I step out of the car and walk around to her side. "Are you not going to come?"
She is staring straight ahead with her hands folded in her lap. "I need a minute, I need a minute to myself, please."
Iris and I exchange a look and she shrugs, so we wait.
One minute. Two minutes. Three.
I crouch down to her level. "Anya."
She takes a deep breath and squares her little shoulders and her face sets into an expression of fierce determination that looks absolutely adorable on someone who still needs help reaching the sink.
"Alright," she announces. "I'm ready."
Iris bends down to her. "Baby, it's not as if you're going to fight a war or something, what's gotten into you today?"
Anya looks at her mother with complete seriousness. "Mama, I have to be a brave girl today, so you have to pray for me, okay?"
Iris's eyes flick to me, confused. "What is going on with her?"
I press my lips together to keep from laughing. "Nothing, she's just being a brave girl."
We walk her to the door and she hugs me and then hugs Iris and then turns and marches into the building like a soldier heading into battle.
"She gets that from you," Iris mutters as we walk back to the car.
"The dramatics? Absolutely not, that's you."
She smacks my arm and I catch her hand and bring it to my lips.
When we arrive at her office building I step out first and walk around to open her door for her, and she takes my hand as she steps out onto the sidewalk.
"At exactly 4, I'm coming back here to pick you up," I tell her.
She sighs. "I'm really busy, I don't know if I can even finish by 4."
"This is not healthy at all, angel." I look at her properly. "I mean, look at you, you've lost a lot of weight. I'm not happy about that."
She waves a hand. "That's a good thing. I'm trying to lose this baby weight for the past three years and it's not easy. This is actually helping. Plus, you know how I felt when I just gave birth. I wasn't really myself."
"Have I ever made you feel insecure about your body?"
Her expression softens. "No. You've never. In fact, you've loved me more than ever before."
"And I will keep loving you." I take both of her hands in mine. "You brought a life, our child, into this world, risking your own life. I would never, and I mean never, dislike your body. No matter how much it changes. So please don't stress yourself and try to lose weight to appeal to me. You would appeal to me even in a hot dog costume."
She stares at me. "Okay, that is very offensive." But she is smiling. "But also sweet."
She leans up and kisses my lips. "I love you."
"I love you too."
I pull her closer and kiss her again, deeper this time, and when she tries to pull back I drag her lips back into mine.
She pushes at my chest lightly. "Not in front of my office, I know people here."
I kiss her again anyway.
"Ilay," she mumbles against my mouth. "People are going to start seeing my husband being inappropriate with me outside of my office."
