlier in the day. Said he wanted to surprise you. I figured you could use a break, so I didn't mention it."
I shook my head, half-amused, half-annoyed. "So you two were planning this without me?"
"Not exactly," David said with a grin. "But I knew you'd appreciate having some help around the house. And now, with Liam here, we can finally take that break we've been talking about."
I crossed my arms, pretending to be skeptical. "I don't know… Can I trust Liam with Soren for that long?"
David leaned in, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Come on, he's your brother. And Soren loves him."
I sighed, feeling my resolve weaken. "Fine. But it better be a really good date."
David's eyes lit up. "Don't worry. I've got it all planned out."
Just then, Liam popped his head into the kitchen, Soren perched comfortably in his arms. "So, what's this I hear about a date? You two sneaking off already?"
David grinned, turning toward him. "Yeah, if you're still up for it. We'll just be gone for a couple of hours."
Liam winked. "You guys go have fun. I've got this little guy covered."
Soren let out a happy gurgle, clearly content in Liam's arms, and I couldn't help but smile. "Alright," I said, finally giving in. "We'll be back soon. Just… don't spoil him too much."
Liam laughed. "No promises."
David took my hand, guiding me toward the door as I grabbed my jacket. "Where are we going, anyway?" I asked, curious but trying not to show it too much.
"You'll see," he replied, his grin widening as he opened the door. "It's a surprise."
We stepped outside into the cool evening air, the fading sun casting an orange glow across the street. I could feel the anticipation building as we got into the car, and David kept glancing over at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes. He was never the romantic type so this was a surprise.
After about ten minutes of driving in comfortable silence, we pulled into a small parking lot by the river. I turned to David, eyebrows raised again. "The riverwalk?"
"Not just any riverwalk," he said, hopping out of the car and coming around to open my door. "You'll see."
I followed him down a stone path lined with string lights, which led to a cozy little setup by the water—a small table for two, with soft candlelight flickering against the backdrop of the shimmering river. A picnic basket sat at the edge of the table, along with a bottle of wine and a few neatly wrapped boxes.
"David…" I began, speechless for a moment.
He smiled, pulling out a chair for me to sit. "I thought we could do something simple but special. Just us. No distractions, no interruptions."
I sat down, still in awe of the effort he'd put into this. "This is perfect," I said softly. "I don't even know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." David poured two glasses of wine, handing one to me. "Just enjoy it."
We clinked glasses, and for a moment, everything felt serene. The sound of the river, the glow of the candles, the quiet company of someone who knew me better than anyone else. It was exactly the break I hadn't realized I needed.
David unwrapped one of the boxes, revealing a spread of cheese, crackers, and fresh fruit. "I know it's not fancy, but…"
I shook my head, cutting him off. "It's perfect. Thank you."
He reached across the table, taking my hand. "Anything for you."
For the next couple of hours, we sat there, talking and laughing like we hadn't in a while. It felt like time had slowed down, allowing us to just be—no work, no worries, no schedules to keep.
As the night wore on, I leaned back in my chair, sipping the last of my wine. "We should do this more often," I said, looking out at the river.
David nodded. "We should. I'm glad you like it."
"I don't like it," I corrected him. "I love it."
—————————
A few days later
Stephanie is at the supermarket with Jay:
"What do you want from the freezer isle?" She asked Jay who was sitting in the cart, "I want some chocolate ice cream and nuggets.
Steph grabbed a box of chocolate ice cream cones and two bags of dinosaur chicken nuggets, "do you need anything more?" She asked.
Jay looked up at her, eyes wide with excitement. "Can we get those pizza rolls too? The ones with the little pepperonis!"
Stephanie smiled, tossing the ice cream and nuggets into the cart. "Sure, why not," she said, steering the cart toward the frozen pizza section. "But we're having real food for dinner, not just snacks."
Jay pouted for a second but quickly grinned again as she grabbed a bag of pizza rolls. "You're the best, mommy!"
She laughed softly, giving him a playful nudge with her elbow. "I know, I know. Now sit tight, we're almost done."
As they made their way through the aisle, Jay suddenly pointed toward a colorful display near the checkout. "Ooh! Can we get that? The one with the toy cars?"
Steph glanced over, seeing the latest toy collection attached to some kind of cereal box. "You've already got a million toy cars at home, Jay. How about we just get the cereal this time?"
Jay scrunched up his face in thought, then gave a reluctant nod. "Okay… but only if you promise I get the first box of pizza rolls when we get home!"
"Deal," she said with a grin, pushing the cart forward. As they approached the checkout line, Stephanie glanced at the clock on her phone, realizing how fast the day had gone by.
"After this, we're heading straight home," she said, more to herself than Jay. "We've got to get dinner started before your dad gets home."
Jay hummed a little tune, clearly content with the idea of pizza rolls and chocolate ice cream in his future. Stephanie couldn't help but smile. It was the small moments like these that made her feel like everything would be okay.
As they moved through the checkout line, Stephanie's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a message from Felix: Running late again, won't be home until after 8. Don't wait up for dinner.
Stephanie sighed softly, tucking her phone away and focusing on unloading the groceries. It wasn't the first time Felix had to work late this week , but she could sense Jay's disappointment building.
"Hey, buddy," she said softly, catching his attention as he stared at the bag of pizza rolls. "Looks like it's just you and me for dinner tonight. How about we make it a movie night? We can eat in front of the TV."
Jay's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Can we watch that dinosaur movie? The one with the big fight at the end?"
"Sure," Steph smiled, relieved that he was easily distracted from the fact his dad wouldn't be home. "But only if you promise to eat all your nuggets and some veggies first."
Jay pretended to think about it, tapping his chin dramatically. "Okay, but only if I get extra ketchup!"
Steph chuckled, paying for the groceries and gathering up the bags. "Deal. Let's get home and get this movie night started."
They left the store, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the parking lot. As she loaded the groceries into the car, Steph found herself wondering when things had gotten so… routine. The late nights, the quick dinners, the silent moments when Jay asked if his dad would be home in time to say goodnight. She brushed the thought aside for now, focusing on the sound of Jay's excited chatter as he climbed into his seat.
Once they were back home, Steph set Jay up in the living room with a pile of blankets and the movie queued up while she heated up the pizza rolls and prepared the nuggets. As the smell of food filled the kitchen, she felt a strange sense of peace. Even if James was missing dinner again, these small moments with Jay were enough to remind her of what mattered.
"Dinner's ready!" she called, carrying the plates into the living room. Jay's eyes were glued to the TV as he grabbed a pizza roll and dipped it into his mountain of ketchup.
Steph settled beside him, watching him out of the corner of her eye as the movie played. She couldn't help but smile. For now, things were okay, and that was enough.
As the movie played on, Jay was completely engrossed in the action, munching on his pizza rolls, while Stephanie leaned back, allowing herself to relax for the first time in what felt like days. She watched him, smiling at how easily he got lost in the world of dinosaurs and battles.
The small, quiet moments like these were her favorite—just her and Jay, a sense of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic world. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the thought of Felix's absence. Lately, it felt like he was always missing something important. Dinner, bath time, tucking Jay in—things that had once been routine were now moments she often shared alone with their son.
Halfway through the movie, Jay turned to her, his face lit by the glow of the screen. "Mommy, do you think Daddy will come home before I fall asleep tonight?"
Stephanie swallowed the lump in her throat, doing her best to keep her voice light. "I don't know, sweetheart. But if he's not, I'll make sure he gives you an extra big hug in the morning."
Jay nodded, satisfied for now, and turned back to the screen. Stephanie felt a pang in her chest. She hated that she couldn't give him the certainty he wanted. More than that, she hated that she didn't have the certainty herself.
By the time the movie ended, Jay was yawning, his eyes heavy with sleep. "Come on, buddy," Steph said, helping him up from the couch. "Let's get you ready for bed."
Jay rubbed his eyes as they headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. The routine was familiar—quiet and comforting in its predictability. After he was tucked in, Jay grabbed her hand, his small fingers squeezing hers.
"I love you, Mommy," he whispered, his voice thick with sleep.
"I love you too, baby," she replied, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Sweet dreams."
As she walked out of his room and closed the door softly behind her, Stephanie took a deep breath. The house was quiet now, and the silence felt heavy. She headed back to the kitchen to clean up, the empty space where Felix should be sitting weighing on her more than usual tonight.
After the dishes were put away, Stephanie glanced at the clock—8:45. No message from Felix. She felt a wave of frustration and hurt rise up but pushed it down, knowing there was no point in dwelling on it. Instead, she sank onto the couch, pulling out her phone and sending a quick text: Jay's asleep. Movie night was fun. Let me know when you're heading home.
A few minutes passed before her phone buzzed: Still stuck at the office. Sorry. Don't wait up.
Stephanie sighed, tossing the phone aside. She stared at the dark TV screen, feeling the weight of the silence settle over her again. This was becoming the new normal, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could pretend it didn't bother her.
TBC