Day three.
Despite the bitter Chicago wind and a high chance of lake effect snow, Anna thought it best to give Joe an hour alone with Arthur. Her parents took her to dinner at Lakeshore Seafood and Steak “to get her mind off things.” She ordered meatloaf and potatoes.
When they returned home, Anna was surprised to find her boys on the nursery floor. A carton of vanilla ice cream was open beside them. Joe was feeding Arthur ice cream with the tip of his finger.
Before she could protest, Joe noticed her in the doorway and preempted her reaction. “It’s only a few drops!” he said. “He was crying and I was eating ice cream and I gave him a small bite and it helped!”
“Joseph!”
“I just put a dab on his lips. Look, he likes it!”
“He can’t have cows milk until he’s two! Joe! He’s four days old!”
“I melted it first...”
Anna knelt down and touched her baby’s face. His eyes were open. His breathing was labored, but he seemed fine.
“He liked it so much. I didn’t think it would matter.”
Anna stuck her finger in the carton, pulled out a dollop of ice cream, held it to Joe’s lips, and fed it to him. She wiped the sticky remains on his nose, then kissed his cheek. “You’re adorable.”
“You’re not mad?”
“You said he likes it?”
“He loves it.”
Anna grinned and kissed him again. “Then how could I be mad?”
YOU ARE READING
The Life and Death of Arthur Lasker
General FictionAt only nineteen years old, Joseph and Anna Lasker are forced to confront the impending death of their son. Note: The Life and Death of Arthur Lasker is the first chapter of the FULL version of The Day I Wore Purple and is not included in the abridg...
