“He told me not to tell you, but he never left the hospital that night.”
“Yes, he did. He kissed me on the forehead, and then he left.”
“No, he didn’t. He told us not to tell you, but when you told him you wanted him to leave, he sat in the waiting room the whole night. We all came and went as we went in to see you, and he just sat there. He was still there when you were discharged. He waited all that time, just to be sure you were okay.”
I’ve been such an idiot. “I never knew that.”
“And then you didn’t take his calls.”
“I climbed into the shower naked with him,” I blurt out.
She laughs. “Well, that might not have been a good idea.”
“He turned me down.”
“Good for him. Emilio will love him.”
“Should I ask him about Nicky?”
“Ask him about some other stuff first.”
“Okay.”
“Aside from the shower incident, you guys are doing okay? Kids are fine?”
“Oh, they’re great.” Just as I say that, I hear one of them wake up in the other room. “Speaking of which, I need to go take care of them.”
“Okay, talk to you later.”
“I love you, Lark,” I say. “I’m glad you called.”
“I love you too. Call me if you need someone to talk you off the ledge. Or out of the shower stall. Or anything else.”
“Sure thing. Bye.”
I hang up the phone while my mind whirls. I think I have some questions to ask Mick.
Mick
When I go back to the room, Wren is changing Chase’s diaper. The smell is awful. “Here, let me do that,” I say as I usher Anna and Devon into the room.
“I can do it,” Wren says. “Though I had no idea such a little guy could make so much poop.”
Chase wiggles his naked legs and smiles up at Wren.
“Oh, you think that’s funny, do you?” she says as she tickles the bottoms of his feet. He kicks, still smiling.
“You better cover that thing up,” I warn. “Or he’s going to–”
Wren squeals and jerks her head back, but it’s too late, because Chase just peed right in her eye. She holds one eye shut and stares at me. I rush to get her a towel.
“I tried to warn you,” I say. I pat the side of her face.
“I didn’t know he could shoot a stream like that. It was like a geyser.”
“Right in your face.” I try to look as serious as possible, but it’s hard.
Finally, she laughs. And it’s not a little snicker. It’s a full-out belly laugh. She laughs so hard that her cheeks turn red and she can’t catch her breath.