Page 85 of Lies and Lullabies
I flipped over a piece of chicken so that it could brown on the other side. “I remember.” After Vivi was born, Adam made sure we both had wills, naming me as his beneficiary and giving him custody of Vivi if anything ever happened to me. It was the kind of formality that lawyers took care of.
Still, I shivered.
“That’s all,” Adam said, moving over to the cupboard to take out three plates. “Serious discussion over.”
Lately it was all serious, all the time, though.
Vivi came into the kitchen, Purple Kitty dangling under her arm. “Mama? Is my daddy coming to see us?”
Since Jonas canceled on us, I’d been getting this question several times a day. “I hope so, sweetie. But he’s very busy right now.” I hated saying that. It was the very same lie I’d fed Vivi before she met Jonas. But now I found it to be one hundred percent true.
“Where is he? On the purple bus?”
“The bus went to a city called Nashville, I think. That’s in Tennessee.” But a four-year-old just didn’t have the context to understand where that was.
“Can we go there, too?” She shifted Purple Kitty, balancing the stuffy on her shoulder.
“No, sweetie. Tomorrow you’re having a play date with Ada, remember?” Our neighbor across the street had agreed to take Vivi all day so I could be at the hospital for Adam’s surgery.
Vivi considered this, a furrow playing over her brow. “Can we call my daddy on the phone?”
“Not right now.” Although I owed Jonas a call. There were three new messages from him already on my phone today, but I hadn’t called back. Yet. I was in a dark mood, and I wasn’t ready to share it with him.
Instead, I served my sesame chicken with a side of false cheer. I’d made a cold noodle salad—another of Adam’s favorites—to go with it.
“This is awesome,” Adam said over his first forkful.
I was sick of fake-smiling and pretending that everything was fine. “It’s just chicken.”
“No, Kira,” he said quietly. “It’s a lot more than just chicken. Thank you for all your help this week.”
My eyes suddenly stung with tears. Jonas had said the same thing about the dinners I’d made him. I really should call him. But one thing at a time. I had to get through Adam’s surgery first.
Sitting here with Adam and Vivi felt bittersweet tonight. As long as we were all healthy enough to sit here together again very soon, I really shouldn’t ask the universe for anything more.
No matter how beautiful his eyes.
* * *
Alone a few hours later,I checked my phone. There was a new text from Jonas.Kira, where are you today? Please call tonight. Done with the show by ten.
A peek at the clock revealed that it was half past ten. And just like that, I crumbled like one of Vivi’s animal crackers on the kitchen floor. I tapped Jonas’s phone number and then listened to it ring three times.
Just when I was ready to give up, someone answered. “Hello?” It was a woman’s voice. That was… odd.
“Uh, hi,” I said carefully. “Is Jonas around?”Who is this, I felt like asking. In the background, I could hear other voices.
“Oh, he’saround. But I didn’t leave him in any shape to take calls right now.” Then she let out a naughty laugh.
“How’s that?” I heard myself ask. Did I even want to know the answer? A prickle of unease crawled up my spine.
There was a smirk in her voice when she spoke again. “He’s been a very busy boy. But if you insist, I’ll let him tell you himself.”
I felt as though I’d been slapped. With a quick tap of my finger, I disconnected the call.
For a full minute, I stared at the phone, wondering what had just happened. It was all too easy to picture the laughing woman with Jonas’s phone in her hand, on a bed in a hotel room somewhere. And it was impossible not to remember the high-pitched sound of those women in the hotel lobby running towards the elevator.
My face grew warm, as if I’d been caught doing something embarrassing. And I guess I had. Because Jonas and I had never had a discussion about whether we’d be exclusive. I’d only assumed that if he wanted me, then he’d wantonlyme.
