Love In the time of covid

Chapter 16

3 weeks later

It was a Friday night and Giselle was finishing up the last 3 emails that had popped up in her inbox. Work had technically ended 3 hours ago but the overachiever and perfectionist in her wouldn't let her quit until everything had been cleared out. As she was hitting send on the last one, she heard a knock at the front door.

"Oh crap." Giselle looked at the time on the bottom right of the computer and saw it was 7:30. Giselle internally groaned as she realized she forgot to pack a bag for Jeremy for the month he'd be with his dad for his summer visit.

Giselle opened the front door, and the awkwardness was immediate as she stood face to face with Malcom. The last tense incident still hung over them like a black cloud. Neither one of them wanted to be the first to bring it up.

"I was busy with work, and I forgot to pack his bag." Giselle was the first to break the silence as she stepped aside to let him in. "I'll send out Jeremy while I do that."

Malcom silently nodded, avoiding her eyes as he took a seat at the kitchen Island and folded his hands on the counter.

Giselle made her way down the hallway and into Jeremy's room. He was lying down on his stomach on his bed reading a book about knights and dragons. He turned his head to look at her when he heard his mom clear her throat.

"Your dad is here honey. He's waiting for you in the kitchen. Go out there with him while I get your suitcase ready." She said as she hurried to his closet.

"Ok mom." Jeremy answered as he hopped up and scurried out of the room with the book in his hand.

Once the luggage was full of what he needed and extras just in case, she zipped it closed and headed back out to the kitchen to join Malcom and Jeremy.

"And how do you feel about your mommy's friend Chris? Is he nice to you? Is there anything you don't like?"

Giselle stopped in her tracks when she heard the line of questioning from Malcom and stood back out of sight, waiting for her son's answer.

"Chris is really nice. We have sleep overs in the living room and stay up late watching movies. We even made s'mores at his birthday party." Jeremy declared excitedly unaware of the intent behind his dad's interest.

"Does he ever get mad or yell?" Malcom continued with his interrogation, unaware that Giselle was listening closely not too far away.

"No but mommy is always really happy when he's around."

Giselle couldn't help but smile at the honest observation that Jeremy had just confessed.

Before Malcom could go any further into his line of questioning, Giselle made her presence known. "Alright, all packed." She declared stepping into view, and setting the suitcase down.

Malcom's face was full of guilt, as he went back to avoiding her gaze by looking down at the floor.

Giselle rolled her eyes and scrunched up her face in disapproval as she approached her son but softened her face and her tone as bent down to his level. "Have fun with your dad baby and call me every night before you go to bed. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too mommy." Jeremy answered back as he made sure to hug his mother tightly around her neck and give her a kiss before looking up at his dad.

"Let's go son." Malcom declared as he stood from the barstool he was sitting on and picked up the baggage.

Jeremy looked at his mom once last time before he took his dad's hand and they both walked out the door together.