“Ode…it takes two to make a child.”
“I know, but I’m so tired, Wynn. I haven’t slept in a year. Ayear.”
I stood there, aggressively stirring the cupcake mix for Lux to take to her class for their Valentine’s Day party tomorrow. I stood there, mixing batter and writing cards, all while mylovelyhusband had passed out on the sofa with our son. I was contemplating murder for that reason alone.
How dare he be sleeping.
“You realize you’re planning your husband's murder because he’s sleeping, right?”
“You forgot to add that he’s sleepingpeacefully.”
She just laughed harder over the phone. “And what would you have me do?”
“Come over and bring Benji. We all know how that gets Murphy all bent out of shape,” I hissed into the phone, not caring how ridiculous I sounded. A lack of sleep will do that to you. I loved my kid, I really,really did,but the little terror hadn’t let me sleep through the night since he was born. Now, his dad had the audacity to grab the fussy one-and-a-half-year-old from me when he was done with work and got him to take his nap without any bribery. I was at my wits’ end.
“Odette, please, be reasonable. Benji isn’t a sacrificial lamb.”
“He could be. Please, for me,” I begged and turned my back on the scene of my sleeping boys.
“It’s the lack of sleep that’s affecting the rational part of your decision making.”
I knew she was right; it took Murphymonthsto get over Benji being a permanent fixture in our lives. I still remember the color of red Murphy's face had turned when Wynn told us about their relationship. I had the exact opposite reaction; I was practically bouncing off the walls in excitement because I could see how enamored she was with Benji and I saw the way Benji looked at Wynn. He looked at Wynn like Murphy looked at me—like she was hisreason.
“Wife.”I heard from behind me, then I heard the “Shit” Wynn let out from the other side of the phone before the line went dead. “Care to let me in on your crazy plan?”
Of course he called me Wife;he knew what that did to me, and he had been obsessed with using it ever since were-tiedthe knot last month. It was a small ceremony in our backyard, with only family, and it was one of the best nights of my life. I never knew I could fall so deeply in love with my life, and I would do everything in my power to preserve it, cherish it, and grow old with it.
“Not particularly,” I mumbled, doing my best to keep my angry facade in place.
He chuckled. “You sure about that?”
I grumbled, “It’s on a need-to-know basis.”
He barked out a laugh. “I heard you planning my early demise.”
“You were supposed to be asleep.”
“Who could sleep through all that mental shouting you were doing in my direction.” His arms came around and circled me from behind. “Would you like some help with these?”
I found myself wanting somethingcompletely different.
“Stop looking at me like that, Odette, or these cupcakes won’t ever get finished.”
I bit my lip, and I took in thequietaround us. Lux was at her grandparents; Lennon was, for once, snoozing peacefully, and I made the decision that the cupcakes could definitely wait.
“Fuck the cupcakes. Take me upstairs,Husband.”
“As you wish.” He scooped me up and all but sprinted to our room upstairs, then practically threw me onto the bed.
“Wait, you better grab that bowl of frosting...”
“Do. Not. Move.” He gave me a death glare. “You stay right there.” He pointed at me.
This is the only place I wanted to be,I thought, gazing at his retreating form.
Always.
Chapter 3
