December 22nd, 2021
Adam Jones slowly woke up, stretching and adjusting himself in bed. He glanced at his wife, Emily, still sleeping soundly beside him. Her peaceful face made him smile, as beautiful as the first day he met her. Just before he could speak, Emily, eyes still closed, murmured, "You're staring again." Adam chuckled softly, replying, "If you were lucky enough to have a partner like me, you'd understand why." Emily snickered and turned to face the other side. "That's not helping your case," Adam teased, "turning one beautiful side to another."
She tossed a pillow at him, saying, "You lewd old man! Since the kids left, you've been unbearable. Thank God Precious is coming home today." Adam laughed, "Pretend all you want. You know you like it." He stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower, his smile lingering.
After he finished, still drying off, Emily woke up. "Do you really have to go to work today?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep. Adam smiled at her and replied, "Yeah, it's the end-of-year meeting. I need to be there as the new senior auditor." Emily moved closer, helping him with his tie, a gesture she'd done for him every morning since their marriage. He loved how she still took such care with the little things.
Downstairs, as Adam grabbed his coat, Emily called from the kitchen, "Wait! Let me cook for you!" Adam shook his head, laughing. "It's okay, dear. I'm already late. I'll grab something at the office." Emily insisted, though, "Just wait, I'll make pancakes. Oh, shoot, there's no milk." Adam leaned in, kissing her on the cheek, "Love you, babe," and added, "Bye, love." "Don't forget the foodstuffs!" she called after him. "And we need milk so make sure to add that to the list also dont forget Precious says she's bringing her friend over, so buy a little more than regular!" Adam waved as he walked out the door, shouting, "Got it! Milk, yes, love!"
He climbed into his RAV4, driving to work with a content smile. His life felt like a dream—he had a loving wife, a son thriving as an artist, and a daughter at Harvard. He had just been promoted, and things couldn't be better. Still, there was an emptiness. The house felt quieter now, with no kids around. He remembered the days when the house would be crowded with their laughter. He thought about last year during the pandemic when they'd all been together, day in and day out. Those days felt so distant now. He hadn't seen his son in months, but they kept in touch regularly. As for his daughter, he chuckled softly. He couldn't help but think about that girl and what she was up to.
Arriving at his law firm in Lancaster, California, Adam parked in his spot and entered the office. He greeted the secretary and headed to his new corner office, where he was met by his new secretary, a sweet older woman. "Good morning, Mr. Jones," she greeted him warmly. Adam sat down, checking the time—8:30 AM. The meeting wasn't scheduled to start until 9, so he leaned back, letting himself relax for a few minutes. Just then, his friend David, a lawyer at the firm, walked in, grinning. "There's our new senior auditor!" he said with a chuckle.
"David, you're always early," Adam laughed, standing up to greet his friend.
David sat across from him. "Hey, man, how are you?" he asked casually. "Same as yesterday," Adam replied. "I'm good, what about you?"
"Same as yesterday too," David said, then with a grin added, "Hey, the wife asked if you guys are free tomorrow. We're hosting a dinner and would love to have you."
Adam hesitated for a moment. "Tomorrow? Hmm, not sure. Precious is coming home with her friend, so we'll be busy."
David raised an eyebrow. "She's back? And with a friend?"
Adam laughed, shaking his head. "Get your mind out of the gutter, man."
David shrugged, feigning innocence. "I remember when my daughter first brought her friend over, I nearly scared the poor guy out of his wits."
Adam rolled his eyes. "She said it's just a friend, and it's not the first time she's brought someone over, so calm down."
David raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. But if that's the case, no problem. We can make room for two more. Cynthia would love to have them over. And what about Ethan? The superstar Grammy nominee—will he be home?"
Adam thought for a moment. "Not sure. Last time we talked, he was on his way to a fitting or something. He might not make it back home this December."
David's face fell. "That's a bummer. I'd love to host the 5-time Grammy nominee."
Adam corrected him, pride swelling in his chest. "Seven-time Grammy nominee, actually—Best Pop Solo, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Music Video."
David grinned. "Look at you, father of the superstar. Lord knows how long it took you to memorize all that."
As they laughed, the secretary stepped in. "Sirs, sorry to interrupt, but the meeting will start soon." Both men sighed, and Adam gave David a playful nudge. "We'll continue this later, man."
At the meeting, Adam presented the firm's financials, and the bosses praised him afterward. As he exited the room, he was greeted with a few compliments. "One of a kind dad. Great presentation."
David caught up with him in the hallway. "Those old guys—ever since Ethan blew up, they've turned into ass-kissers." Adam just shook his head, chuckling. "I need to get going. The missus wants me to do the grocery shopping."
"Later, man. Hope to see you at the dinner," David called as Adam made his way to the door.
At the grocery store, Adam hummed along to the familiar sound of his son's song, "Sing" playing softly in the background. A proud smile spread across his face. He couldn't help but enjoy the moment, picking out groceries from the list while the song filled the store. When he reached the checkout, he almost forgot the last item. "Ah, almost forgot. Butter," he laughed, adding it to the cart "the missus would have had me sleeping out on the coach" He said
The clerk smiled at him. "Lucky man. Good thing you remembered."
Adam grinned, oblivious to the real item his wife had actually asked him to get.
On the drive home, he turned up the radio as the announcer said, "By popular demand, we're playing Ethan Jones and Eminem's single 'River.' This song is a total banger!" Adam smiled, feeling a swell of pride. He cranked the volume, enjoying the ride and the moment.
When he pulled into the driveway, he couldn't wait to get inside and hear his wife's praise for his shopping skills. But then something caught his eye.
"What is that?" he muttered under his breath as he parked. There, in the driveway, was something strange. The perfect day had just taken an unexpected turn.