Page 5 of A Party for Lola

I didn't mind being the one to stay at home to be able to clean at all really. I didn't work out of the house. My contribution was this: making sure that the family I loved had a clean place to live and relax. This meant they didn't need to worry about cleaning and cooking and doing laundry when they got home from work. That was what was important to me. When they got home I wanted my time with them to be stress free and relaxing. I wanted curling up on the couch and I wanted hugs and kisses. I loved those things. So I didn't mind the cleaning that came with taking care of my family.

What I did mind though was that everyone seemed to hog the washer when I really needed to do some laundry from the kitchen. I had three hours before Lola would be getting home and we could really get moving on the party. I was excited for it. Keeping Lola from finding out about the party had been so hard these past few weeks, but it was going to be so worth it. Our usual routine was dinner and a movie for our birthdays. Or dinner and a trip to the aquarium or the wildlife sanctuary. Or something. But there was always dinner. Sometimes we ordered in. Sometimes we went out. Tonight we would be going out.

We had reservations for seven o'clock tonight. I'd been the one to secure the reservations for the hot new Thai place last minute because I had a friend online who got us a good spot because he knew the owner.

My phone started ringing. TheImperial March. Perfect cleaning music, or anytime music really. I'd left it out in the kitchen to charge while I'd been stripping the beds and tossing the sheets into the wash.

"Hey honey," I said as soon as I picked up Lola's call. It was good that none of the others were around yet. If she heard anyone else in the house with me at two on a Friday afternoon she would know that something was up. If she heard the kids though, yeah we'd be screwed then. She'd know absolutely that there was going to be a party when she got home and then I would lose the element of surprise. We liked our parties.

"I miss you." Lola sighed. She sounded tired.

I wished that I was there. I would have rubbed her feet. I would have started her a bath. Anything to ease the suffering I heard in my girlfriend's voice.

Going to the couch, I pulled my socked feet under me. My binder was starting to bug me. I should probably take it off early tonight. "I miss you too, love. Can I do anything to help?"

"Tell me about your day maybe? It's been chaos here. Three people out sick. No one knows what they're supposed to be doing. It's like, since it's Friday, everyone has just lost their minds. I know it's a three day weekend, but there's still work to do."

I instantly wanted to be there to help her in whatever way I could. I knew that my biggest way of helping was to keep the house clean but I wanted to do more. "I wish I could help you there."

"I know. I wish you could too. I'd love to have you for a day in this office. You give the best massages, among other things."

I chuckled a bit and felt my cheeks heat up with my blush. "I love doing those things for you." She'd asked me about my day, so I came up with some lies. "Today has been really quiet. I cleaned mostly. I saw a cat on the back fence. A pretty orange tabby. I hope it doesn't scare away the birds. I like seeing them come to the feeders all day. Hmm, I used a new combination in my floor cleaner concoction. It's lavender and lemon. Reminds me somehow of that trip that we took to Key West that one year. Remember? Right after Charlie had started on T?"

Lola sighed wistfully. "I remember. The water was so warm. I miss it. Let's resolve to go on a trip like that again. Maybe we can go to Paris or something. We'll go somewhere beautiful and peaceful, just like that water was when we rented that beach house for two weeks and swam every single day."

In that moment I wanted nothing more than to do that with her and all the other people I loved. "Let's do it."

"Getting that much time off at this job is not going to be any easy feat, but I'll try."

"Thank you." I knew she would. But I also knew that it would take a lot for her bosses to be able to say that they didn't need her for a few weeks. "I know we'd all love to see you for that long again. Those two weeks away were so special. And we really haven't taken a trip like that since and it's been three years. We're definitely overdo for some time away. Once you get a time that you could maybe do it the others will get that time off too."

I shouldn't have said the rest of us, since I didn't actually have to get permission to have time off, but I'd said it anyway.

"I think you're right. Actually, I know you are. I'll work something out when we're back at the office on Tuesday. What's for dinner? I barely had time for lunch between meetings today, though the salad you made me was lovely. Thank you for that."

I was glad that she'd been able to enjoy it. I'd brought a little brightness into her otherwise dreary and taxing work day. "You're welcome. I was thinking about spaghetti tonight." I wasn't. It was a complete lie. But spaghetti was cheap and it was an easy meal to make to fill a crowd.

"Do we have parmesan? I can pick some up on the way home."

That was a good question, if we were actually having that for dinner. "Nope, we're good. You just come straight home. Be careful driving though. Obey speed limits."

"And stop at all railroad crossings. I know. I'll be careful. I love you, Micah. You be good until the rest of us get home."

"I will. I promise."

"I have to go. I wish I could talk to you longer. I love you so much."

"I love you too." I always had.

"Bye, honey."

"Bye." I hung up and kept my phone on my chest for a few moments as I fought back the urge to leave the house and go down to the bus stop and take the 15L across town to Lola's work. I could be there in thirty minutes. Maybe less this time of day since it was before people really started getting off work.

But I had work to do at home. I still had cleaning to do. And I didn't want to get in trouble for leaving the beds stripped and no clean sheets put back on them. Giving Lola a foot rub would have to wait until tonight.

Sasha

I knew Micah was going to be home when I got there. And I also knew that I'd only have two very short hours with our sub before Lola would get home. I really needed more than that with him. We all went out together a lot, but I liked having smaller dates too and it had been weeks since just Micah and I had been out together. I had to get the decorations up, but also, I wanted some time with him. I dropped the bags of decorations right inside the front door and then I went in search of him. I really wished that we had more time together before the others got home, including the kids, because I was definitely interested in more than just decorating with him that afternoon.

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