I end the party with a big smile on my face. There is nothing like being around the family to make me feel complete. As I start grabbing dirty dishes, I say goodbye to everyone I pass as they walk out the door.
Brianna: Thanks for inviting me to Dub’s party.
Kai: You’re very welcome. You know you can come over to play with Dub anytime, right?
Brianna: Okay
It’s not until after everyone has left, Dub has gone upstairs to take a bath, and ma has gone outside to complete the painting that she started – that I find out that all is not well.
Melisa: Can I talk to you for a minute?
Judging by Me-Me’s tone, I’m in trouble.
Kai: Yeah, sure. Is everything okay?
Melisa: You tell me.
Kai: What do you mean? I’m fine, *slight pause* but I can see that you’re not.
My butt barely brushes my seat before Me-Me tells me exactly why she’s upset.
Melisa: Of course, I’m not Kai. I felt embarrassed and humiliated as I watched my husband laugh and flirt right in front of me.
I’m shocked, and my first instinct is to go on the defensive.
Kai: Flirt?! With who?
I look around as if everyone was still there.
Kai: Everyone here was family. Who exactly could I have been flirting with?
Melisa: Veronica!
Me-Me makes it sound as if that should have been obvious, but I’m still dumbfounded.
Melisa: I heard all the compliments she was throwing your way. *mocking tone* ‘Oh Kai- look at all those muscles. You have grown up so much!’ *angry tone* And you just stood there grinning like the damn Cheshire cat.
Kai: What? You sound crazy right now. Roni is my uncle’s wife, for Watcher’s sake. Give me some credit. Do you think I’d stoop so low to disrespect either of you?
Melisa: I guess so, since, as you said – I sound crazy.
Me-Me begins to walk away. This whole discussion is starting to feel like a runaway train, and I know I’d better engage the brakes before it gets out of hand.
Kai: Me-Me wait! I didn’t mean to say that.
Melisa: But you did!
She keeps walking, forcing me to jump up and block her path to stop her.
Kai: *repeated with more urgency* Me-Me, wait!
She finally stops.
Kai: Where is this coming from? You don’t even sound like yourself.
Melisa: How would you know that? We barely even talk anymore.
Something is awry. I realize that I’ve failed to see something. Then I remember what Me-Me said right before Mason was born – ‘this whole thing is just not what I thought it would be.’ I thought she meant being pregnant, but now I realize that there may have been more to it than that. I walk over and grab her hands.
Kai: Are you having second thoughts about being married to me?
I’m shaking a little, afraid to hear her answer. But I’m relieved when her face softens a bit.
Melisa: No, Kai, never.
Kai: Then what’s going on? You know I’d never cheat on you, right?
Melisa: Yeah, I do – I guess. It’s just; I don’t know.
Kai: You guess? I’m telling you right now that I’d never step out on our marriage. And I promise I wasn’t flirting. I wouldn’t do that either. Aunt Roni’s compliments made me a little uncomfortable, if anything. You have to believe me?
Melisa: *slight hesitation* I do.
That hesitation bothers me as I realize that more needs to be said, but I’ve been waiting for the entire party to go to the bathroom. If I don’t go now, there will be a whole lot more that we need to discuss.
Kai: Good. I’ll be right back. Let’s continue this later, okay?
Melisa: Okay
I step away just as my phone alerts me to a text from Mo trying to set up some time for us to get together and work on our climbing skills. I send him a reply, then enter the downstairs bathroom.
Me-Me heads upstairs to check on Dubbie while Kai is in the bathroom. As she ascends the stairs, she knows that Kai is being sincere, but something is still making her feel very insecure – even if there’s no apparent reason. She puts all that aside temporarily when Dubbie comes out of the bathroom.
Melisa: Are you ready to see your new big boy room?
Wade: Big boy room?
Melisa: Yeah, you didn’t think you would still sleep in your old toddler bed, did you?
Dubbie shrugs his shoulders.
Melisa: *points* It’s through that door.
Dubbie goes through it and is surprised to see a room he didn’t even know existed. There are toys, desks, bunk beds, and even a tent.
Wade: I have to sleep in here by myself?
Melisa: You’ve always slept in your room by yourself, until Mason was born. But there’s a nightlight if you get scared, okay?
Wade: Okay
Dubbie climbs into bed. Me-Me tucks him in, kisses the top of his head, and steps out of the room.
I’m guessing that ma is still outside working when I reenter the kitchen and only see Me-Me there. But, rather than bring up our issues right away, I give her time to finish her dinner while I pull out a mop to clean up a big puddle of water in the kitchen.
Me-Me is the first to open up the conversation.
Melisa: I’m sorry for accusing you of flirting with Roni. I don’t know why I felt so triggered by her. I guess it made me realize that there are some things I need to work on – starting with getting back in shape.
Kai: I can help with that if it’s what you want. I need to work on things, too, because you’re right – we need to talk more. But we also need to get out of the house and do something. Life can’t be all work.
Melisa: Yeah, we’ve both been guilty of that.
Kai: There are a few days of summer vacation coming up. We should take a trip – maybe go back to Tartosa and spend a few days with the kids.
Melisa: I’d like that.
Kai: Good
I pull my wife into my arms.
Kai: *whispers in her ear* We’re in this together! Remember that
She squeezes me just a little tighter.
Ma finally comes back inside while Me-Me and I finish up our conversation.
Kai: *flirty tone* There are other ways we can reconnect.
Melisa: Like?
Ma passes by at that exact moment. This is not a conversation I want to have in front of her.
Kai: I’ll tell you more upstairs.
Me-Me and I turn and go upstairs so I can fill her in on what I have in mind.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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