Chapter Twenty-Two
Will and Nat were busy playing on the living room rug when they arrived home and only one of them actually noticed their arrival.
"I thought you went to see a play," Will said as he spotted the shopping bags in Diane and Emma's hands.
"We did, but we stopped by the mall on our way back," Diane replied, placing the bags on the ground and the couch.
From the number of bags it was obvious that they hadn't just done a little shopping and from the look on Will's face she could tell he seemed a little confused.
"Mommy, can I show daddy my Halloween costume?" Emma was very happy, holding on to a yellow shopping bag.
"Of course you can, I'll help you put it on later, but I think we should eat first, I bet you're hungry already, we brought dinner."
"I'm starving," Will replied, smiling already and stood up from the ground, "I've completely lost track of time building this ship."
"I can see that," Diane looked at her son, still focusing on the toys. She kneeled down beside him and placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Have you brought something for me?" Nat asked and it made Diane chuckle.
"Of course we have," she would have given it to him right away, but the boy didn't seem to pay attention to anything but his current activity.
"What about me?" Will looked down to her with a smile.
"You too, but let's eat first, shall we?" she stood up and taking a bag into her hand she walked towards the kitchen.
"My sister called."
"How is Sarah?"
"Not too well, I think she and Roger have some problems. She asked me if she could spend a few days with us."
"Aunt Sarah is coming?" Em sounded very excited.
"Maybe," Will replied.
"She's welcomed here anytime, I hope you told her that."
"I did."
"Hurrah!" Em was overjoyed about the possible visit of her only aunt, who spoiled her and Nat as every aunt would.
"Now take your things into your room and wash your hands before dinner. You too, Nat. You can finish that after dinner. I'll help you as well."
"Ok," came the short reply after a pause and Diane finally entered the kitchen followed by Will.
"What's wrong with Sarah? Did she tell you anything?"
"Not much, you know she loves digging into my life, but she's rather private when it comes to hers."
"I'll try to talk to her, maybe over a glass of wine she might open up to me again."
"Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me, you know I love your sister."
"I know and one more advantage of her arrival, we might get another night out just the two of us," he stood behind her, folding his arms around her waist as she was busy portioning out the food.
"I get a drinking buddy and a baby sitter, she should visit more often," Diane chuckled as she stopped what she'd been doing and leaned against him a little, enjoying his embrace.
"Hey, what about me? Am I not good enough for you as your drinking buddy?"
"You know you are much more than that," she said softly and the only reason she didn't act on her words was that Emma and Nat could have entered the door any minute. "I just like dishing you with your sister, it's fun," she replied in a more playful tone, getting back to the food in front of her.
Will placed a kiss on her cheek and let go off her to help her set the table.
"So what's it with all this shopping? Christmas is more than two months away."
Diane expected this question already after his reaction to the bags they'd brought home.
"I know, but she has wished for this Halloween costume for so long."
"I thought we agreed that she won't get everything she wants. She could have worn a home-made costume."
"Made by you?" she chuckled, trying not to take his words too seriously.
"Very funny," he smiled at her.
"I admit, I don't have the time anymore to make costumes for them, it doesn't make me a bad mother, does it?" she wasn't upset or anything, these were simply the facts he couldn't deny either.
"No. I just don't want you to feel the need to buy them something just because you don't have enough time for them."
She looked at him and for a moment she considered whether he was right or wrong. Maybe she had bought the costume out of guilt after all.
"That's not the case and Emma knows it," she stated and wanted to believe her own words.
"Ok, I didn't say a thing. It's good to see her so happy with it."
"She is, you can't ruin this for her."
"I won't."
"And thank you for watching out for me."
"That's what we do, right? Watch out for each other."
"Yes," she gave him a small kiss, "I'll go and fetch the kids."
As she went upstairs she was thinking about what he'd said, how them watching out for each other seemed to have turned into him watching out for her almost all the time. She couldn't be angry with him for interfering, simply because he might have been right. She should have taken the time to think about what she'd been doing, but she barely had the state of mind to think about anything but her new firm. It had taken away too much of her time, her thoughts, she had to figure out a way to change this before it was too late.