“I did. They’re teenage boys. They were probably censoring themselves for you and Suni.”
The boys talked to the contact at the monastery for about a half-hour before hanging up, at which point Cole saw Manav approaching them. He excused himself to the kitchen to start lunch, while running it by Tejas and Sunitha to have the boys stay the weekend. Sunitha jumped at the idea, but agreed to stay for lunch. When Maya and Manav emerged, Maya was wiping her eyes again.
“All good?” Cole asked, when she sidled up to him at the stove. He put a pot of water on to boil, poured a bit of olive oil and salt in, then turned on the range hood. As he slid his arm around her shoulders, he glanced backward to see both boys looking at them curiously. They’re not used to this, he considered. Two parents who actually love each other and show it.
“All good. He apologized properly and he knew he was wrong,” Maya smiled. “But I told him it wasn’t enough unless he apologized to you, too, for saying you’re not part of our family.”
“Well, that was fair,” Cole shrugged. “I’m not. I mean, I just became your boyfriend at 7:45 this morning.” He grinned and reached into the top cupboard to see what pasta they had.
“That can change this summer, you know,” Maya said under the whir of the fans, causing Cole to drop both the spaghetti and penne packages he was deciding between. Maya bent down to pick them up and took a look at where the boys were, relieved they’d left and switched on the Xbox.
“I mean… I’m way past the point of needing a proposal or even a formal wedding for that matter. I feel like we lost so much time together and I–” Cole put his finger on her lips.
“It would be the greatest gift of my life to be your husband, Maya,” he said, enveloping her in his arms and kissing her.
***********
Cole sat in his truck the following Monday afternoon in the parking lot of Izzy’s school, eyeing the clock as well as the building exits.
“Hey, babe,” he said, phoning Maya through the vehicle’s Bluetooth. “Are you still logged on for work? I have a surprise for you.”
“Is it your pants on the floor?” Maya’s voice was sultry and low. “Because the only surprise I want right now is your pants on the floor.”
“Uh, no, it’s my daughter in my car,” Cole replied without missing a beat. “I was going to bring her over to meet you but she… she doesn’t look very comfortable right now.” As the silence got longer, Cole’s grin got bigger.
“Um, hi, Isabel,” Maya finally answered in a small voice. “I, I’m your daddy’s girlfriend, and I only said that because I love him very–” Cole interrupted her by erupting in laughter.
“She’s not here,” he admitted between guffaws. “I’m still waiting for her.”
“Oh, you bastard,” Maya hissed.
“You of all people should be relieved it was only a prank,” Cole countered, still giggling. “Otherwise you would have scarred a 9-year-old for life by telling her you couldn’t wait to fuck her dad.”
“I actually can’t wait to fuck her dad,” Maya said, her voice lowering again. “Repeatedly. I can’t wait to suck him and then climb on top and bounce on him, naked as the day I was born. I also can’t wait to hear him moan my name and bite my shoulder when he’s about to–”
“Okay, okay, you win,” Cole conceded, rock hard and slinking down in the driver’s seat. He glanced at the dashboard clock again, wishing now it would slow down rather than speed up. He ruefully shook his head at Maya snickering on the other end of the line.
“The novelty is going to wear off for you at some point, and I intend to ride this ride as far as it’s gonna go,” she said.
“Nope, it’s not gonna wear off for me,” Cole replied. “I’m going to wake up every day for the next 45 years and watch you sleep for a few minutes, and marvel all over again that you chose me. You’re going to be wearing the necklace I tied around your neck, and the rings I put on your finger and toes.” He checked the call when he didn’t hear a response. “Hello? Maya, you still there?” Finally, he noticed a faint sniffling.
“You win, too,” Maya blubbered.
“I wasn’t trying to make you cry, though,” Cole laughed. “You were actually trying to turn me on!” He heard the school bell ring across the yard and realized he had to hurry the call. “Okay, I have to think about hockey again before Izzy gets here. But I really wanted to bring her over to your place straight from school. What do you think? If you’re not ready, we can do it another day.”
“Is she ready, though?” Maya asked.
“I told her all about you this weekend. I showed her pictures of last weekend, and of the boys and Sunitha as well. She asked if we can see you today.”
“Then I’m ready too,” Maya said. “Let me get out the flour for chapattis and–”
“No, no, don’t worry about that, sweetie,” Cole said. “I promised her pizza. She wants to try…” he pretended to gag. “…she wants to try jalapeño peppers and pineapple. Not gonna lie, I was horrified.”
“Oh, I like her already,” Maya said.
She waited on the front porch for them and then checked her face in the window one last time when she saw Cole’s truck turn down the street. She’s nine, Maya admonished herself. Why am I worried about whether she thinks I look nice?
She shyly stood up and approached the truck, only to stop when a chestnut-haired moppet jumped out. All Maya could spot was a pink tutu as Isabel ran over to her, but when she came to a standstill Maya was able to take a good look at her face.