How did I get so lucky? Heather wonders as she looks around the kitchen. Unwashed dishes clutter the sink. Three naked Barbies, a skateboard and a pile of Pokémon cards are in the family room. It smells like Ava’s Diaper Genie needs to be replaced. The neighbor’s dog is barking. Her broken iphone is next to her trash filled purse. Michael walks in from work, looking disheveled.
“What’s going on here,” he asks, looking around the dirty house.
“I know,” Heather says. “Isn’t it fabulous?”
He looks around frantically. “Their silence is adding to my stress,” he says. “Are they going to jump out at me? It might put me over the edge. “
Heather shakes her head. “No hide and seek tonight,” she says.
“Seriously, where are they?” Michael asks, setting his laptop and keys on the kitchen island.
“Ava is with your parents at the hotel for the night,” Heather says. “The other two are at sleepovers. We have the whole house to ourselves!” A giant smile spreads across her face. It’s been nine years since they’ve been home alone.
Michael loosens his tie. “This calls for a celebration,” he says.
“Seriously, what should we do?” Heather asks, her hands on her hips. She feels ten years younger.
“Maybe we should invite some people over and have a party, “ he says. “We could play quarters.”
Heather laughs.
“I’m going upstairs to change,” he says. “I’ll think of something.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” she says. A night alone in their own house. It reminds her of high school. Angie’s parents had gone out of town for a weekend. Heather had stayed with her and felt like a grown up for the first time in her life. She hadn’t known then about the weight of responsibilities that comes with freedom. She’d thought that being a grown up meant doing whatever you wanted all the time. After college she soon realized that she’d been wrong. Being a true grown up meant sacrifice and hard work. But not tonight, she thinks. Tonight, she and Michael will celebrate a night alone. She decides that they should enjoy the peace and quiet. Maybe they’ll even be time for romance.
She walks upstairs, eager to share her ideas.
Michael is sitting on their bed looking at his Blackberry. He’s freshly showered, wearing grey sweats and a t-shirt. Even though he’s still working, he looks happy.
“We should stay in and rent a movie on Apple TV. Something rated R. Drink wine,” she says.
“That sounds great,” he says, typing an email. “I’ll finish this up and then we can hang out.”
Heather smiles and walks into their bathroom. It’s going to be the kind of night that we need, she thinks. The stress of Dylan’s new school and end of the year celebrations has taken their toll in the past few weeks. She strips off her clothes and looks at herself in the mirror. Not too bad, she thinks. Not too great either. Middle aged in every way.
A bath will help her relax. She fills the large Jacuzzi tub with hot water and expensive bubble bath. She submerges herself in the water. It’s like heaven. Suddenly, she doesn’t want to move. When her fingers look like raisins, she decides to get out. Besides, Michael is waiting for her. She yawns. It’s hard to pull herself out of the water. She’s exhausted but knows she needs to connect with her husband. Instead of her most comfortable robe, she slips into a sexy one. She puts on some blush and brushes her hair. The lights in their bedroom are low. He must be thinking the same thing, she thinks. Or not. Michael is sleeping. Drool runs from the corner of his mouth. Heather is filled with relief! She is physically, mentally and emotionally tired. She looks at the clock. It’s 7:02pm. She puts on her soft flannel pajamas and climbs into bed, careful not to wake him. This is the most perfect night ever; she decides and quickly falls asleep.
Don’t miss chapters one through twenty four!
Note: The ModernMom Chronicles is a completely fictional novel. The story is not a personal blog, nor is it based on existing people or families
