Happy Thanksgiving!

Unless you’re the turkey.

Double infinity and beyond

Propped up against the headboard with her legs stretched out, Sarah balanced her laptop on her thighs, browsing the newspaper without really taking in the headlines.  Sunday nights were usually reserved for going over her calendar and meeting agendas for the week ahead, but all her appointments had been moved to the new year in favor of negotiating the sale agreement for the Buy More – she never imagined winding up a company required so many meetings.  She’d considered going over the clauses they’d negotiated thus far, but after she’d booked tickets for The Nutcracker online, she wasn’t really in the mood to.  Keeping an eye on the clock, she wondered if Chuck was done giving Maggie her bath yet.  He’d promised to call her to say goodnight to Maggie, but he’d seemed preoccupied since their return from the ranch and she was worried that he might forget. 

She slipped her reading glasses off and was about to shut down the laptop when a head popped around the doorjamb, and then just as quickly disappeared.  Amused, Sarah watched the door.  She didn’t have to wait long.  Maggie’s face appeared again, inch by inch, and when her eyes came into view, catching Sarah’s, she hesitated for a moment before stepping around the doorjamb into the room.  She was still dressed in her jeans and long-sleeved t-shirt, but her feet were bare.  Keeping her distance, she looked over her shoulder, then back at Sarah.

“Daddy said I shouldn’t bother you when you’re working,” she whispered loudly. 

“I’m never too busy for you,” Sarah replied, trying to ignore the stab of disappointment that Chuck would tell Maggie that.  He probably meant well, but she made a mental note to correct him.

Maggie gave her a wide grin, but she didn’t move until Sarah patted the spot next to her.  Accepting the invitation she raced across the carpet and clambered onto the bed.  Mr. Oink dragged along, his left ear crumpled in her tight grip.  She crawled across the mattress towards Sarah, not stopping until she was in her lap.  Sarah winced slightly every time a sharp body part connected with a soft one, but finally the four-year-old settled in, hugging the stuffed pig to her chest.  Sarah wrapped an arm around the two of them and Maggie dropped her head back against her shoulder.  She pointed to the screen.

“What are you doing?” she asked, openly curious.

“I’m reading the Los Angeles Times,” Sarah replied.

“Are you reading the time in the newspaper?  Why don’t you use your watch?”

Sarah chuckled.  “Los Angeles Times is the name of the newspaper,” she explained.

“Oh.”  Maggie returned to her previous position.  “It’s a dumb name.”

She’d never thought about it, but Sarah had to agree.  “Yeah, it is.”

“You should read comic books.  They’ve got cool names.  And lots and lots of pictures.  Daddy likes them.  He’ll let you borrow one, but don’t bend the pages ‘cause he doesn’t like that.”

Sarah had no desire to start reading graphic novels anytime soon, but she didn’t shoot down Maggie’s suggestion.  “I’ll remember that,” she said instead and decided to change the topic.  “Did you have fun today?”

Maggie nodded enthusiastically.  Then she tilted her head back to look at Sarah. “After you and Daddy get married, can we go there every weekend?”

“Sure,” Sarah said, only to realize afterwards what exactly Maggie had asked.  “No,” she quickly amended, and when the little girl’s face fell, she started to flounder.  “Of course we can go to the ranch again,” she back-tracked, “but your daddy and I are not getting married.”  Then she wished she’d stopped halfway through that sentence. 

“But you and daddy kissed in the kitchen,” Maggie replied.  “Aunt Ellie and Uncle Devon kiss in the kitchen all the time and they’re getting married.”  Just like her you’re-Daddy’s-girlfriend-conclusion from a few nights ago, Maggie made it sound like the most logical thing in the world. 

Sarah’s first instinct was to tell her that kissing didn’t always lead to marriage, but Maggie’s hopeful expression caused the words to die in her throat.  She couldn’t crush the little girl like that.  Sneaking a glance at the door she wished for Chuck to have the most perfect timing in the world, but after a few seconds Sarah had to face the fact that she was in this alone.  She busied herself by moving the laptop to the floor to buy some time and organize her thoughts.

Maggie wiggled herself into a more comfortable position, not taking her eyes off of Sarah.  It made her very self-conscious.  She took a heavy breath, wondering if the word ‘complicated’ was part of a four-year-old’s vocabulary yet.  Probably not, she thought.     

“Marriage,” Sarah started hesitantly, “marriage is a really big commitment.”  Judging by way Maggie’s brow furrowed she didn’t know that word either.  “It’s a really big promise,” Sarah tried again and when it seemed that the little girl understood that, she continued.  “Before two people can promise to stay together forever they have to make sure that they can keep that promise, they have to get to know each other very well to find out if they like each other enough.” 

“Forever is really, really, really long.” 

“Yes, it is,” Sarah replied, but just when she thought she was off the hook, Maggie’s eyebrows pulled together again.

“Do they have to kiss lots and lots?”

Sarah could do nothing but nod, afraid that she’d accidently start a whole different conversation, given what an innocent question had led to.

Maggie thought for a moment.  “How long does it take?”

Sarah bit her bottom lip, not sure what to say.  “How long has Aunt Ellie and Uncle Devon been dating?” she asked.

“Always,” Maggie said.  “How long is always?”

That was when Sarah ran into math trouble.  Forever plus always would equal double infinity, and there was no such thing.  Trying another tactic she wiggled her fingers into Maggie’s side like she’d seen Chuck do whenever he wanted to distract her.  “Do you always ask this many questions?”

Maggie shrieked as she tried to squirm out of Sarah’s embrace.  Sarah tickled her some more and then allowed her to roll off her legs and onto the bed.  “Daddy says it’s how I learn stuff,” she said, a little out of breath.

The mention of Chuck made Sarah frown.  “Sweetie, where is your dad?”

Maggie’s eyes grew wide and she gasped.  “He’s in my room.  He said to come get you but I forgot.”