Chapter Thirty-Two
"Good morning," he turned to her after shutting down the alarm.
"When did you come home last night?" she asked with a sleepy voice, surprised to find him suddenly beside her, as he hadn't been there the previous night.
"Pretty late, you were already asleep," he kissed her shortly and got out of bed to start getting dressed right away.
"Some important case?" she guessed, judging from his late hours and his hastiness to get ready that morning.
"Yep, we're due in court today."
"And you and I are due in court a week from today," she reminded him, merely to try to initiate some kind of a conversation, which he probably didn't have time for.
"I know. How do you feel about this?" he showed some concern as he buttoned up his shirt and she felt kind of relieved.
"The first time might be a little hard, but we will get used to it."
"If we want to," he shrugged then put on his pants quickly.
"Are you still angry with me for taking the client?"
"No, I'm just…I just hate that we didn't even see each other last night," he stopped dressing for a moment and looked at her.
"We will get used to that too," she sighed.
"I don't want to get used to it. I don't want to get used to going up against you in court or coming home after you've gone to sleep," he was still looking at her and even though she felt the same way, she decided to joke it off.
"You obviously need more sleep, you're talking like a 10 year old right now," she chuckled.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little tensed. I have to leave right away and I probably will be late again tonight," he put on his suit and grabbed his briefcase.
"Don't forget to say hi to the kids, they missed you," she reminded him, even though she was sure he wouldn't forget.
"I won't forget, I miss them too," he walked to her to give her another kiss. She was still sitting on the bed, watching him.
"It's probably time for me to take back all the parental duties from you," she suggested as he was about to exit the door.
He had been the one helping her out for the last months, it was probably time for a switch, even though she wasn't sure she was able to do it yet. To get out of the office in time to pick up the kids, to do the shopping and make dinner, to play with Nat and help Emma with her homework and to read them their bedtime stories. She had only done all these things occasionally lately, they had either divided the tasks or Will had done them all.
"If you can do that, just for a short while, I'm sure things will calm down again eventually."
"Now with Sarah gone, we either ask my aunt or hire a sitter, but I'd rather just do it myself, I'm not sure how though, but it's also my duty."
"I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. You've outdone yourself lately, helping me out, it's time I find the balance between motherhood and my new job."
"I'm afraid I won't make it to our weekly dinner tomorrow either."
"We'll make up for it, I'm sure," she was disappointed to hear this, but still smiled at him and he stepped back from the door to the bedside to kiss her again.
"I love you."
"I love you too, but you're gonna be late," she pushed him away from her carefully.
"Right, I'll try to be here tonight before you fall asleep," he said from the doorway.
"I'd appreciate that."
o-o-o
"Finally! Do you know how late it is?" she didn't mean to raise her voice so much, especially because the kids were already sleeping, but that day had been worse than a nightmare for her.
"I know, I'm sorry, I told you I'd be late."
He had told her and that's why she knew she had no right to let it out on him, especially after months of role reversal, not to mention he looked pretty tired for obvious reasons.
"One more night like this and I'm gonna go nuts," she just couldn't stop her complaints though, she had to tell someone after all, and who else she could have turned to?
"What happened?" he sat down on the side of the bed and gave her a kiss, but even that couldn't stop her from bursting out.
"Everything. I was late to pick up the kids, they got all whiny. They kept telling me you were always there to pick them up in time. They kept asking me where you were, why they only saw you for a minute today. Then the dinner I had in mind was not good for them, I had to make it again. When did our children get so demanding?"
"Well, they must have learnt it from someone?" he chuckled a little, but she couldn't do the same.
"Do you find it funny?"
"No, I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do that there are bad days sometimes."
"Yeah, but they had to choose a day when you're away?"
"They don't choose a day, it just happens."
"Well it should have happened some other day, not when I'm unable to get support from you," she let all her defenses down, now that he was finally there, she wanted to rely on him.
"Come here," he pulled her close and hugged her tightly.
"I am still angry with them," she said after a minute's silence, even though she was already feeling the healing effect of their intimacy.
"I know."
"I don't want to stay angry with them."
"You'll feel much better in the morning."
"Can you just please not leave so early in the morning?"
"I'll see what I can do."
"I'm so pathetic," she said as she separated her body from his to look him in the eye.
"It's just a bad day, it will pass."
"You still have work to do tonight?"
"No, just let me take a shower and I'm all yours."
He kissed her and she started smiling again afterwards.
"While you're in the bathroom, I'll go check on the kids."
She knew she shouldn't have felt any anger, she just wanted to give them another good night kiss, to show them that she loved them no matter what. And his smiling face suggested that he understood her without words.