Saturday mornings were not meant to be serene and tranquil. She wasn't supposed to sleep late; she was accustomed to being roused early by a toddler diving into bed, demanding cereal and control of the television to watch cartoons for hours. She chewed on her thumbnail and scanned over the note Lindsey had left on his pillow.
I'll be out for a while running errands. I'm taking Sky with me. Enjoy the peace and quiet.
Stevie pushed herself out of bed and stretched with a groan, padding into the bathroom and methodically beginning her morning routine. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. She flicked off the bathroom light and ventured downstairs, ignoring the quiet of the house.
As she passed by the den, Stevie noticed the poodle camped out in front of the television. "Are you sad? You're supposed to be watching Tom and Jerry with your partner in crime," she said to Ginny. "She'll be home soon. I hope," she added under her breath. She wondered what errands Lindsey could be doing, but she had no idea. The two hadn't spoken much since the fight over her going into the studio.
The dog followed her into the kitchen and flopped in front of the refrigerator, watching Stevie's every move as she prepared a light breakfast. She moved to the table and sat right at her owner's feet as she ate.
Stevie glanced down and gave the poodle a small piece of toast. She finished breakfast and put the dishes in the sink. "We'll wash those later," she spoke with a bored sigh. "It's too quiet, Gin." She missed hearing giggles from the living room and turned on the radio to fill the silence as she entered Skylar's play room.
Stevie gazed over the mess of the room, shaking her head. She never knew how a tiny person could cause so much havoc. She eased down onto the plush rug and thought about how she'd have to change the pink gingham wallpaper if Skylar's sibling wasn't a girl. Stevie cursed under her breath as she realized the whole room would have to be redecorated if she had a son. She didn't know how to decorate for a little boy. "Stop getting ahead of yourself," she mumbled and devised her plan to organize the room.
Nearly an hour later, Stevie surveyed her work with a pleased, satisfied smile on her face. Every stuffed animal had been tucked away into the storage baskets on the bottom row of the bookshelf. All toys and dolls were in the right place instead of scattered all over the area. She had scrubbed, vacuumed, and dusted every inch of the room while resisting the strong urge to rearrange the furniture. She rested her hands over her round belly and tapped her nails against her ribs. "Hey. Give that spot a break," she whispered, letting out a sigh of relief as the kicking stopped. Stevie walked out and closed the door, knowing that within minutes the room would be destroyed when Hurricane Skylar returned.
She made a cup of hot tea and settled onto the sofa, picking up the phone and dialing a number she found herself calling more and more. She frowned at her puffy ankles and heard her sister's voice on the end of the line. "Hey," she said. "What are you doing?"
Katherine set her graphite pencil next to the thick sketchbook and rested against the cushions of the patio chair. Unlike her sister, she reveled in quiet mornings. She didn't mind her husband being out of the house. She could paint or sketch for hours without interruption. She loved Jeff for realizing she needed time to herself. "Just sketching and having coffee. You know what I do on Saturday's, Steph," she answered and took a drink of her robust coffee.
"I woke up to an empty house."
Kat closed her book and took a cigarette from her pack, sensing she'd need to smoke to calm her nerves for the upcoming topic. She lit the cigarette and pulled the ashtray to her. "Why? Is he still being an asshole?" she inquired and blew the smoke from her lungs.
