Self Service

Bonding

Priscilla awakened in bed, surprised to find herself there. Slowly sitting up, she looked around for her husband, sure the last place she had been was in the back seat of the car. He usually woke her before he just left for work. Even if it was just to kiss her goodbye and tell her when he’d be back.

Getting out of the bed, she headed into the bathroom to pee and clean herself up. In the mirror, she found a note from her husband telling her that he had taken Janice to enroll and that he was going to see her on his lunch.

Priscilla headed into the shower and washed up, running a hand over her growing belly. She was still amazed that she was home to a little human being. She could add mother to her résumé; and amazing mother she planned to be. Priscilla didn’t do half-ass jobs, so this kid was going to get the best mother she knew how to be.

Sliding out of the shower, she headed into the closet, receiving a phone call from Phoebe. With her towel wrapped around her, she answered for her sister, browsing through her options. “What?” she asked.

“Are you back in Phoenix, bitch?”

“Yep.”

“Lunch?”

“Station 27?”

Priscilla had a select few places she would have an impromptu lunch, and that was one of her favorites. She’d have Station 27 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and anything in-between.

“Anywhere else would be uncivilized.”

“I’ll be to your house in twenty minutes.”

“No, I’m just getting out the shower.”

Phoebe blew out a breath and Priscilla could just see her rolling her eyes; but she didn’t care. She knew if her sister showed up in twenty minutes, she wasn’t going to be ready.

“An hour, Prissy.”

“Thank you.”

The women hung up, and just as Priscilla was reaching for a dress, she felt her husband’s arms slide around her waist. “Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty,” he greeted, moving around to kiss her face.

“Good afternoon. I’m having lunch with Phoebe.”

“Am I invited?”

“I’m sure she won’t mind if you come, but you know I have long lunches with my sister. I’m assuming by the way you left this morning that you have a busy day.”

Scott sighed and kissed Priscilla’s neck. “I didn’t want to wake you today. It was a long car ride and I felt like you needed the rest. I do have a meeting this afternoon, but my morning was a slow one. I’m going to work on the house some today. Do you think you can entertain Janice?”

“Do I have to?” she whined.

“No, you don’t have to, Priscilla. I would like you to. She’s going to be staying with us. You should get to know her better. She likes you, whether you like it or not. I’m not asking you to become best friends with her, Scilla. Maybe just have dinner out with her, find something to bond over.”

“What are you going to do about dinner?”

“I’m a grown man. I can feed myself.”

“I’ll take her to dinner. I can pick her up from school so you can turn that mess into something sooner rather than later. I’m not going to want to move after the baby is born and I would like it if his room is together.”

“I know, honey. That’s going to happen. Trust me, I know what I’m doing and I do have help. I just came home to check on you. I’m going to get lunch to the teenager, you get lunch to the unborn, and I’ll see you sometime tonight if you don’t fall asleep.”