The Crib
When Adrian was five she got a terrible case of influenza, for close to two weeks her mother Cindy had confined Adrian to her bed and waited on the little girl hand and foot. Every meal, and more than a few snacks, were all served to the five-year-old like she was a VIP at an exclusive spa. Cindy even moved their television into Adrian's room and let the little girl watch whatever cartoons she wanted. The best part, from Adrian's perspective, was when she closed her eyes the cramped apartment disappeared to be replaced by a beautiful castle, because in little Adrian Lee's mind she felt was a princess.
Now three months pregnant and despite suffering terrible nausea and all-day sickness, Adrian couldn't help but close her eyes and feel like a princess again. Snuggled up under an enormous quilt on the living room couch and nursing a cup of hot tea Adrian looked down at the young man who was quickly and willingly turning into her personal servant. Smiling Adrian couldn't help the giddiness as she watched the crease in Ben's forehead get deeper.
"Okay," Ben said, both to himself and Adrian, "I think I understand where I went wrong with this." Adrian snorted loudly and shook her head. "You didn't buy a crib that came pre-assembled?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Ben frowned again as he brought two long pieces of wood together at an odd angle and attempted to match them with the appropriate nut and bolt. "Ha!" The Sausage Prince said as he held the assembled corner proudly in the air. "Who needs instructions?"
Adrian's peals of laughter filled the room as she looked out across the scattered thousand pieces that still needed to be assembled as well, after nearly two hours. When Ben had arrived that blustery Saturday morning with the large box of parts he proudly proclaimed that in less than 30 minutes (according to the advertisement on the side of the box) Adrian would have herself a brand new crib for their baby. Now, hours later and with no new crib, Adrian thought that the most endearing thing about the whole endeavor was how seriously Ben was taking the whole thing. Even now, with her practically laughing in his face, Ben looked on with pride at the progress he had accomplished. Until he realized that there weren't any 45 degree angles in the design of the crib in the picture on the box.
Dejected Ben sighed and said, "Do you see the manual anywhere."
* * *
"What did I tell you?" Ben asked as he put his fists on his hips in a Superman pose. "A brand new crib!" The excitement and pride in his voice was unmistakable and so easily punctured by Adrian's quick comment. "And to think it only took seven hours and three men to do it!"
"Hey!" George said over his shoulder from where he stood with Ben and Ruben, all of whom had mixtures of pride and embarrassment on their faces. Cindy, Anne, Amy, Ashley, and Adrian stood in the doorway of the living room and simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Not content to leave Ben with the slightest trace of an inflated ego, Adrian walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "All the same, though, a good job." Pausing for a beat to maximize the effect. "But how do you plan to get it through the nursery's doorway?"
Loud feminine laughter filled the house, accompanied by grumbling masculine swearing.
