Addition Tables & Champagne
“MOM! Why is there a cake and candles in the kitchen?”
I had been awake at six. Bær was leaving for a breakfast meeting with Chet Danger. I guess I had fallen asleep again. Turns out, Bær had come back first with donuts. Christmas sprinkles for Puck, chocolate long john for me. Two tea lights in the little black espresso cups that I’ve had since we were married and never used for espresso. Puck couldn’t quite contain himself till I joined him in the kitchen though.
“Let me show you the chomps I took, Mom.”
The morning was good for some “I Love Lucy”, a bubble bath for Puck, addition flashcards, spelling, and, well what can you really expect to get done this late in the Christmas season, after all? Besides, Red Strike’s wedding rehearsal, dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception would all be taking place within the next 30 hours, and it was going to be pretty busy.
When I saw Bær later that night, he asked me how my day was, and I realized I didn’t really even remember what we did. Puck waited for me to finish some writings, holed up beside me on the couch playing with his mini chubby rubber super heroes. “Junior” and “Frankenstein” punching it out in the Tupperware ring, little rubber men flying everywhere. “Dummies”, as he called them.
Then we stopped by the post office in the afternoon. A red leather flower hair clip waiting for me, boxed in Hindi writing and German postage. Dropped Puck off with Izzy, something about decorating the Christmas tree. Checked in with Mom and Carrie-Bri preparing loads of Sunday meat for the first Christmas gathering of the season. Then Linnea-Irish left to assistant coach her first team try-outs for the club season … Something like all that happened anyway.
And then I found myself at the home of Red Strike’s parents for his wedding rehearsal dinner. Everyone wanted to know why Puck hadn’t joined the party. Probably at least because more than one person was now able to enjoy the “puppy chow” and popcorn set out in bowls serving as appetizers. Met the lead singer of Jon Hardy and the Public, and his newish wife, also planning to adopt. A lot of early 30-somethings mingling over salmon, brisket, salads, champagne toasts, and tiramisu. And I realized that all of these very fit, very lean and/or muscular people who had no children yet enjoyed talking about food … a lot.
People are pretty fascinating.
“Is Puck going to crash the party tomorrow?” Chet Danger asked on the way out.
I think I must have a popular son.