Having a horse growing up was something that my aunt Lucy taught me to enjoy, and when my childhood horse passed not too long ago, I was sad. Astro lived on Olive Owl, but I would see him as much as I could.
“What would I do with a horse right now?”
“Maybe your child will want a horse?”
I sputter a laugh. “Uh, I think my child is first a baby and then a toddler and then maybe the age for a horse. So the answer is no.”
“I thought so but wanted to check. Also…”
The line goes quiet.
“Yes?” I encourage.
“Wanted to check you are okay today, considering… the date.”
I think for a second, but then it doesn’t take me long, and my entire body goes rigid, causing Jet’s ears to perk. I’ve been burying it down all day. “Ah, you mean the date I got married, so technically my anniversary if I didn’t implode my life and get a divorce?”
“That.” I can hear in her voice a tad of concern.
I’m not sure why it hasn’t taken over my thoughts today. Did I subconsciously try to save myself from a day of misery? But now it will be all I can think of.
“I’ll be fine,” I answer sharply to move us along.
“Okay, if you say so. Just wanted… I’m your mom, I’ll always be concerned.”
Inhaling a long breath, I’m aware of her heart’s intentions. “How about I come over for lunch later in the week?”
“Sure. Bear Brew like old times?” That coffeehouse is the best in Bluetop.
“They do have a good hummus wrap.”
We round off our call, and I decide to return inside. Jet attempts to follow me, but I turn to him and point my finger. “You can go back to your mom and dad. You already got your milk bone from me earlier, and I know you’ve conned about three other neighbors on this street for more treats.”
He whines but then happily runs away, which reminds me that I should point out to Carter that he purposely has never closed the hole under the fence because I know he loves the dog.
For the next few hours, I’m not able to calm down, and my walk on Everhope Road made it worse because I saw the newlyweds who bought the house up the street moving in as they unloaded their boxes from the car. They seem to be in complete bliss, and that’s just a reminder of better times in my life. It also made me far too envious.
In the kitchen, I search for something to nibble on to calm my nerves, and when I spot some pretzels, I open the bag and take a bite.
“Rosie.”
I’m startled and almost hit my head on the pantry door when I hear Carter. “Oh, hey, I didn’t know you were home.”
He strides my way with a swagger that I remember. “Just got here.”
Wiping a pretzel crumb from my mouth with the back of my hand, I feel my heart quicken because I’m wondering if he realizes the date, but I’ll just jump right in. “I know. Today would have been our wedding anniversary and here we are not actually married but having a baby, and I’m here and you’re standing there, and you shouldn’t celebrate an anniversary that doesn’t technically exist anymore, but I can’t erase the date.” I talk at the speed of light.
Carter bites his bottom lip while he attempts to unravel my words. “Ah, so you’ve been occupied with the thought, too.”
Sighing, I relax a tad and walk a few steps to the island to rest my forearms on. “Yeah.”
The air warms when I feel him stand behind me and place his palm on my lower back. “I have no fucking clue either. We either ignore it or… it was the celebration of when we were married, that chapter, you know, but now… maybe I’m still feeling something, that I got to call you my wife and we were married on this date.”
Swirling around, I didn’t realize just how close our bodies are, and it’s intoxicating. “It was a quickie spur-of-the-moment kind of wedding, but it was a day I’ll always remember and will be a story for our child one day, right?”
“Agreed.”
“We can… have a nice dinner? Maybe make that rice dish that you are talented at?”
