The recent weeks and weekends had gone by quickly in a blur of tending to kids, work , and various obligations. Ste and I were currently in a comfortable place. I would not call it good as we were not where we had been before. Ste had kept to his word and stayed away from drinking, and kept his temper, and was respecting my personal boundaries. He was also allowing me more freedom he was trusting me, and did not demand to know what I was doing at all times. Even though he wasn't checking in on me, I typically told him my whereabouts out of respect. I had started to trust him again as well, and was letting my guard down not as worried that my every action would upset him. We still had our quarrels , but I was no longer thinking of leaving and Ste had not needed to apologize to me in weeks. It was a comfortable rhythm each of us doing what was needed to keep our little family going.
He still wasn't much help when it came to overnight toddler care, but Matthew's sleepless night phase seemed to be drawing to a close, as he had been waking less during the overnight. Getting more sleep also had a positive impact on Ste's mood. The emphasis should be on the had because the last two nights had been hell, but I was certain this reversal of fortune was due to Matthew getting his 2 year molars in. To his credit Ste had not complained.
Ste was actually due home in a few moments. I had the afternoon off from work, and we had agreed to have lunch together.
"There's a sight I could never tire of- my gorgeous man in the kitchen cooking for me only thing missing is the baby sling!" Ste called out.
" I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you."
"About what? The food or the baby?"
"Either." He smiled at my joke before kissing me.
"You smell great!" "New aftershave?"
I nodded "I'm trying something out."
" Have I told you lately that I loved you?"
" I think you mentioned something about that this morning." I replied coyly .
" Well I do." He said kissing me again. What's all this?"
"Spicy tuna roll, cucumber and avocado salad, and raspberry-lemon parfait. I'm just about done, but if you can't wait there's hummus on the table."
"Who are you and what have you done with my husband? That actually sounds fantastic!"
"Let's just hope it tastes that way."
"I'm sure it will be great." He reassured me as he sat down and started in on the hummus. We talked as we ate , about nothing in particular which was nice it was the first time in a long time that our conversation wasn't centered on work, kids, or some other household issue.
" That was delicious, J. P. I might have to insist you give up your job and come work for me." Ste praised finishing the last of his tuna.
"That might be a little hard considering I was just offered the position of Acting Head of English Department." I said spooning the parfait into glasses.
" You what ! How?"
" Well the former head went mental, and given my record the board suggested me for the role and Patrick agreed . He told me about it this morning." I answered handing him his parfait.
" And you're just telling me this now after I've been here nearly 30 minutes? That's fantastic news babe!" He said leaning across the counter to kiss me.
" I haven't accepted yet. I wanted to run it by you first. It's only to the end of the year, and it would mean some longer days, and a slight increase in salary."
" The only problem that I see is you haven't accepted yet."
"Are you sure? I mean are you okay with everything?"
"Why wouldn't be I be? This is amazing. Yes! Now if you don't call Patrick right now-"
I was a little stunned by his reaction. I had anticipated more resistance from him, but I was happy to be wrong and went to call Patrick.
When a hung up with Patrick Ste turned to me and said" I'm thinking this weekend, we have a family dinner in your honor-"
"That's not needed . I'm only filling in, and-"
" Of course it's needed. This is a big deal John Paul. you deserve to be celebrated. We'll do it right invite everyone your sisters, my sisters, the kids, we'll have half the village at the restaurant."
"That reminds me-" I went around the corner and came back handing him a package. "This came for you today from Leah and Lucas." Ste and the kids had been exchanging packets with each other for a few months now.
" This is actually for you." Ste said handing me a packet of papers. It was the comic I had started with the kids when they had last visited they had added to my drawings and made notes of what they wanted added to the story. I tried explaining the ongoing story to Ste and my plans to include a map to enhance the next portion of the saga.
He looked at me as if I had 3 heads. "I'll call them tonight and plan it out."
" I might be wrong but I think you're more excited by your zombie pirate/ evil doctor tale than your new position."
" Well I wouldn't want to disappoint the kids." I said walking away to put the story packet in a safe spot.
" I'm sure that's it- not wanting to disappoint the children, and not hat I'm married to a huge nerd." He called after me teasingly.
When I returned he was staring at me, so much so that it cause me to check my mouth for food.
"What?"
" I'm just trying to work out how I got so lucky to land such a smart, kind, and sexy man for my husband." He said while walking towards me.
"And I think we should start celebrating your promotion right now." He then kissed me and grabbed my hand leading us towards our bedroom.
"I'd love that-" I started breaking our kiss. He kissed me again and started at my shirt before I could finish my sentence.
I pulled back.
"What is it?"
" I've got to clean up."
"Leave it. I'll take care of it later I mean it's only fair you cooked ."
"No. I mean I've got to go out."
Ste groaned " You're kidding me? We've finally got the house to ourselves without any screaming babies, and your'e turning me down again. " I'm starting to get a complex."
"It's not that I don't want to. Believe me I do. I just have a meeting to get to."
" Skip it,"
" I can't. It wouldn't look good for the new English department head to be skipping out on meeting. I'll be late , so I need you to get Matthew from nursery?"
" Acting head, he reminded me almost as an insult, And when you get back you'll be tending to him all night."
" If I didn't know better I might think you were jealous of a 2 year old."
" That's insane."
" I agree."
"I just miss us, and I'd love to know when I might get a moment with my husband." He pouted
" Tomorrow night. I'll get a sitter for Matthew, and I'm all yours,"
" Promise?"
" I swear it." I said kissing him before turning to get my things together.
" So what's this meeting about?"
"Trying to get together a few locals to come speak to the kids."
" Oh I'm always happy to come and give a chat."
" Thanks., but this one is local artists and authors."
"We have those?"
"Yea"
"Who?"
I paused to decide if I wanted to tell Ste exactly who I would be meeting with.
" I mean I can't think of anyone." Ste said clearly trying to work out who the possible town author could be.
"Siobhan's husband Cillian. You met him has done some work as a travel journalist, and Mark."
"Mark as in shopkeeper Mark?"
I nodded " Yea apparently he's published a couple of-"
" I don't care what he's done!" I get it now. Why you're rushing around and your new after shave. Got to look good for your night out with Mr. Wonderful while I play babysitter."
"That's not what's happening at all. I didn't even know he would be there until this morning. Siobhan was in charge of booking everyone.
" I've seen the way you look at him. I know you fancy him."
" You know that isn't true. I don't even know if he's gay or not."
" So you have thought about it."
" No. I only meant- I'm going to a work meeting, on school grounds with at least 5 other people one of whom will be Mark."
" A meeting you weren't going to tell me about unless I asked. You were just going to sneak off-"
" I'm not sneaking anything. I've told you where I'll be, and what I'm doing."
" You could be lying to me."
" I don't want to fight you Ste I don't. I've told you the truth it's a meeting for school, and yea Mark will be there, but I don't think of him that way. I don't know what else to tell you."
" Prove it then."
"What?"
" Prove to me that there's nothing going on with the two of you."
" How?"
"Give me your phone." I handed it to him and watched as he scrolled through all my messages and listened to my voice mail.
" Do you believe me now?" I asked as he handed the phone back to me.
"Maybe I'll sit in on this meeting for a bit to be certain."
Before I could respond my phone hummed and Ste snatched it from me.
" Who is M. K.?" " Mark Kent perhaps?" he inquired reading the caller i.d.
"No ! That's Margherita Kelly, Matthew's teacher." I said reaching for the phone knowing something had to be wrong for his teacher to ring me.
Ste swatted at my arm causing it to come down hard against the table and answered the call himself.
" No John Paul's out at the moment, this is Ste Matthew's stepdad. Ste's focused on me as he listened to the voice on the other end. His eyes were cold. " I'll let him know. Thank you." He hung up the phone.
" What is it?" "What happened?"
"He has a fever. They want you to pick him up." He placed my phone on the table .
" That's i?. Did she tell you anything else?" He ignored me and went upstairs. As he walked by me, he slammed me hard into the wall with his shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I called after him once or twice, but it was clear he was not going to be helpful. I rang Matthew's teacher and she told me he had a lowgrade fever and had been not himself most of the day, but the last hour he had become extremely cranky. I told her I'd be by to pick him. I then called my colleague to let her know an emergency had come up and I wouldn't be able to attend the meeting.
It was late evening before I arrived back home. When I did Ste was sitting on the sofa watching television.
" Where the hell have you been?" " Did you get one of your sisters to babysit and head on to your date."
" No I've been at hospital with a sick baby who's got a stomach virus and a double ear infection."
"What ! Why didn't you call me?" The truth was I had called and left him several messages. He hadn't responded to any of them.
" I did." I said quietly. "
" How is he?" Ste asked walking over to me.
" Tired out. I'm going to put him to bed."
" I'll do it. Go and sit down." I hesitated at handing Matthew over to Ste at first, and as I paused Matthew whimpered , so I took him up to bed myself, a combination of his being ill, medicated, and having a long afternoon caused him to fall back to sleep easily.
When I returned Ste had fixed me a plate. I sat beside him on the sofa, but didn't eat.
" What's wrong?"
" I feel bad. I missed it. I just thought he was teething and being 2 , and he was suffering." I answered wiping my eyes.
" Don't do that. You've been doing your best, Matthew knows that, and he's going to be fine, let that medicine get to working and he'll be running about in no time."
" I know that. It's just that -"
"You never want to see them hurting."
I nodded. Ste wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. " He'll be fine."
Matthew was up every hour on the hour the entire night crying barely able to get a few moments of comfortable sleep, he finally fell asleep at 6:00 in the morning with me rocking him and singing Snow Patrol's " Chasing Cars" to him.
Ste entered his room just as he had fallen asleep.
"How is he ?" He asked quietly.
" He's fine now. Fever's finally broken so hopefully we're on our way to well again."
Ste gently touched Matthew's still flushed cheek.
"Let me take him for a bit. Get some rest."
" I'm okay."
" John Paul your eyes are barely open, and you can hardly keep your head up, and you've yawned 4 or 5 time since I've been in here. Come on let me take him."
I paused a moment before placing Matthew into Ste's arms. He stayed sleeping.
