"Daddy!" Aaron yelled, snapping Jack back to reality as the toddler pressed both sides of Jack's cheeks until he looked like he was making a fish face.
From the other side of the table, Kate giggled. She expected this; She had watched as Jack's attention had slipped from listening to Aaron spout knowledge he'd learned at the Aquarium to watching the rock on Kate's finger glisten under the kitchen light.
"Sorry, Buddy" Jack started. "Did you get a picture of you touching the sting ray?" Jack asked as if Kate hadn't sent him photos of every moment they'd been at the Aquarium.
Was it too many photos, he asked himself. Was she setting up an alibi?
The rest of dinner he sat stewing in his own jealousy. He imagined Kate, touching another man. He couldn't handle the image, a man sucking, licking and thrusting, his hands and mouth tasting all of Kate, her kisses, the salt of her skin, her intimacy. He realized he was white knuckled, his anger boiling over at his own overactive imagination.
Was it a stranger?
Was it someone Jack knew? A friend? A colleague?
Who initiated the affair?
"Jack!" Kate snapped her fingers. "I've been calling your name. Don't you like dinner? I'll heat you up some leftovers or make something quick…"
"You'd do that?" He asked, snapping back to reality.
"Of course. I want tonight to be a good night. I love you," she studied him skeptically, trying to crack his brain open so she understood. He was distant and seemed to forget how much she loved him. Jack noticed the expression on Kate's face, as if she was screaming internally for him to read her mind.
"I'm fine. Dinner is fine."
Kate furrowed her brow, thinking of a quick exit. "Bud, let's get you to bed," she whispered.
"Mom," Aaron whined.
"You stayed up late so we could have dinner as a family but it's late."
"Daddy?"
"Listen to your mom," Jack muttered without looking at him.
Jack pushed his food side to side on the plate like a child, his mind racing with thoughts of Kate being unfaithful. By the time he put his plate in the dishwasher, Kate was in the bedroom changing to her pajamas.
"What the hell was that? You all but ignored him!" She snapped before stopping and taking a deep sigh.
"What are you wearing?" He fired back instead. In the middle of changing, Kate stood in a black lace bra and panty set. Much sexier than her usual. "Why would you have that on?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Because it's our fucking anniversary," Kate hissed, shaking her head in disapproval. "I don't know what's gotten into you today but I'm more upset at how you're acting than I am about forgetting our anniversary."
"Kate," Jack's voice softened "I'm sorry. I don't…"
Kate offered a small smile. She was still hurt but she could tell by Jack's tone that he had snapped out of it. He was her Jack again.
"Can you just chalk it up as a bad day? We can celebrate tomorrow. Get a sitter and go to dinner…" he raised his eyebrow suggestively. "Please, Kate? Can we wipe the slate clean and try again tomorrow? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Kate nodded, letting him pull her into a tight embrace. She took a whiff of his cologne, the scent of safety.