The Second Course by Kelly Killoren

Author:Kelly Killoren
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books

I was probably one of the few people in the world who did not find the sound of the ocean particularly soothing. The sound of the Hudson River was okay, because I had to actively listen to hear it and could easily tune it out when I wanted to, but the ocean was like a giant fucking mouth breather panting directly in my ear.

The guest room I was staying in was, of course, exquisite, with every possible comfort and convenience. And I’m sure that if I had poked around long enough, I would have found the requisite white-noise machine along with a satin sleep mask, a lavender sachet, and a giant bottle of temazepam all there to help facilitate the sweet dreams of the über-wealthy, but I rolled out of bed and went down to the kitchen instead.

There was a light on and the sound of John Coltrane’s My Favorite Things playing softly, and I found Omari sitting at the kitchen table, pen in hand, papers and a packet of Entenmann’s chocolate donuts spread out around him.

“Oh, sorry,” I said. “You’re working. I can go back upstairs.”

He smiled at me and shoved his papers over, clearing a space at the table. “You found out my dirty little secret,” he said, indicating the donuts. “Might as well have one, then.”

I sat down and took a donut. “It’s the coating that gets me,” I admitted, taking a bite. “It’s like they mixed wax and chocolate, but in a good kind of way.”

He laughed. “Want some warm milk to go with your wax?”

I nodded. “That was my dad’s solution to everything. Warm milk. He said there was nothing it couldn’t cure.”

He got up, lifting a copper pan from the pot rack. “Sounds like wishful-single-dad thinking to me. No need to talk to your teen girl about birth control if there’s warm milk, right?”

I laughed. “How long were you a single dad?”

He poured some milk into the pot and then added some honey. “Seven years. Sage was twelve when her mom and I broke up. Those were some tough times. I was on the road a lot, trying to get my career in place. Sage’s mom wasn’t really well enough to take care of her properly. And oof, my girl was wild. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have Lotta around for a second parenting opinion these days.”

I took another donut. “You know, she’s surprisingly good with kids. I remember once when Sarah had her six-year-old niece staying with her for the weekend and she ran out of things to do with her in, like, an hour. Lotta swept in and took that girl to FAO Schwarz and Serendipity and the natural-history museum. And she actually seemed to enjoy it.”

Omari stirred the milk with a whisk. “Have you ever had that frozen hot chocolate? What’s not to enjoy?”

“Maybe Lotta can just take Sage to Serendipity,” I said, laughing.

He chuckled. “Oh, man, can you imagine? That would not go well.”

He poured the milk into two mugs and placed a cup in front of me.

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