I walked slowly downstairs, taking my time. When I stepped into the living room, Tommy and Sarah ran over to me.
“Good morning!” they said together.
“Hey,” I said, yawning wide. “Why didn’t you guys wake me up?”
“Daddy said not to,” Sarah said.
“I thought you could use the sleep,” Sean said from the kitchen. I looked over and smiled. He was grinning at me from the beside the kitchen sink.
“Thank you,” I said. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I walked over to him, and he handed me a cup of coffee, gesturing for me to sit down at the table. I did as he said and sat down. He brought over a plate of eggs and bacon and set it down in front of me.
“It’s not as good as yours,” he said. “I’m not a great cook. Just ask the kids.”
“We had cereal instead,” Tommy said from the living room couch.
I laughed and turned to Sean. “I’m sure it’s delicious.”
“It’s not,” he said, laughing at himself. “But it’s edible.”
I ate a couple bites before I couldn’t eat anymore. Sean really was an awful cook, but it was sweet of him to try. He insisted I sit and relax that morning, not letting me do anything other than sip my coffee and move from the table to the living room.
“So,” I said when he joined us in the living room. “Why the sudden insistence that I do nothing?”
“Not nothing,” he said. “Just less. Sundays are supposed to be your day off, remember?”
“I do,” I said with a nod. “But I’ve never taken one off before.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Which is why you should. You work really hard, and we all appreciate it.”
“We do!” Tommy said, nodding enthusiastically.
“You need to rest sometimes,” Sean said. “I knew you wouldn’t, unless I made you.”
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it.
Sean was right, I wasn’t the kind of person to just take a day off work unless I was really sick or there was some sort of emergency. Besides, the kids never felt like a job to me.
Still, as I sat there watching Sean play with the kids, I knew he was right. They needed some time alone as a family, and I needed time to myself. I realized I hadn’t seen Janie in a while and that it was probably time I call her to check in.
“I’m going to shower,” I said, standing up and stretching. My robe came open slightly to reveal my underwear, and Sean’s eyes lingered on my exposed skin. I r
aised my eyebrows at him and covered up quickly. He looked at me with desire as I walked past him and slid my hand along his back.
Once upstairs, I jumped in the shower and took my time. I washed my hair and even conditioned it, which wasn’t something I usually made time for. After that, I shaved my legs and washed my body, reveling in the feeling of the soft soap. It felt amazing to be alone, not worrying about having to hurry up in case the kids needed me.
I got out of the shower and got dressed in comfortable clothes before I called Janie, putting the phone to my ear and listening to the rings.
“Hey!” she said when she answered. “I haven’t heard from you in ages. What’s going on?”
“I have the day off,” I said. “Want to grab some lunch or something?”
“Hell yes,” she said. “Where to?”
“Your choice,” I said.
“Sal’s,” she said, and I laughed, knowing that would be her answer.