Page 5 of The Infiniteness of Yesterday
I wave after him, the high I felt in his presence quickly disappearing as I see the line has grown even longer. But I plaster on a smile and keep going.
CHAPTER 2
HARLOW
"Mommy! Mommy! We stopped at the store and look what Jae let me get!”
My tornado of a child barrels into the apartment and straight to where I sit on the narrow gray couch with my laptop doing schoolwork. I quickly move my computer to the coffee table as she dives onto the couch, her backpack falling to the floor as she waves the tiny heart shaped balloon on a stick.
“Isn’t it cool, Mom?”
“It’s awesome!” I try to sound as enthusiastic as she does. She’s so exuberant that at times it’s difficult to match her energy.
I look up to find Jameson locking the door behind him. When he turns around there’s a bouquet of white tulips in his grasp. “I wanted to get you flowers. I knew you had a busy day.”
Gratitude fills my chest. “Thank you. You’re so sweet.”
He’s already walking into the small kitchen with them to grab a vase. He practically lives here and knows where everything is.
“How was school?”
Roe kicks off her shoes, still waving the balloon around so light pouring in from the windows bounces off it. “It was good. We’re learning factions—no, fractions.” She corrects herself.
Fractions? In first grade? I can barely do them now and I’m twenty-two. I guess the fancy-pants school Spencer insists on her attending is ahead of the curve.
“Fractions? Wow.”
“Ms. Lenard is alwayssohappy to see Daddy.” She draws the word out from one syllable to three. “She likes talking to him, I think. And touching his arm.”
“Hmm, interesting.” I stifle the urge to roll my eyes. You’d think a teacher would be professional enough not to fawn over a celebrity, but that’s too much to expect apparently.
Jameson comes into the living area with the vase, setting it on the console beneath the mounted TV. I don’t miss his amused smile.
“Can we get a kitten?” Roe asks, not missing a beat. “Drew in my class just got one and it’s so cute, Mom. He showed everyone a picture on his cellphone—why can’t I have a cellphone, again? Everyone else does, so I think I should too. It only makes sense. It’s a safety concern.”
Jameson rubs his jaw to hide his barely contained laughter at my daughter who can’t help but talk a mile a minute and has a vocabulary that frightens me at times. She’s going to be smarter than me by the time she finishes elementary school.
“For starters, pets are a lot of work and need lots of time and love?—”
“Oh, but I’ll love it so much!” She waves the stick around. The balloon attached to the end nearly smacks me in the face.
“You didn’t let me finish, Roe. Secondly,” I emphasize, giving her a pointed look because we recently had a talk about interrupting people when they’re speaking. She was sent home with a note from her teacher about disrupting class and talking over other children. I know my girl doesn’t mean it in a bad way, but it’s still a habit she needs to break. “Secondly”—I repeat for good measure— “the building doesn’t allow pets.”
She sighs, hopping off the couch. “What a bummer. Can I have a phone then?”
I should’ve known she wouldn’t forget about that part. “No, phones are expensive and you’re too young.”
She purses her lips. “When will I be old enough?”
“I don’t know,” I admit honestly with a shrug. “But I know first grade isn’t it, not for me and your dad at least. Drew’s parents might be okay with it, but not us.”
I know in the world we live in that a cellphone wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for her to have, but God forbid I just want her to be akidas long as possible. At least Spencer is just as reluctant as I am, though his reasons are probably different than mine. I’m sure his concern is her stumbling across articles about the latest female he’s been spotted with.
“Fine. Okay.” She spins around, her skirt puffing up.
I can almost always count on her dropping something if I tell her that her dad doesn’t approve either.
“Go wash up.” I swat her butt playfully. “I’ll get dinner finished.”
