Page 37 of Two Friends in Marriage
“I’ll have a glass of wine if you’ve got a bottle open, but no need to open one on my account,” Kim says.
“Don’t worry, I want some, too.”Jane takes out a bottle of red and pours small glasses for her, Max, and Kim.“Help yourself to the cheese.”
Kim immediately reaches for a piece of gouda, her eagerness eliciting chuckles.Once she and Max have had something to eat, I offer them a tour while Jane gets started on the barbecue.
I begin with the kitchen.“As you can see, we have a selection of thirty-year-old appliances.”
“Probably for the best,” Max says.“The new ones don’t last.”
I move to the living room.“This is our mass cane plant, which has been with us for eight days.And Watson, who will probably be too shy to say hello.”
“I love your couch,” Kim says.
“That was Jane’s.”I nod at my wife as she heads out back with the raw burgers.“She had it in her apartment.”Mine, which isn’t as nice, is currently in the basement.
I proceed through the rest of the downstairs, trying to see how the house would look to someone who doesn’t live here.We’re still missing a dining room table, and the décor is a bit sparse.I’m not sure it truly lookshomeyyet, but it’s starting to feel that way to me.
Though that’s partly due to the woman who just cursed on our back patio.
“You okay?”I ask.
“Yeah,” she says.“I dropped a bun on the grass, that’s all.”
I continue the tour, Kim asking more questions than Max.I don’t offer to show them the second floor, and fortunately, neither of them asks.I’m not sure what my brother would think of the separate bedrooms.
When we return to the kitchen, I move the cheese board to the counter and set out plates.A moment later, Jane enters with platters of beef patties and toasted buns.Some of her hair has escaped her ponytail.She sets everything down, then removes her apron.Even though she’s barely showing more skin than before, seeing her take off an article of clothing—even with family here—makes my blood pump faster.
I try to ignore that feeling.“Help yourself.I’ll bring the salad over in a minute.”
I go to the counter and toss the green salad with the vinaigrette.I’m about to reach for the salad tongs when I feel a warm hand on my lower back, and I’m so shocked, I jump back, knocking against Jane.
“Sorry!You surprised me,” I say, even though we touch each other like that regularly.
The problem?I’d just been thinking about her taking off clothes, which is highly inappropriate, and when she touched me, it felt like something more than our usual physical contact.
As I steady my breathing and set the salad tongs in the bowl, I note that Max’s eyes have narrowed suspiciously, as if asking,Why does a touch from your wife shock you so much?
I ignore him and take the salad to the table.“Bon appétit.”
“I think it’s finally time to see what’s in this box.”I bring over plates and clean utensils for dessert.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Max mutters.
I remove the tape and open up the box to reveal…a giant burger.Except it doesn’t contain any meat or meat substitute.No, it’s a burger cake.Not a super realistic one that you might actually mistake for a hamburger, but it’s clearly supposed to be a burger.
“This looks amazing,” I say, in part to annoy my brother.
“The middle cake is chocolate,” Kim says.“The cakes that form the bun are vanilla.The condiments are made of different colors of buttercream.”
“Uh, wow.Yes.”Jane seems a little perturbed that this is sitting in our kitchen.
“You see?”Max turns to me.“Jane agrees that it’s an abomination.”
She looks at Kim.“I really do apprec—”
Kim waves this off.“It’s fine.We’re family now.You’re allowed to disapprove of the cake I chose.I do think it’ll taste good, even if the aesthetics aren’t to your preference.”
Jane opens her mouth, but no words come out.I suspect it’s because she’s processing Kim’s casual mention of “family,” and I figure a distraction is in order, in case she needs a few moments to compose herself.
