Page 37 of Happily Ever Laughter

Oliver looks up from the cast iron frying pan, then reaches for the egg carton. “Two? Three?”

“Three. Thanks.”

Helping myself to a giant mug of fresh coffee, I sit at the picnic table and stare into space, blinking stupidly for a few minutes. A plate of scrambled eggs, peppers, and onions slides in front of me. “Thanks, man.”

“Putting in too many hours again?” Oliver asks, as he sits across from me with a plate that is nearly identical except a slightly smaller portion.

“Yeah. A bunch of projects all came in at once. And I have to keep tomorrow night free.” I take a sip of coffee before remembering. “You’re coming tomorrow, right?”

“Of course.” His fingers drum on the wooden table. “I’m writing a chapter with a bunch of wanderers in the local tavern, so the timing is perfect. I can create micro character sketches from all the people I see at your event.”

I chuckle while shoveling a forkful of eggs into my face. “Hey, whatever works for you, man.”

“So,” he begins cautiously, “Dan mentioned that you have a lady friend. How’s that going?”

I can feel my face transform into a smile, but I have no idea whether I look happy or demonic.

“Damn,” Oliver laughs. “It’s serious already.”

“She’s…” How on earth do I describe such a beautiful and magical and sweet woman like Tanis? How do I encapsulate the way she makes me feel when she laughs? The way her bright eyes are always studying everything around her?

“Honestly, there aren’t words,” I admit. “And I don’t have time to write you a song about her.”

Oliver grins, lighting up his slightly pale face, which reminds me that we really need to get him outside more.

He suddenly sets down his mug at a strange angle, nearly splashing his coffee. “A woman so beautiful that she can only be described in song,” he says while staring at the ceiling. “That’s the perfect way to describe the queen!”

He starts to get up, and I know he’s about to dash to his laptop.

“Take the food with you,” I command, knowing that he’s already zoning out. “Finish eating that whole plate while it’s hot.”

He nods, while muttering, “It’s a phenomenon that happens with every third queen. Yes. An ancestral cycle. Yes!”

Oliver disappears into his room with his breakfast. I finish eating, then clean up the kitchen, taking another coffee to my studio.

Quickly skimming through emails and my day planner, I jot down what needs to be worked on and completed today, and what needs to be done in the next two days. Seeing everything laid out in a tidy row makes it easier to stay on top of everything.

Mostly, it ensures that I never let anything slip through the cracks.

I don’t mind the stress of working long hours, and working alone. I don’t mind running on three hours of sleep once in a while. But the thought of dropping the ball and disappointing a client is something that makes my blood run cold just to think about.

The only way to be professional is to be professional about everything. Every detail. Greeting people by name, asking about their other projects, and delivering everything early, perfect, and with a lovely personalized note thanking the client for the opportunity.

These are the reasons that my clients call me again and again, even though I’m a one-man show. They know I can straighten out any problem, and pay attention to every last detail.

I have to hope that my attention to the little things will also help with Tanis.

Everything seems to be going wonderfully so far, but I’m never going to take her for granted. I will never be one of those guys who forgets to take her on special dates, or doesn’t comment when she gets her hair done.

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Even though my day is packed, I’ll gladly skip a bit of sleep tonight to make time for a quick lunch with her.

After checking that it’s past nine o’clock so that I know she’ll be at work, I send a text.

Me: Hey – super busy day, but can I pop by to bring you a sandwich for lunch?

I turn on my mixing computer and a couple of audio interfaces so they can warm up while I wait for her to answer.

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