“Will you be home by 5 p.m.?” The sound of Paul’s voice outside my office snaps me back to reality. “Do you have an appointment?”
“I don’t, but you do.”
“Excuse me?”
“You have a dinner commitment.”
“Is that an invitation?”
I walk past him and return to my desk. “It’s an obligation.”
Paul joins me and sits down again. “You know I don’t back down from anything.”
“Good, because you’re going to help me cook.”
“Cook...?”
“For the children.”
Paul raises an eyebrow.
“Seth has to work.”
“And you offered to stay with the children?”
“I didn’t offer.”
“You look like a real couple already.”
“Fuck off.”
“At this rate, convincing the judge will be a piece of cake.”
Convincing the judge is not the problem that is bothering me at the moment.
“Your friend Paul is not intimidated by three children. Tell me what time and I’ll come over. With ice cream, maybe.”
“And beer.”
“No problem.”
“Let’s say 7 o’clock?”
“7 o’clock. Ice cream and beers. Count me in.”
* * *
WHEN I ARRIVE at Seth’s house, Mr Yang is ready to leave.
“I came as fast as I could,” I explain, still at the door.
I am ten minutes late. It’s not easy to get back at this hour, considering my office is on the other side of town.
Mr Yang nods at me as if to cut me off, then turns to the kids. “Remember what we said?”
All three nod and Mr Yang smiles contentedly.
“See you tomorrow.”
