I laid Blithe down for a nap. We had played hard all day long, and she was exhausted. She wanted to help with breakfast that morning, which resulted in a tea party she wanted to throw with all her favorite stuffed animals. We played dress up and did each other’s makeup, and then I took her out window shopping.
We went into stores and tried on all sorts of dresses, and I committed some to memory. I was hoping to sell a couple of paintings today. Then I could go back to the stores later and get them for her.
I was tucking Blithe in for her nap when a knock came from the door.
Furrowing my brow, I peeked out the window beside the door. I couldn’t believe who was standing there. I threw the door open and wrapped my arms around her neck, trying to stifle my squeal of delight as I jumped up and down.
“Kami, what the hell are you doing here?” I asked.
She shrugged, playing it cool. “I was in the neighborhood. I figured I’d stop by.”
I laughed. “You were not in the neighborhood. Cut the shit. What are you doing here?”
“Let go of me, and I’ll tell you.”
I stepped back. “Sorry. Yes, come in.”
“Where’s Blithe?” she asked.
“She just went down for a nap.”
“A nap? I thought she wasn’t doing those anymore?”
“Most of the time, no,” I said. “But we played hard this morning and she was practically falling asleep in her lunch.”
“Speaking of, what’s for lunch? You want Chinese, pizza, or Italian?”
“Pizza is Italian,” I said. “And I could just make something here.”
“Girl, we’re ordering takeout, and you’re not paying. You know you never pay when I’m in town.”
“And I don’t know why you insist on that. I guess get pizza. That way, Blithe can have some when she wakes up.”
“I’ll get her a pizza just for her,” Kami said.
“You don’t have to do that,” I said.
“I know, but I’m gonna because I want to.”
I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and tossed one to her. Kami flopped down on the couch as she ordered the pizza, her nose stuck in her phone as her fingers flew across her screen. I was elated she was here, but I was curious as to what brought her into town.
As if she could read my mind, she blurted it out. “Matt and I are on a vacation.”
“Wait, you’re still with Matt?” I asked.
“Can you believe that shit?”
“I still can’t believe you’re dating your employee.”
“Well, he needed the job!” she said. “It’s not my fault he’s also hot as hell.”
“You know if you fuck this up, he could sue your ass for everything.”
She waved my comment away. “Don’t worry. There’s paperwork in place to protect against that.”
“I have no idea if you’re joking,” I said.
“I don’t joke when it comes to my business.”
“You made that poor boy sign paperwork?” I asked.
“He’s fucking his boss! His friends are probably drooling over his job right now. Full-time pay to be a cashier, take orders, and help me cater shit? And he gets to fuck me in the delivery truck?”
“I hope you disinfect it,” I said.
“I make him do it,” she said, winking.
“You’re terrible.”
“And we’ve been together for seven months, thank you very much. He wanted us to take a weekend together, so I cleared our schedule and told him we should go to Brookings.”
“He doesn’t know you’re here right now, does he?” I asked.
“I told him I was getting a bikini wax for our date tonight. I just didn’t tell him what time the waxing was.”
“And you wonder why you’re not married,” I said.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. He knows I wear the pants. Anyway, what’s going on with you? I’m pissed you didn’t visit when you were at Kent’s.”
“I didn’t really have time. Zach and I made the best of the alone time, and the one evening I would’ve visited you, he took me out for a date night type thing.”
“Well, at least he’s treating you well,” she said. “I still can’t believe you married into that dysfunctional family.”
“It’s really getting a lot better. I know Zach was hesitant about patching things up with Kent, but things really seem to have turned out well.”
“And the artwork? The sales? How are those?”
“Not wonderful,” I said.
“Uh oh. What happened?”
“I’m not really sure, to be honest. They sold like hot cakes there for a while, and then everything just stopped.”
“Did the market trend change?” Kami asked.
“The what?” I asked.
“Seriously? You’re selling your artwork and don’t keep up with the market trend changes?”
“What are you those?” I asked.
“Sweetheart, starving artists create what they want. Successful artists create what people want.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Art, like food, is devoured and enjoyed in viral little chunks. Like last year, there was a wave of unicorn-based foods, then a wave of emoji-based foods, then a wave of nutritious, vegan-friendly foods.”
“What does that have to do with art?” I asked.
“Art has those same trends. Things and concepts that go viral that people want to devour. Your particular brand of art was trendy for a while, and then it stopped being trendy. It’s why you stopped selling. Why aren’t you doing any of this research?”
“I figured if I just painted and enjoyed what I was doing, people would buy them,” I said.
“You’re an idiot. Okay, this is what we’re doing while Blithe is sleeping. We’re gonna look up artistic trends of last year and see where your artwork fit in. Then, we’re gonna figure out where the trend is going so you can hop back on that wagon and get to selling some shit!”
“Kent offered to buy us a house!” I blurted it out so quickly I wasn’t even sure Kami understood me.
“Come again?” she asked.
“When we were at Kent’s house, he offered to buy us a home.”
“So, when’s the move-in date?”
“What?”
“When the hell are you guys moving so Matt and I can come help? Because I know you aren’t stupid enough to turn down a house.”
The look I gave her caused her to groan, and she sank back into the couch.
“Are you serious? Paige, it’s a fucking house. I know that would help you guys out financially. This place is probably robbing you blind because of its location alone, and I know you want a family.”
“So, you think we should take the house?” I asked.
“Are you seriously asking me that question? Of course, you should take the house. A mortgage is the single greatest income sucker of any family’s life. Someone’s offering to alleviate that for you. What’s the issue?”
“Zach doesn’t like charity. He thinks his father might use it to try and manipulate us.”
“And he lets this guy babysit his daughter?” she asked.
“I know, right? Ugh, Kami. What the fuck is happening to my life?”
“You married a man. That was your first mistake. Now you’re stuck coaxing him through hard decisions and putting up with his emotional bullshit. It’s okay. I’ve got your back. What we need to do right now is convince him of the idiot he’s being so you guys can take the house.”
“And again, you wondered why you were single,” I said.
“Matt loves me, and that’s all that matters. He wouldn’t change me for anything.”
“You must have great dick-sucking abilities,” I said.
“And don’t you ever forget it. Look, Zach wants a family, right?”
“We already have one,” I said.
“I mean, he wants to have a kid with you, yeah?”
“We’ve briefly discussed it.”
“Paige.”
“Yes. At least, I think so.”
“Okay, so where is that second child going in this home?” she asked.
“That was one of the points I brought up to Zach when he told me about what his father offered.”
“And?”
“It’s what prompted him to think about it instead of turning it down immediately,” I said.
“Well, that’s a very small step in the right direction, I guess,” she said.
“I need to talk with him about that, honestly.”
“You think?”
“I hear that sarcasm, and it’s not appreciated,” I said.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve known you for a long time. Having your own child is something I’ve heard you mention on several occasions. And it blows my mind that you married someone without discussing that first.”
“We talked about it! We just decided to leave the decision for a later date. We have the adoption of Blithe to get through, and she’ll be my child, so, we’re just putting off the baby conversation until later.”
She rolled her eyes. “Paige, you’re an idiot.”
“I know! Zach makes me feel like an idiot. A bumbling, humming, buzzing, erotic idiot.”
“Well, at least you’re getting good dick.”
“Holy hell, preach,” I said, grinning.
“So, here’s what I’m hearing. You need to say yes to the house, and you need to talk to Zach about whether or not he wants kids. Because if he wants more kids, then that’s the leverage you need to sway him to take the house.”
I shook my head. “I’m not leveraging him into anything, Kami. That’s what he’s scared his father will do.”
“I know, I know. But you see how these go hand in hand? If he wants more kids, taking this house alleviates a great deal of stress that will land on your shoulders because of it.”
I nodded. “I want to support him, you know, with how he feels and the struggle he’s going through. I guess this is where my logical mind can’t put myself in his shoes. To me, this isn’t a matter of his formerly abusive father-turned-perfect-grandfather offering us a house. To me, it’s the quickest means to an end to this bullshit problem in our life.”
“It’s hard to remember that,” she said. “That his father was abusive, with how you guys talk about him.”
“I know. I really do think he’s changed for the better and permanently. But this is a serious decision about a roof that goes over our heads. I think for Zach, if his father hasn’t changed, then it’ll threaten our home and that worries him.”
“You know what it sounds like to me?” Kami said.
“What?”
“It sounds like you understand Zach more than you think.” Someone knocked on the door. “That also sounds like pizza. You ready to eat?”
“What kind of question is that?” I asked.
“A stupid one,” she said.
“You’re an idiot,” I said, grinning
“But I’m your idiot. For life. No matter what, Paige.”
“Thanks, Kami. I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Me, too. Now, let’s devour some pizza. I’m starving.”