It's a couple of weeks before I get any particularly fantastic news. I've gotten some that could fall on either side of the fence, such as the fact that Maria says she's ready to potty train (which is great, but it's also hell), and that Caroline is due on June 30th.

The good news, however, comes on a Tuesday afternoon, as I'm grading papers in my office while the kids are sleeping and Caroline is out running errands or whatever it was she said she was doing. My phone rings and I look at the caller ID, reading Spot's name with a faint smile.

"Hey."

"I have amazing news." There's a jovial sound to his voice and I can't help but grin.

"Well, do tell, my friend."

"So, I got a call yesterday from The Warden."

"Wait..." I lean back in my chair, set my pen down. "The Warden, as in, Snyder?"

"The very same." He chuckles. "Anyway, so he calls me yesterday and asks me to do a week-and-a-half long advanced-guitar workshop at J.P.'s."

"And what'd you say?" I find myself crossing my fingers, and I quickly uncross them.

"I said I'd absolutely do it." Spot sighs a happy sigh, and I smile. "I leave in two days, and I'll be there almost two weeks."

"That's great!" I grin without realizing it. "Where are you staying?"

"Snyder offered me a dorm room, but I told him I wasn't a masochist." We laugh. "I don't think he quite understood."

"No, the old man's hearing's on the fritz lately. He probably thought you said something about not wanting breakfast."

Spot laughs and then sighs. "Anyway, he said they'd put me up in a hotel. It's over on, uh, First Street."

"Oh, hey, that's like, two blocks from me." I wonder why I'm smiling, and wonder if I should be.

"Really? Well, maybe I'll come and visit you. If you're lucky."

I chuckle. "Maybe. You could come over for dinner, Caroline makes a..." I stop. I'm inviting the man I cheated on my wife with over for dinner. Okay, children, what's wrong with this children?

"Or you could come by the hotel and we could get coffee or whatever."

"Yeah. Um. That sounds good." I hear the front door open, and sigh. "Okay, well, Caroline's home, so I'm gonna have to let you go, Spot. I'll talk to you later?"

"Absolutely. And if I don't talk to you before, I'll see you in two days."

"Yeah. Bye."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone and head into the kitchen, where Caroline is standing in front of the fridge, smiling and humming as she reaches for a bottle of water.

"Have fun on your errands?"

Caroline jumps and slams the refrigerator door shut, looking at me. "You startled me!"

"Sorry." I lean against the counter and look at her. There's a glow about her. Pregnancy always agreed with her.

"Um, yeah. I didn't have a bad time, anyway." She shrugs and takes a drink of her water. "What'd you do while I was gone?"

"Oh, put the kids down for a nap, graded some papers, you know, highly exciting and adrenaline-pumping stuff." I smile. "Windy out?"

"Huh?" I flick a glance up to her messy hair and she blushes and pats it down. "Oh, yeah. Um, it's such a nice day, you know, what with it not raining and all, I had the windows down in the car and I guess I just forgot to comb it out again." She raises the bottle to her lips again.

"Ah." I nod. "Well, it sounds like you had a good day."

"Yeah. So, what do you want for dinner?"

I shrug and open the fridge.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The kids are put to bed, the lights are turned out, the house is quiet and my bed is warm, and yet I still can't sleep. Excitement and anxiety pump through my veins and I can't seem to keep my eyes closed for more than a second. Caroline's been out for a good hour or so already, and I don't want to get up because I know she'll wake up and I'll face Mommy Mode, so I just lay in bed quietly and think about two days from now. Maybe I'll feel better then. I feel happier already just anticipating it.

Caroline turns into me, curling against my side and laying her head on my shoulder. I notice there's a different smell about her. She smells... I don't know, warmer, more feminine. I never noticed it before in her last two pregnancies.

Maybe I just never paid attention before.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Work over the next two days is slower than I ever thought possible. I get through by the skin of my teeth just by thinking about how much more pleasant it'll be when Spot gets here. Friday afternoon I trudge home with Caroline and just as we're getting in the door with the kids, my phone rings.

"'Lo?" I mutter into the mouthpiece as I help Junior and Maria out of their coats.

"Hey," Spot's voice says.

"Well, hey. What's up?"

"Just got settled into the hotel. Wanna meet for dinner and drinks?" I hope my face isn't brightening up too much.

"Uh, yeah. Let me shower and get everything squared away and I'll meet you at the hotel, okay?"

"Alright. See you later."

I hang up and Caroline looks at me with a smirk. "That your fancy side piece?"

I laugh a little. "Oh, you know it." I shake my head. "Just Spot. He just got into town for his workshop and I'm gonna meet him for dinner and drinks."

"So you won't be eating here?"

"Guess not. You can take the kids out or whatever, if you want." I lean in for a kiss and I smile at her. "I'm gonna go take a shower. I don't know what time I'll be home tonight but I'll try not to be too late, okay?"

"Alright. Have fun."