Page 34 of Ex in the City
My body stiffens as Rowan takes me in his arms and kisses me on the lips. It feels like a violation, not just because we’re no longer a couple, but because he knows that I know I have no choice but to play along. I don’t know how long I let it go on for, it can only be a second or two, before I playfully push him away and laugh it off.
‘Isn’t he cheesy?’ I say to the crowd of onlookers, who all laugh too.
Well, everyone but Dylan, who isn’t even looking at us, he’s kind of awkwardly looking at the screen, as he clicks through the motions to end the match.
What on earth is Rowan playing at? Showing off like that, just because he lost at a stupid video game. And why is Dylan so quiet? I guess he’s on his best behaviour but, I don’t know, it’s all feeling a bit tense.
17
Saturday morning, a time when younger me would be nursing hangovers, enjoying leisurely lie-ins, savouring endless breakfasts, and making fun plans for the weekend ahead. Nowadays, with two energetic kids in the house, the weekends belong to them.
The kitchen is alive with activity as I rush around, preparing breakfast for Archie and Ned. Preparing their meals really keeps me on my toes, trying to cater to their very specific desires – their most and least favourite foods seem to change on a day-to-day basis. Archie wants his toast perfectly golden – with his Nutella spread in stripes – while Ned insists his cereal should be served in a particular bowl, and that I should pick out the misshapen ones – they taste bad, apparently.
Just as I’m painting my final freehand stripe of Nutella, on perfectly browned toast, Rowan saunters in, all dressed up smart.
He places a washing basket down on the floor before slapping a single bright red sock down on the island in front of me.
‘What’s that?’ I ask him.
‘My white shirts to wash,’ he tells me. ‘And that’s the red sock I found in the basket. You need to be more careful – that would have ruined them.’
I pull a face to myself and resist telling him that he can do his own washing, if he thinks he’ll do it so perfectly.
‘Where are you taking the boys, all dolled up like that?’ I ask as I glance over at him.
‘Ah, I can’t take them out today,’ he replies so only I can hear. ‘I’ve got a work opportunity and they’ve just called a meeting.’
‘On a Saturday,’ I say.
‘An emergency meeting,’ he replies.
I don’t bother prying into the specifics of these ‘emergency meetings’ he’s always rushing off to because I honestly don’t care about what he does any more. All I care about is that he promised to spend time with the kids. The words don’t come out, but the frustration’s written all over my face.
‘You’ll have to take them,’ he says, oblivious to my frustration. ‘How about Jungle Jim’s? It’s a new play centre they’ve been wanting to visit.’
‘Rowan…’
‘Look, I’ve got to go,’ he says, snatching up the toast I just finished working on before dashing to the door.
Is he serious? Is he really dumping the kids on me? We both agreed he would take them out today – I’ve been looking after them all week.
No sooner has the door closed behind him when there’s an unexpected knock. I open it to find Dylan standing there, smiling widely.
‘Hello, neighbour,’ I joke. ‘Come in. I’m trying to spread stripes of chocolate on toast.’
‘Sounds fun,’ he says with a laugh as he follows me through to the kitchen.
‘Who’s having the sock for breakfast?’ he asks, nodding to Archie’s red football sock that is still sitting where Rowan left it.
‘Oh, Rowan put it there,’ I tell him. ‘He found it in the washing basket with his white shirts. Good job he spotted it. Anyway, what is the elusive Dylan King doing with his weekend?’ I ask.
‘I’m off to the recording studio,’ he tells me, keeping his cool, but you can tell he’s excited. ‘I’m meeting up with the band to lay down a couple of our old tracks. Fancy joining me?’
My breath catches in my throat. It has been years since I was inside a recording studio. I want to say yes, of course I do, but family life has other plans for me.
‘Ah, I’d love to, but I’ve got the kids today,’ I tell him, unable to hide my disappointment. ‘I wasn’t supposed to be having them but Rowan pretty much just walked in, announced he was going out and then left, so…’
‘So, the kids can come with us,’ Dylan says with a shrug.
