25. Declan Foster
25
DECLAN FOSTER
Me: I just wanted to check in with you and say, hey. Hope you’re good.
Me: Hey.
Parker: Hey, Dec. I’m good. Working on Pierce’s painting.
My heart skipped. Not only had Parker replied, but he’d texted almost immediately. That was a good sign, right? I fought the urge to check with Rome about whether this was a positive sign. It was more important to keep him texting.
Me: How’s Joy? Does she have any new friends at daycare?
Parker: She’s good. No new friends. But she’s getting much faster at crawling and even sitting up on her own now. I can see her eyeing stuff like she’s trying to figure out how to pull herself up.
Me: Brilliant! She’s the smartest baby ever.
Parker: [ laughing emoji] ??????
Me: Do you have any new pics of her?
Parker: A few.
[Sends twenty-seven new pics of Joy in their new place.]
Parker: I took those yesterday.
I slowly scrolled through every photograph, treasuring each one as if I’d mined these nuggets of gold out of the earth with my bare hands. Most of them were taken when she was eating, her smiling face smeared with what appeared to be pureed green beans. However, the last few were of her fresh out of the bath, pink and squeaky clean, with her dark hair spiked into a mohawk. But the very final picture was of Joy sleeping. Her tiny fist was closed around the floppy ear of the plush brown bunny I’d gotten her. So precious and sweet. Only a week had gone by, but I swore she looked older to me.
The only thing missing from the collection were pictures that included Parker. That would have made them perfect.
Me: She’s adorable.
Me: Would it be okay if I used the sleeping picture as the background for my phone?
Parker: LOL. Yes, of course it would be okay.
Parker: Shit. Gotta go pick up Little Miss. TTYL.
Me: Miss You. [No. No. Delete that.] I love you and miss you both so much that I can’t sleep at night. [No. Delete. Delete. Delete.] Please come home. The house is a silent prison without you. [No. Now I’m becoming dramatic. This is what I get for talking to Rome. Delete. Delete.] Be carefu l.
Parker: [Sent picture of Joy and Parker]
The selfie appeared as if he’d taken it at the daycare. Joy was grinning big enough to reveal that she now had two bottom teeth.
Okay, now that one was my lock screen on my phone and the other bedtime photo was the background on the home screen for my phone.
Later that night…
Me: Would you be able to go over the potato recipe for Chef Donovan?
Parker: Huh? What potato recipe?
Me: Those potatoes you made that night you cooked for us. Chef Donovan made them tonight for dinner. They were not as good as yours.
Parker: [Long string of laughing emojis] ??????????????
Parker: You’re ridiculous.
Me: I’m very serious. Your potatoes are better. Can you message or email him?
Parker: Absolutely not. He’s a professional chef. I’m a hack. If I try to give him cooking advice, he’ll have a fit. He’ll quit.
Me: Your potatoes are still better.
Parker: Go to bed. It’s late and you need sleep.
I almost typed that I also slept better when he was in my bed, but I was afraid I was pushing my luck.
Next day…
Me: Could you help me with something?
Parker: What’s up?
Every time Parker answered within a couple of minutes of my text, my hopes inched up another notch. If I could keep him talking to me, reminding him of how good we were together, he might give me another shot.
Me: I need help selecting a tie.
Parker: Why aren’t you at work? It’s after nine. Your minions have got to be freaking out. Mrs. Turner can’t hold them back for long.
Me: I’m at work already.
I sent him two selfies I’d taken earlier that morning. These were the best of the three dozen pictures I’d taken. In one, I was wearing a silver-and-blue striped tie. The other was black with hints of burgundy and gold. I knew he liked both because he’d commented on them when I’d only been seeing him for sex.
Parker: Oooooh…my favorites. Big meeting today?
Me: Board meeting.
Parker. Ah. Wear the blue one. You’re too sexy in the red one. The Board wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Me: Does that mean I can wear the red one only for you?
I held my breath. Had I gone too far? Pushed too much?
Parker: Flirt. Behave.
Parker: Have fun with your meeting. I’ve got a full diaper and a messy face waiting for me.
I’d never thought it possible, but right then, I would have traded all future board meetings for one more of Joy’s stinky diapers.
The next day I texted him asking for lunch suggestions.
The day after that, we discussed if I should try a new hairstyle. Parker was vehemently against it, so I got my usual haircut.
And the day after that, Parker sent me an adorable picture of Joy. But the text message was even better.
Parker: Would you be free to go out on a date with me on Saturday?