Leaves by Michael Baron

Author:Michael Baron
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION/General
Publisher: The Story Plant
Published: 2012-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

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Maxwell had desperately wanted to make love to Annie when they got home from the reunion, but Joey had other plans for them. Whether he was feeling a little under the weather or he was off his game because they’d left him with a babysitter – something they rarely did – Joey was out of his bed and into their room before they’d even brushed their teeth. Maxwell tried to settle his son down and then take the boy back to his room, but Joey protested and Annie suggested that they let him sleep in the room with them. They’d done this sort of thing before, laying Joey’s old crib mattress on the floor next to their bed, but they’d never done it when Maxwell was feeling this much desire for his wife. Romance was definitely out of the question with their notoriously light-sleeping child a few feet away. Annie and Joey dozed off quickly while Maxwell stared at the ceiling and wished the evening had had a sweeter ending.

Annie had seemed distracted most of the morning. He tried to debrief her about the reunion since it seemed they’d spent so much of their time talking to others in different parts of the room, but Annie didn’t seem particularly interested. She even got up from the breakfast table to clear the dishes when they both still had half of their coffee left and then focused on chores she usually did when he wasn’t around. Joey was being his usual pinball self, so Maxwell just shrugged it off and played with his son.

At around one o’clock, he finally got his wife and child out of the house. The air was crisp but the sun was strong, and it wasn’t the kind of day for spending indoors. They decided to have lunch at Proof, a recently opened bakery. Several people at the Chamber had told Maxwell that the breads there were outstanding and the sandwiches were inventive. Not willing to push the envelope too far, he ordered a turkey on a baguette with melted cheese and orange marmalade and got Joey peanut butter and jelly on potato wheat, even though the kid really wanted an Oreo cupcake. Annie said she only wanted a croissant. She hadn’t eaten much for breakfast, either.

For the first time, Maxwell considered the possibility that his wife was hung over. He hadn’t seen her drink terribly much, but they’d spent a good portion of the party apart. Maybe she had been drinking more heavily when she was catching up with old girlfriends, though she never seemed drunk to him at any point during the night.

While they waited for their food, Maxwell talked with the owner, asking her about her first month’s business, offering support, and inviting her to come to the next Chamber meeting. Once they sat down to eat, first Roye Albrighton of Progressive Lighting and then Isabella Summers of Valley Appliances stopped at their table before Maxwell could take a single bite. The conversation with Isabella went on for a bit, as she was exercised over street repairs going on in front of her store.

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