𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧

19. The Monologue

"Eddie?" I called out to Prince, approaching him as he sat on a bench hunched over playing a game of 'flip the $500 watch until it drops on the concrete and shatters its face.'

     I was having one of those dreams again. 

     "Babe, what are you doing here?"  I sat beside him, hesitant to lower my hand on his back.  I could feel his wrath wrapping around me.  But this was my husband, so I caressed him anyway, terribly concerned.  "Talk to me."  He was supposed to be at work, not scowling on the bench of Gilford Avenue.

     "It's..."  There was a second word that followed but it was inaudible as traffic whizzed by and he choked on his emotions.  "Baby, I'm sorry."

     It was clear what was happening.  Eddie lost his job. 

     Not ready to talk, he sat up straight, pulling his chin towards the blue, cloudless sky as if to remind himself he was still a man.  And then he took a deep breath.

     "We'll get through this," I told him.  But I wanted to know what happened.  Just two days ago his boss was praising him on a recent successful coding project, and now this??  "I can take on extra shifts at the hospital and-"

     "Victoria," he grumbled, slouching his shoulders.  "Baby, you're already working 12-hour shifts, what more-"

     "And I can work some more 12-hour shifts.  What happened though?" I finally asked.  But the big yellow bus pulling over near the curb ended the conversation. 

     "Don't say anything," Eddie warned standing to his feet.  Straightening his tie, he genuinely smiled once the school bus doors pulled open.

     Then she came flying out, eyes on him the entire time as if I was a ghost.  Arms wide, rice teeth in show, the few she had left anyway, and she jumped into her father's arms.  "Daddy!  What are you doing here!?"

     "I wanted to surprise you," he said preceding his kiss attack. 

     Our little girl giggled away, and it was nice to see her excitement. Usually it'd be just me standing there in my scrubs, saying 'No hugs for mommy. I'm full of icky germs.'  But daddy had a white-collar. 

     "Daddy, guess what?"  She held his hand as we walked down the street towards our home.  "I learned a new joke today!"

     "Oh yeah?"

     "Why does the mommy kangaroos hate the rain?"

     Before I could catch the punchline, I was wakened by the small black Motorola near my bedside lamp.  This was the first time it ranged.  This was its first incoming call. Prince's surprise gift arrived in the mail just a morning before.

I flipped down the keypad cover and pressed the green icon to answer.  "Hello?"

     "Good morning, beautiful."

     "Is it Tuesday?"

     "No, it's Monday." 

     Six a.m. Monday.  I groaned, unpleased that I had to wait another 24 hours for his kiss.

     "Tomorrow, baby."  Hearing his words, I then pictured Prince on the other end of the phone, sitting outside on a bench in a dress shirt and tie.  That was the very first time I dreamt we had a child.  If only I could remember more than her pigtails...