2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Larken
We've been back from our honeymoon for a month and I'm relieved that nothing has changed. Things are still the same as they've always been, with the exception of recovering from the food poisoning I suffered through while we were traveling. I don't know what happened. I thought I was being careful with my food choices but I guess not. I'm fine now, but I probably won't be having any pineapple or shrimp for a very long time.
It's also been business as usual at the office other than a few congratulations and purposeful uses of my new last name. My new hyphenated last name. I can't bring myself to completely remove the name Vincent from myself. I know it's just a name and I'll still be who I am, but it feels wrong to not be Larken Vincent. I was more than ready to legally change my name to Larken Nash. I really was. But I just couldn't bring myself to sign the paper. Legally, on all the legal documents and my check stubs, I'm Larken Vincent-Nash, but when I sign for packages or give my name for take-out orders or sign in at the salon I only use Nash. If Adrian has an opinion about it being hyphenated, he hasn't shared it with me.
I also used Nash when I signed in for my gynecologist appointment. I'm sitting here now in my very fashionable paper gown waiting for the doctor to come in and replace my IUD. Adrian and I have spoken extensively about children and our professional timelines. Adrian would like children on the closer end of someday and I want at least a few more years before we try for any, so when the reminder came up in my calendar to schedule the replacement appointment before the IUD's expiration date is up, I called and made an appointment to get a five-year replacement. Five years is enough time for me to decide when I'll be ready for kids, and I can always have it taken out sooner if Adrian and I don't want to wait.
The doctor raps on the door and invites herself and a nurse into the exam room. “I see congratulations are in order,” she says. “How's married life treating you so far?”
I smile, still happy to bask in the attention of a newlywed. “Very well, thank you. Adrian is amazing.”
“That's wonderful to hear. Everything else going well? No major stress at work? Nothing we should worry about?”
I shake my head. “No. Everything's great. I just want a few more years before I decide to have any babies.”
She nods, uncovering the equipment on the little stand that the nurse prepared earlier. “Good, good. If you're ready to get started, go ahead and lay back.”
I lay back on the padded exam table and stare up at the poster on the ceiling and breathe through my nervousness.
“Try to relax, Larken,” she says. “Why don't you tell me about your new husband.”
I open my mouth and allow my anxiety to word-vomit everything I can think of to tell her about Adrian until she finishes the exam and procedure. “Well, that's it. Adrian sounds like a keeper. Go ahead and get changed. Don't hesitate to call if something doesn't feel right. We'll see you next year.”
I don't usually think too much about how often I do or do not see the gynecologist, I just keep reminders in my phone calendar for when I need to make my next appointment, but something about her saying she'll see me next year makes me a little uneasy. Kind of like a sense of finality. I'm not going to change my mind about having kids within a year. I want to take the time to get truly settled into my marriage before we bring children into the mix. She'll see me next year for my regular yearly pelvic exam and that's it. Adrian might be a fair few years older than I am, but if he isn't pushing me to have children, then I'm not going to let anyone else.
~
I'm having dinner with Regan tonight since Adrian is working late. The project he's been working on is almost finished and he wants to tie up a few loose ends before he presents on Friday. I don't directly oversee Adrian's department so I only have a vague idea of what the project is about. Adrian hasn't asked for my input and I don't make a habit of involving myself in his tasks. I work directly with my father most days and Adrian works on several specialist teams within upper management. The only time our professional paths cross is when I need to sign off on something when my father is unavailable. I wouldn't be much help to the specifics of any of his projects and that's okay because he wouldn't be much help with the things I have to juggle and execute. But it works because neither of us are jealous of the other's role within the company, and because we want to work together to create our future.
I'm meeting Regan at Delgado's and I can already taste the enchiladas. We've been going there every other week for the past few years. It's one of two places that we call our spot. The other is a pizza place called CJ's but we never get the pizza. We get salads and steak and cheese subs and we kick our happy feet underneath the sticky booth while we eat them.
Delgado's is packed, but it always is. Regan is already sitting at the bar when I walk through the door and she waves me over. “Sorry! I know we don't like sitting at the bar, but that was the only place to go when I got here. I didn't think we'd want to wait forty-two minutes for a table.”
I give her a quick hug and sit on the stool next to her. “I don't care. I'm just happy to be here. Conner working late tonight?”
She shakes her head and takes a sip of her drink. “He's at home. He actually had half a day off today.”
“He could have come. I don't mind.”
Regan smiles at me. “I know you don't, but this is our thing. We can go out with the boys another night.” She winks at me and then turns to get the bartender's attention.
We won't ever go out with the boys. Adrian and Conner are too different and it ends up being a very long and awkward evening with Regan and I trying to convince them that they could be friends if they wanted to. I like going out with Regan and Conner. We always have fun even if we're just at their place hanging out. Regan used to come over to my place a lot when Adrian first moved in like she always did before. That was fine. Adrian was friendly and funny and it was great until she got serious with Conner. She and I had this big idea that we could do couple things together and go on vacations and things like that, but it became obvious fairly quickly that Adrian and Conner weren't going to be comfortable with that. Regan didn't say anything about it, but Conner stopped coming over at all and Regan only comes over now if Adrian isn't there. Adrian hasn't said anything about it at all, he may not have even noticed. I've noticed, though, and I don't know what to do about it. I don't think they dislike each other, they're just different kinds of people. I was just hoping that it would work itself out.
“Conner started a new job,” Regan says after we place our orders.
“Oh yeah?” I ask. “Does he like it?”
Regan shrugs. “I guess. He hasn't complained and the pay is supposed to be better. We might go to the beach for a weekend soon.”
“That sounds fun,” I say as I smile and nod. She's going to ask if Adrian and I want to go, she always does. And I always tell her I'll see what Adrian thinks. We do this every time. Sometimes Adrian pushes me to go with them, other times he hints that he'd rather I stay home. But he never goes and that makes it awkward for me to go so I end up staying home almost every time. I've only gone with Regan and Conner on one of their weekend trips twice since Adrian and I got serious with our relationship. Regan still asks me, though.
Our drinks arrive and she takes a big sip before she asks. “You and Adrian want to come with us? It would be fun.”
“It would be,” I say, still smiling. “Let me know when you're going and I'll talk to Adrian.” I start in on my own drink to avoid saying anything else. I don't want to tell her no flat-out, but we both know Adrian won't want to go and that I'll feel too uncomfortable to go by myself.
We enjoy the rest of our dinner talking about everything but Adrian or any trips and I'm so much happier when I hug her goodbye than I was before dinner. Regan is my person. She makes up for me not having any siblings and she's the best friend I could ever have. On the drive home, I sing along to my favorite playlist and think about how glad I am that I have Regan in my life and how grateful I am that she understands that I need to focus on Adrian and our new marriage right now.
Adrian is in the kitchen when I get home. He's thinly slicing tomatoes to add to the sandwich he's putting together and I sit at the island across from him to watch.
“How was dinner?” he asks.
“Good. Regan told me that Conner started a new job.”
Adrian nods but doesn't say anything else.
“They're going to the beach for the weekend soon. She asked if we wanted to go. I told her I'd talk to you.”
He nods again and glances up at me. “Maybe. We'll have to look at our schedule. Let me know when they decide they're going.” He puts the finishing touches on his sandwich and puts everything away before he sits down to eat it.
“I will. What do you want to do for the rest of the night?”
He glances at me mid-bite. “Not much. I've got an early day tomorrow. Are we still on for dinner with your dad on Sunday?”
Ah, yes. The running joke. Everyone laughs that Adrian only wanted to marry me so that he could have dinner with my dad every week. “Yes. He's breaking out the grill.”
“He mentioned something about going on a fishing trip.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I think he wanted to go up to the lake for a few days. Are you thinking about going with him?”
He shrugs and takes another bite. “I don't know. Maybe. It depends on how much work I can get done. I'd like to, though. It's nice up there.”
I nod again. It is nice up there. We've been going to the lake house since I was little. Some of my happiest and best memories are from summers spent at that lake. “You could take a weekend off and go fishing. The work can wait. That's one of the perks of being married to the boss's daughter.”
He gives me half a smile. “We'll see.”