“Really? You're not mad?” Lily asked.
Wyatt's eyes widened and a confused expression crossed his face. “Mad? Are you kidding me? Why would I be mad? These things happen. Tell you what, why don't we just order Chinese tonight and have it delivered? There's a really nice place nearby and it usually only takes them fifteen or twenty minutes to have it at the front door.”
Lily nodded and a wave of
relief flooded through her. “That actually sounds really good.”
Wyatt smiled and pulled out his cell phone. “What would you like?”
“I'll take whatever you're getting,” Lily said. “I pretty much love anything that comes from a Chinese restaurant.”
“Sesame chicken it is,” he said. A moment later, he began speaking on the phone to place the order.
Lily continued scraping the toxic eggplant Parmesan into the trash. When she was done, she put the plates into the dishwasher. It took a few swigs of her red wine to wash the salty taste out of her mouth, but soon it was gone.
I knew I wasn't the best good in the world, but jeez, I had no idea I could mess up a meal quite that drastically, she thought. It's okay, though. I'm here for over a week still. There's plenty of time for me to redeem myself.
Chapter 10
Lily
Monday morning came around and Lily hopped out of bed early to get started on the day. Everybody was still asleep when she woke up, so she headed downstairs to make some coffee. Before she did that, though, she made sure she was wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt that was loose enough so her nipples didn't show. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of Friday night.
Besides the eggplant Parmesean being a complete disaster on Saturday, the weekend had been very relaxing. She'd spent Saturday evening watching the basketball game with Wyatt and Lily. On Sunday, she took Maggie out while Wyatt worked out in the home gym in his basement. She and Maggie walked around the park, picking flowers and giving them to each other. The weather had been perfect. Not too hot and not too cold. So they stayed outside for most of the day.
Now the real work week begins, she thought, turning on the coffee machine. Monday morning is here, which means Wyatt will be gone during the day. It shouldn't be too bad, though. Maggie is a good kid. I don't think she'll give me too much trouble.
The coffee brewed and Lily took a seat on the stool nearby. She placed her elbows onto the counter and used her hands to hold her chin, while she gazed out into the back yard. The sun had just come up, painting the yard in a brilliant orange light. She sighed thoughtfully as she took it in. It was really pretty and certainly beat the heck out of the view from her one bedroom apartment.
Maybe someday I'll get to live in a place like this, she thought to herself. I could get used to waking up in a mansion every morning. I'd wake up early and make coffee, then prepare breakfast for the many kids that I hope to one day have.
Lily often thought about her life five years prior when she'd been pregnant with Maggie. Unlike many mothers she'd spoke with during that time, Lily actually really enjoyed being pregnant. Sure, she'd dealt with morning sickness and back pain and restless leg syndrome. Not once had any of that bothered her, though. The joy of carrying a little human being in her belly far outweighed any of the burdens that she had to bear because of it.
I just miss being pregnant, she thought. I miss that feeling and wish I could have it back.
Even though she was currently single, there was still the undeniable nagging in the back of her mind and body that urged her to get pregnant again. She wanted to feel the joy of new life inside of her once more.
I'm not getting any younger, she thought. I can't wait forever to have kids of my own. The clock is ticking all the time.
She felt the moving of time, leading toward the inevitable inability to have children later in life. It made her 'baby crazy', a term that she'd heard over and over again from her girlfriends who were wanting to get pregnant just like she was. It apparently hit women in their mid-twenties and she was quickly realizing that it had hit her as well.
Oh well, she thought, placing her hand onto her belly. It's not like it's something I can force. If I meet the right guy, then I'll have kids. It's as simple as that. Not much I can do right now.
Lily heard the sound of little feet scampering down the stairs. As soon as she looked up, Maggie appeared around the corner. Her hair was sticking out from all sides of her head. It was a tangled mess, but adorable nonetheless.
“Good morning, pretty girl.” Lily hopped off of the stool and then squatted down to get a hug from Maggie.
“Good morning,” Maggie said, through an exaggerated yawn.
“You want some breakfast?” Lily asked.
Maggie just nodded and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hands. Lily picked her up and set her down onto a stool, then began digging through the fridge. She was looking for something easy to make, something that would be impossible for her to screw up.
Scrambled eggs, she decided. There's no way I can mess that up.
She grabbed a half dozen eggs and broke them into a bowl. She was in the middle of stirring them up, when Wyatt popped into the kitchen. “Good morning, ladies.”
“Morning, Daddy,” Maggie said.