Should Have Known Better

“About reading?”

“Before that.”

“Talking to Reginald?”

“When?”

“Sunrise?” Sasha said blankly. “Yeah, we watched the sun rise together on the porch. I got up early.”

My pains went into a quick remission and I was up out of the bed and in my slippers.

“Reginald?” I hollered, dashing down the hallway toward the kitchen. “Reginald?”

“Oh, Dawn, you don’t need to get up. I can bring you a plate. I have your back.” Sasha came up rushing behind me.

“Reginald, you watched the—” I stoppe

d speaking instantly when I turned into the small kitchen to see my family happily laughing around the table, clean and fully dressed as they ate. R. J. was laughing. I could actually hear R. J. laughing.

“Honey”—Reginald pulled out a seat between him and R. J.—“We have this seat saved for you.”

Before the empty chair there was a full place setting of my father’s mother’s antique china and a table full of steamy food. It literally looked like a picture from a catalog.

“Yeah, Mama,” Cheyenne joined in, pointing at the chair with Reginald. “We saved you a seat.”

“Oh,” I said, not quite sure of how to respond to such a gesture from Cheyenne. I sat down. “What were you guys laughing about?” I asked.

Sasha sat in the chair on Reginald’s other side, between him and Cheyenne.

“Just a joke Sasha told us about sperm—” Reginald answered.

“Sperm?” I cut him off, afraid of what he was about to repeat in front of the kids. “I hope it wasn’t too—”

“Sperm whales, darling.” Reginald looked at me as if something was wrong and I realized that I was wearing only a thin nightgown.

I crossed my arms over my breasts to cover my protruding and sagging nipples.

“Say the joke again, Ms. Sasha,” Cheyenne cheered, squirming in giggling ecstasy in her seat.

“Yeah, Sasha,” Reginald added. “Say it for Dawn.”

“Not again,” Sasha said humbly.

“Please,” they begged together—even R. J.

“OK. We can hear the joke again,” Sasha said. “But Reggie, you tell it this time.”

“Me?” Reginald pointed to his chest meekly.

“Yeah, Daddy, tell it,” Cheyenne agreed.

“Daddy!” R. J. affirmed.

“But I just heard it!” Reginald stalled.

“I said it three times!” Sasha pinched Reginald’s arm playfully and he winced.

“OK. OK,” Reginald said, pretending to be convinced by the pressure. “I’ll do it if Dawn wants to hear it.”