23. Carter
23
CARTER
SIX MONTHS LATER
R osie gives me that look. The one where she knows that a quick hello with someone will turn into a five-minute conversation, and every single time, she smiles to herself with pride. Now, she’s sitting by the window at Foxy Rox with our beautiful little daughter sitting up on her lap and gnawing on a rubber duck because the teething era is a bitch.
I turn my attention to Sara who owns Foxy Rox; I haven’t been ignoring her. She’s young and a small entrepreneur. “I agree,” I continue our conversation. “If state taxes increase, then we’ll have to see about city tax and what we can do to even it out for small businesses. It’s on the agenda for the next meeting. Feel free to attend to present your concerns.”
She sighs. “Thanks, Mayor Carter. I’m sorry to be keeping you from Rose and Cassie.”
“It’s fine.” I throw her an assuring look.
She waves me off. “Well, you go back to your table, and I’ll bring you guys a piece of cake on the house.”
Perks of being mayor. “Can’t say no to that.”
As I’m nearly at the home plate of my seat at the table, with a coffee waiting for me, Rosie raises her brows and smirks to herself as her lips wrap around the rim of her teacup.
“Mayor Carter.” A new deep voice greets me.
I repaint a polite smile on my face as I side turn to see Sam, a local farmer. “Good to see you.”
He shakes my hand and nods a hello to Rosie. The middle-aged man has his hat tucked under his arm. “Just wanted to check if you’ve heard the news about Bessy.”
Licking my lips, I grin to myself because his first pride is his animal, not his son. “Of course, who in Everhope hasn’t. Great to hear that your son won in the junior livestock over at the Sandwich Fair. Goats, right?”
“Yeah. You’ll be coming around for pictures? You can bring the whole family. We have a new litter of puppies, too.” He’s proud as he should be.
“I’ll be there next Tuesday, I believe. That’s what the office told me.”
“See you then. Sorry to interrupt.” He offers Rosie one more smile before he scurries away to the counter.
Finally sitting down, Rosie now grins at me.
Dragging a hand across my jaw, I soak in that my wife is always right. “What?” I shrug.
She stabs a fork into a piece of carrot cake that must have arrived during my conversation. “Nothing.” She’s playing coy. “Just…” she adds, appearing puzzled to the mix. “Imagine if someone were to tell you that there is no way you will be left alone for a peaceful cup of coffee at Foxy Rox.”
My head bobbles side to side before I throw up my arms in defeat. “Okay, you were right.”
Rosie cups her ear. “What was that? I’m not sure I heard you.”
A grin stretches my cheeks. “My beautiful wife was right.”
She giggles to herself as she shakes Cassie’s plastic toy in front of her. We gave up on only wooden toys, handwashed cotton, and classical music when our sleepless states led us to doing whatever possible to survive. “Carter, it’s no big deal. You’re popular. Every time. Grocery store, park, walks on Main Street,” she lists.
I cluck the inside of my cheek. “But Everhope Road’s attention is reserved for you, my Mayoress.”
All the neighbors love her like crazy. It’s either questions about our daughter, advice on yoga or what herbs to burn, and simply Rosie being cheery all the time. The mailman can talk Rosie’s ear off sometimes, too.
She snickers a laugh. “It’s more like I need to keep our neighbors quiet since this little one probably keeps everyone up.”
Our little girl coos and blows a little bubble.
“Cassie’s growing, it’s expected.”
“Is that why your parents put rum on her gums?” she deadpans.
Snorting a laugh, I steal her fork. “It was a rough few hours when they babysat. I mean, she did have a tooth coming in,” I attempt to justify the logic.
“Sure.” She rolls her eyes.
I indicate with my hand that she can hand our daughter over and I’ll hold her. It’s an easy tradeoff, and Cassie settles on my lap, and I can’t help but notice how Rosie is admiring the view and seems to grow quiet.
“You good?”
She nods and presses a smile. “Very.”
Sliding the plate of cake away from me to avoid little curious grabby hands, I remember what we’re supposed to be doing today.
“You think she’ll last for our grocery-store run?” I wonder.
Rosie lifts her shoulders. “We’ll try. I hear there is a sale in the rum section.” She winks at me.
My wife’s wit has only gotten stronger since she became a mom. Humor and parenthood go hand in hand.
“If we get her down for a nap later, can I pour the rum on you?” My voice is determined, and I hear the undertone of swelter.
She pretends to blush and leans into the table. “Mayor Carter, we’re in public. Watch that mouth of yours.”
“I would rather have my mouth on you,” I volley back.
Her face falls. “Okay, now you need to take it down a notch. There are little ears present, and I’m sure you’ll go feral if I tell you that I’m wearing a new matching bra-and-panty set.”
Sternly, I give her a warning glare. “We need to get out of here. Get those errands down fast then make it home,” I suggest.
She abruptly stands up and gives an over-the-top smile. “I’m in agreement.”
An hour later, we have groceries, managed to get through the aisles without anyone stopping us, and instead of getting our daughter down for a nap so her parents can get naked, we find ourselves pushing Cassie’s stroller down the sidewalk with the sun still out.
Rosie interlaces her arm with mine as we meander along, and she waves with her other hand at a neighbor watering their plants.
“Are we walking by your brother’s?”
“Nah, the dog gets a little too excited around Cassie. Besides, Oliver will suggest we have a BBQ later, and then I’ll find myself back at the grocery store.”
She gently smacks my arm. “Not everyone gets to have their sibling live close enough that you can borrow milk.”
I grin. “I know.” It’s peaceful, an easy-going afternoon. “Maybe we should check on Esme and Keats.”
“Nah, they are in their nesting phase and were going to try and build a diaper table or something today, since the baby is almost here.”
We both wince at that thought. “A leisurely afternoon for us then.”
Rosie hums, and it sounds blissful. “Perfect.”
Leaning over, I get a glimpse of Cassie whose eyes are growing heavy, and in any moment, our mission will be complete, and she’ll be asleep. In the corner of my eyes, I can’t help but notice how Rosie looks off into the distance.
“Today you seem a little off,” I note.
She sighs and brings her head to rest against my arm. “I’m happy. In a good place.”
“Is that what your horoscope said today?” I tease her.
“Har-har.”
It grows quiet between us again. Only the sound of a sprinkler in someone’s yard and birds chirping reminds us that we are outside.
“Sometimes life makes sense.”
My brow lifts. “Oh yeah?” I’m intrigued.
“Yeah.” Her voice thins. “You and I weren’t always simple, but everything I needed to be happy is being with you, living on this road, having our family. I feel complete and right where I’m meant to be.”
Those are the words that anybody would want to hear. It’s a thousand times better when it’s your wife.
I stop us and force her to face me with that usual whimsical mist in her eyes. “Rosie, maybe that’s for you. But for me, everything I needed has always been you. The rest is a bonus.”
She licks her lips and swallows, visibly struggling to bury a tear. “You’re going to make me cry in public, aren’t you?”
The faintness of a grin can probably be seen on my lips. “No need to cry if it’s the truth.”
Nearly throwing herself at me, her hands frame my face, and she crushes my mouth with a kiss. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She smiles, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Come on, I have wicked ideas.”