T h i r s t

BONUS

Major time jump

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Fuck.

We were going to be so late.

"Hurry up, baby." I urged Daphne, who was already working down the pancakes dangerously fast.

"I am hurrying, mommy." She mumbled through a mouthful, hair spilling into her eyes. I smiled, drawing the hair tie from around my own hair to fix hers into a ponytail. Other kids lost pencils, but no, not my kid. She lost hair ties. And went late to daycare almost every day. But that was hardly her fault.

"Honey, coffee's getting cold." I pushed the cup closer to Ryan as I buttoned my blouse, realising I only had one sock on. He was sat at the island counter with his nose buried in a book, not seeming like he had heard me.

"Ryan," I repeated, buttoning the last button, but to no avail.

"Ry!" I said, slapping the countertop. He jerked and closed the book shut. Admittedly, I shouldn't have done that. But he was worse than Daffy. And she was four.

"Sorry, baby, what?"

"Coffee!" I pointed impatiently at the cup, walking away to hunt for the twin to my sock. I found it on the arm of the couch and pulled it on, my eyes catching Daffy's bag.

"Did you pack Daffy's project?" I called, glancing at my watch. Fuck.

I watched him freeze mid-sip and throw a panicky look to her.

"Oh-oh." Daphne giggled, licking the last of this syrup off the plate and I sighed loudly.

"How many times, Ryan--"

"I've got it, baby, I'm sorry, I just forgot." He shot as he ran past me upstairs to her room and came back with the cardboard project of her role model. Daff had picked her father, of course. Because mommy was a hot mess.

I couldn't remember when it started. I used to be rather well organised but I don't know how I lost that crucial quality along the line.

Ryan slipped the project into the open bag, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. "Sorry, sweetheart."

"Come on, Daff," I called, holding my arm out as I walked out the door. Little footsteps tapped their way behind me and her small hand clasped around my index finger. And then I heard heavy footsteps.

"Tummy full, boo?" I asked with a smile, tucking her into the car seat.

"Uh-huh." Daphne nodded her head, hair somehow back in her eyes. How?

I leaned across the backseat to fix her hair again, the sunlight making my eyes burn.

"Lo?" I heard his voice behind me, and I spun around to face him. His eyes looked so tired in the sun.

"Yeah?"

He hesitated.

Late.

"Your shirt's buttoned wrong." He commented, glancing at my chest. I looked down and sure enough, my clothes were a clear reflection of my mind. I sighed and popped them all open, buttoning from the bottom as I should have done in the first place.

Ryan reached his hands up to get the first button, but I beat him to it, opening the door to the driver's side.

"Anything else?" I asked, pausing with one foot on the ground and the other inside.

Ryan hesitated again.

Late. Late. Late!

"I was thinking, maybe after work, we could go out for some dinner."

"It's a school night, Ry."

"I meant just the two of us."

Oh. We hadn't had a date night in. . . months.

"But the sitter has the flu and I don't want her anywhere near Daff."

"We could ask Sharon."

"You know I hate that bitch."

"Lo." He chided, throwing a quick glance at our daughter. He was right. I cursed a lot around her.

"She's the best option we have."

"Or we could just not go." I shrugged, putting that option on the table. Ryan's face fell.

"I think you need a night out."

My jaw clenched. "Why?"

"Just to . . . unwind." He shrugged.

"Because I'm losing my mind? Is that what you mean, Ryan?"

"You know it's not. Please don't turn this into a fight, baby." He pleaded.

"Oh, that's another thing I do?" I scoffed. Why was I arguing? We were gonna be late!

"I just miss you, Lo."

I sighed and looked away, shaking my head. "Fine."

I leaned in to sit, but Ryan caught me and spun me around.

"I love you." He declared, kissing me. I stayed still.

"Me too." I smiled and got inside, turning the ignition.

"Say bye, daddy."

"Bye, daddy." Daphne parroted and Ryan blew her a kiss, at which she giggled, blowing some of her own. I drove out of the garage and didn't look back.

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