2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can cream of Celery
2 ½ Cans Water
2 ½ Cans Minute Rice
6 Boneless Pork Chops or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Melt butter in large baking dish. Mix soups and water together. Stir well. Add rice and stir. Pour ¾ of soup mixture into pan with butter. Lay pork chops or chicken and cover with the rest of soup mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour
*May need up to 15 minutes extra cooking depending on meat.
Clarissa
“Mommy, it’s wiggling!” Dante calls from the bathroom from where he stands on his stool.
“Don’t mess with it! You’ve got to let it happen naturally.”
“It’s hanging! Come see!”
“What did I tell you?”
“It feels funny,” he giggles.
“Baby, you need to leave it alone.” I worry my lip after checking my purse and debate on shooting a text. Troy’s been avoiding me since our run-in with his mother, using his time with Dante at his house between his away games, school, and work. I’ve not put up much of a fight because I have no idea where he stands, but there is now a jarring distance between us from where we were. I saw it that day, the minute Pamela drove away, his resentment apparent with the way he looked at me—a far cry from mere hours before.
I’ve been iced out.
His checks are still coming weekly without fail, but his absence is noticeable. He’s kept up his routine with Dante, never missing breakfast with his son. Though we stay friendly in his presence, it’s all small talk, both his interest and his eyes are anywhere but on me.
This is precisely the type of thing I feared. Things got heavy, and he all but ran. We put on a united front for his mother, and for that, I owe him, but I haven’t had the chance to apologize. He repeatedly tried to take the blame for all of it, and it pained me to see him so helpless.
And now, it’s as if any relationship we started has evaporated into thin air. Before there was an issue of us and the blowup, things were good. Better than good. We were functioning like a family. However, between that day and Troy’s new distance, I’m growing more confident that trying for anything beyond co-parenting would be a mistake. If only I could get that kiss out of my head. The longer he keeps me at arm’s length, the more I try to convince myself it was just a territorial play to win me. Maybe it isn’t me that Troy wanted. Maybe he just wasn’t comfortable with anyone else playing house with his son.
Clarissa: Are you at work?
Troy: No, I’m off tonight.
Clarissa: How was your Thanksgiving?
Troy: It was like being dragged around a field of razor blades by my balls. Yours?
Clarissa: Far more uneventful. Do you think she’ll come around?
Troy: One day, she wants to spend some time with him soon.
Clarissa: That would be fine.
Troy: I’ll set it up. So, what’s up?
Clarissa: Do you have any singles?
Troy: Singles?