Page 146 of Lost in Love

“Because why?”

She turns back to the dishwasher. “You’re wasting time. Go get the boys ready for bed.”

REMEMBERWHEN I said Madison smile seemed off?

Yeah, well, it fucking was. I’m beginning to think I was set up for failure tonight on all accounts. Look at how my nights went so far?

Dinner?

Disaster.

Playing with the kids?

Epic failure.

Bath time?

Take a look around and you’d probably get an answer.

Have you ever bathed a three-year-old?

There’s absolutely nothing easy about it. I think I’d rather bath a cat who was clawing the shit out of me. No offense, Mr. Poppy.

Do you see the gallon of water on the floor and the dad on his knees trying to soak up all the water with towels?

That’s how my night’s going.

“Noah, stop it with the water.” Raising my hand up, I push my hair from my face only to have it soaking wet now because just as I say, “Keep it inside the tub,” he takes a cup full of water and splashes me in the face.

“Spash, Daddy.”

It’s illegal to punch a toddler. I actually tell myself this a few times.

Callan stands at the doorway and hands me a clean towel. “Mom’s going tokillyou.”

I wipe my face off. “What’s his deal?”

“Well for starters, you shouldn’t have given him a cup.” Callan pushes past me to the tub and rips the plastic cup out of Noah’s hand. “And second, don’t fill the tub up so high. The less water he has in there, the less that ends up on the floor.”

Where was he when we started this bath-time fun?

Reading.

I hand him a dry towel I find under the sink. “Can you help me clean this up before your mom sees it?”

“Too late,” Madison says from the hallway, her arms folded over her chest.

Groaning, I look to Noah instead. “You got me in trouble.”

He laughs like this is funny.

I can’t look at Madison’s face. I don’t want to because I know I’m going to see disappointment. If I can’t handle bathing our kids, how can I save our crumbling marriage?

Attempting to stand, I don’t take into account the wet floor and end up right back on my ass on the tile floor.

Noah, Callan, and Madison begin to laugh. And then so am I but my stare locks on Madison because it’s been years since I’ve heard her laugh like that, the kind of laughter where nothing else matters but the scene before you.

Our eyes meet, sincerity in hers. She knows I tried here, and I’d like to think it’s scored me some points, but there’s also an unmistakable pain present underneath her smile.

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