“What do you mean?”
“You look like you saw a ghost.”
I look around the room, not sure how to respond. “I don’t know what to pack. How do people bring babies to restaurants? I might need all of this stuff.” I gesture around the room, slightly dramatic.
She brings her hand up to stifle her laughter. “You just pack a diaper bag.”
“With all of it?” I ask.
She grabs a bag and throws a few different onesies in it, diapers, and wipes. Then she measures two bottles with the formula and packs a bottle of water. I just stand and watch, thinking she is the only one I would have wanted to experience this past week with.
It’s been a roller-coaster ride of emotions, but having Jessie around makes everything better.
“Where will she sleep?” I follow up with when she stands in front of me with the diaper bag.
“The stroller. They allow those in restaurants, you know.”
I nod my head. “Okay, that will work. Maybe we can walk her there in the stroller and get her asleep.”
“Now you’re thinking like a dad.” She smiles.
We buckle Eli into the car seat that slides into the stroller, then ride the elevator down to the street. Luckily, I actually thought about the logistics of how hard it would be to travel far with Eli, so the restaurant I booked is only a couple of blocks away.
It only takes us five minutes to get there. Eli fell asleep almost instantly. Jessie said noise and movement knock most babies out. I guess that’s what makes bedtime such a horrible time with babies. Quiet and still.
I’m surprised how easily we get settled at our table with Eli’s stroller parked right next to us. The moment I sit down and realize it, I take a deep breath.
Jessie opens her menu and peeks over at the sound of my sigh. “I think I can actually feel the relief in that sigh.”
I chuckle to myself as I grab the menu in front of me. “I might have been internally panicking the entire way here, wondering about everything that could go wrong.”
“Let’s get you a drink. You need it.”
“You’re not wrong about that,” I reply. “But I think we both need it. How about we share a bottle of wine?”
She raises an eyebrow. “You trying to get me drunk?”
I smirk. “It’s not like it’s hard. You’re such a lightweight.”
Her mouth falls open. “Rude.”
I shrug. “You’re not denying it.”
Just then, the waitress—a tall brunette—approaches. She smiles down at the stroller. “She’s precious. Congratulations.”
I look over at Jessie, realizing she thinks Eli’s ours. Together. Jessie’s throat bobs as her eyes catch mine. She doesn’t know what to say.
“Thank you,” I reply.
It’s not worth correcting her. Plus, a part of me wants it to be true. I might never have Jessie, but maybe tonight, I can pretend it’s real.
“I think we are going to share a bottle of the 2010 Chianti,” I tell the waitress.
We decide to place our orders quickly as well, just in case we’re on borrowed time with Eli.
After the wine is poured and we wait for our food, I can’t stop looking across the table at Jessie. I know this is supposed to bea night where I keep her at arm’s length, but the idea of treating this like a real date is too tempting.
“Tell me something,” I ask her as I lean back in my seat.
