Page 5 of Birthday Kisses

Did I mention Grant and Alyssa have three boys? She keeps trying for a girl and Grant always obliges because of course he does.

“I guess I’ll go then.” We’re still standing in the foyer of their cavernous penthouse apartment with the sky-high ceilings that overlooks the entire city, which makes me miss our cozy, low ceiling home filled with walls covered in art or photos of us on our travels. I’ve added photos of Willow of course too, and while I think Grant and Alyssa’s home is stunning, it reminds me of the house I grew up in, which felt like a museum. Untouchable.

A little cold.

Two of my absolute favorite pieces hang in our house. Besides A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime in Willow’s bedroom, I also have Two Pussies in our bedroom, because that was the piece Crew first encouraged me to purchase. The value of that painting has recently skyrocketed. Hannah Walsh Callahan has become a celebrated painter in the art world and to own one of her earliest pieces is a big deal.

“Wren.” Alyssa’s gentle voice breaks through my thoughts, and I blink her smiling face back into focus. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I nod, trying to convince myself, but it’s not really working so I sigh, my shoulders sagging. “I’m distracted, that’s my problem. My thoughts seem to wander off all the time and I sort of forget what I’m doing? Does that make sense? Like I was thinking about art just now.”

The sympathetic expression on Alyssa’s face is obvious. “Do you miss the trips you and Crew used to take?”

Before we were married, we traveled all over the world in search of art. Crew humored me as I’d poke around endless galleries, always looking for the one piece that would take my breath away. It’s happened a few times over the years.

It happened a lot of times, actually. And Alyssa is right.

“I do miss it,” I admit. “But our lives have changed so much. Crew is working more and I’m staying at home all the time, taking care of the baby. I don’t mind, though. I love being with her, and Crew is with us a lot. He’s not a complete workaholic. We’ll travel in search of art again someday, I’m sure.”

“Why not now? This is actually the perfect time to travel. I know it’s a hassle to take a baby on a trip. They require so much stuff. But you only have one, and the both of you are still young. Plus Crew doesn’treallyhave to work, does he?” Alyssa’s eyebrows shoot up at the same time Willow reaches out and yanks on a strand of her dark hair. Alyssa starts to laugh, disentangling Willow’s tiny fingers from her hair. “Oh, you naughty girl. You are a Lancaster, aren’t you?”

Willow’s eyes sparkle with mischief, just like a Lancaster’s would.

“That does sounds like a lot of work. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll talk about it with Crew.” I offer her a bright smile, though my gaze for my daughter only. “Let me hold her one more time.”

“No way.” Alyssa turns away from me slightly, her back to me as her hand curves around Willow’s head. “Time for Mommy to go, right, princess? She needs some alone time so she can get pampered and feel like herself again.”

I stare at Alyssa, shocked by how much her words resonate. “How did you know I don’t feel like myself?”

The knowing smile on my sister-in-law’s face says it all. “Because I’m currently living that life, Wren. And anytime I get out of sorts, Grant picks up on the signals I don’t even realize I’m emitting, and next thing I know, I’m in a hotel room naked in bed and my husband is reminding me that I am still very much his wife and that he loves me. Now, go have fun tonight, okay?”

She practically shoves me out of the apartment, the door shutting softly behind me, and it’s not until I’m in the elevator zooming to the bottom floor that the giddy feeling starts to build within me.

A night with my husband without any interruptions. Not a single one. No crying baby or me falling asleep in the middle of kissing him. Has that happened?

Maybe.

Okay, yes it did and I was humiliated and embarrassed but staying up most of the night, day after day taking care of a baby eventually takes its toll.

By the time I’m exiting the building and stepping back inside of the sleek hired car I’m using, I can’t stop smiling.

Tonight is going to be perfect.

4

CREW

Ienter the hotel building and head right for the front desk, my steps clipped as I make my way to the smiling woman dressed all in black. The place smells incredible, with lush floral arrangements everywhere in subtle Christmas colors. A cluster of white-lit Christmas trees line one wall and piano music plays a recognizable tune.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas…

Once I’m given a room key, I anxiously wait for the elevator, jingling my keys in my pocket, eager to see my wife. Alyssa FaceTimed me right before I left the office, letting me know with visual proof that Willow was in good hands.

Not that I ever doubted she was.

I’m in front of our hotel room, my fist raised and ready to knock when the door swings open and my wife is standing there in a dark green sequin dress. She’s fully covered. Her neck, her arms, her chest but her legs…

They look endless. The skirt is short. Likebend over and I might see everythingshort.

---