Page 35 of Falling Again
“All very good to know, but I’m not reaching out unless the town is invaded by Elm River or set on fire. And even then, I would probably see where it goes before freaking out.”
The image of Elm River invading Buckeye Falls with flaming pitch forks made Anthony chuckle. “Thanks for that vision.”
Trudy shrugged. “I do what I can. Now get the hell out of here.” She ordered, her lips quirking with a smirk.
Anthony did as he was told, jogging out the front door and heading home. When he arrived, he was relieved to see only Natalie’s car in the garage. He loved his parents and sister, but it was not the night for more forced family togetherness. Tonight he needed to get ready for their trip.
Letting himself in the backdoor, Anthony hung up his bag and walked into a wonderful sight. Both kids were seated and quietly coloring, while Natalie hummed at the stove. She was still in her work clothes, even down to her heels that clicked across the floor as she walked. The air smelled like one of his favorite dinners: roast chicken with mashed potatoes. Trying not to disturb the scene, Anthony held his breath and wished more than anything that the serenity would last. No such luck.
“Daddy!” Madeline squealed when she saw her father. Her chubby cheeks plumped with a smile as she slid down her chair and ran over for a hug. Anthony scooped her up and kissed her forehead, carrying her back over to Otis.
Otis, who was strapped into his highchair, flailed like his limbs were on fire, clearly missing out on the fatherly attention. “Hey buddy.” Anthony kissed his son’s cheek before depositing Madeline back on her seat. “Finish coloring, Maddie. I need a new picture for my office.” The little girl nodded, her attention back on the stack of coloring sheets in front of her.
Natalie turned and grinned at the scene, but as Anthony approached, he saw her smile falter. “Welcome home,” she said as she turned and finished mashing the potatoes. Anthony reached out to touch her, but his hand froze in midair, and he backed away. He still couldn’t forget what Alice had said. If Natalie hated the idea of this trip, he needed to bide his time.
“Dinner smells great. Do I have time to change?” He loosened his tied and headed to the fridge for a drink.
Over her shoulder, Natalie said, “There’s about ten minutes left on that chicken. I got a bottle of wine out if you’d like to share.”
“Sounds great.” Anthony poured two glasses and went over to Natalie’s side. Watching her a moment longer than necessary, Anthony decided he couldn’t wait. Despite all they had to say, he needed to be closer. Placing her glass on the counter, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. It was chaste, but Anthony felt a spark down to his shoelaces. “I’ll be right down,” he said through the lump in his throat. He thought Natalie might have said something, but he didn’t stick around to hear.
Bringing his wine glass upstairs, Anthony collected himself while he got dressed in his lounge clothes. It was a lot easier to scramble after the kids when he wasn’t in wingtips and a tie. Sipping his wine, Anthony tried to calm himself down. He was fumbling with every interaction he had with Natalie, and it was beyond ridiculous. This was his wife, the mother of his children. He should be able to hug and kiss her and hold a normal conversation. They had well over a decade of history. Surely that meant they could overcome this hurdle.
When he stepped into their walk-in closet, Anthony tripped over an open suitcase on the floor. It was obvious Natalie had already started packing. Not wanting to invade her privacy, Anthony averted his gaze from the suitcase. The trouble was, some of the contents had fallen out when he stumbled. He needed to put it all away or Natalie would know he had been nosy.
As he picked up the last piece of clothing, Anthony realized with a jolt that it was lingerie. The red lacy fabric felt like butter on his fingers, and Anthony stirred. He was fully turned on and she wasn’t even wearing it yet. Yikes.
Then it hit him: this wasinthe suitcase––Natalie was planning on wearing it this week. Dropping the lingerie like it was on fire, Anthony backed out of the closet and fumbled for his wine glass. He slugged back half of the contents before he calmed down. This was good news; it showed that Natalie was expecting more from this trip than packing and cleaning. It’s what he was hoping for too, so why was he so flustered?
“Dinner’s ready, Daddy!” Madeline shouted from downstairs.
Anthony scrubbed a hand down his face and headed for the hallway. “Coming,” he announced as he bounded down the stairs. His stomach churned with a heady combination of fear and excitement, like he was waiting for Santa Claus and the dentist all at once.
Natalie greeted Anthony with a warm expression and the bottle of wine. “Top off?” she asked, waving the bottle.
“Sure,” he said, taking the glass to his place at the table.
Natalie had gone all out tonight. There was a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Ever the good mother, she’d made a cheese sauce for the vegetables so the kids would eat them. “Orange sauce, please,” Madeline asked, pointing toward the cheese.
Anthony and Natalie shared a look across the table, enjoying their inside joke with their daughter. “Here you go,” Natalie said, placing a dollop of sauce on her plate. Otis banged a fork on his plate until he got some too.
“What the heck,” Anthony said, holding his plate out for Natalie. “I’ll have some orange sauce too.” He winked at Natalie and felt a spark at her answering smile.
Dinner went smoothly, with the children chattering and clearing plates. Even the broccoli was devoured, a first at their dinner table. “Are you excited to spend time with Grammy and Gramps?” Anthony asked, helping Natalie take the dishes to the sink.
“And Aunt Alice!” Madeline exclaimed. “She said we can build forts and go to the pool.”
Natalie and Anthony shared a look, but neither said anything. They were both glad Alice wouldn’t be alone with the kids. Not that she couldn’t handle them––more that she didn’t want to. Alice had her ideas of what constituted proper childcare, and they usually involved sugar, bribery, and too much time in the sun without SPF 50.
“I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time, Maddie,” Natalie said. Anthony hurriedly ate his last bite of chicken before grabbing Otis from his seat and starting the trip upstairs for bath time. Natalie joined him at the base of the stairs and reached out to touch his arm. Even this simple touch made Anthony’s skin heat. “I can do bath time,” she offered.
“No need. You made dinner. It’s the least I can do.” Before Natalie walked away, he asked, “Want to watch that Korean show again? I promise I’ll stay awake.”
Natalie’s face broke into a genuine smile, and she nodded. Anthony wasn’t sure, but she seemed to relax right in front of him. Her shoulders drooped and her posture seemed casual, like it used to be. “I’ll get the show pulled up.”
Anthony savored his time with the kids during their bedtime routine, especially since he wouldn’t get any for a full week. Madeline asked for two bedtime stories, but Otis fell asleep before the first one was even finished. As Anthony turned off the lights and tiptoed down the stairs, he saw Natalie splayed on the couch, her head resting on a pillow.
She’d fallen asleep, and Anthony couldn’t fault her that. She worked hard and had spent at least an hour on dinner. Taking one of the blankets off the back of the couch, Anthony draped it over his wife and sat next to her. Pulling her feet up to his lap, he gently rubbed them and enjoyed the moment of quiet.
