Noah:You do? Are you sure? I realize that it’s a relic of a patriarchal doctrine.
Lucy: Listen to you, all woke and stuff, LOL!
Lucy:But yes, I promise I do. We’re going to be a pretty modern, non-traditional family. I like the idea of keeping some customs even if they are based in old-timey macho grossness.
Noah:We could hyphenate. It’s a very common practice in many Latin countries according to what I've read. It could be a nice nod to your heritage.
Lucy:You researched it?
Noah:Of course.
Lucy:Of course!!
Noah:Piper helped me. I thought it might come up at some point and I wanted to be open-minded and informed.
Lucy:Well, I appreciate you keeping an open mind, but in this case, I’m good with Gardner. I want everyone to know you’re the father.
Noah:…typing
…typing
Noah:Thanks, Luce.
Noah:That means a lot.
???
I click the side button to close the screen on my phone and toss it on the seat beside me. I’ve re-read that last exchange too many times to count. Specifically, I’m stuck on: ‘We’re going to be a pretty modern, non-traditional family.’
I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I thought after the other day … after thatkiss …I guess I thought that things had changed between us. That we were on the same page about pursuing something … more.Because that thing, thatmore,was definitely there.
I don’t want us to be a non-traditional modern family.
I want us to be a traditional one.
I want it all.
But … wehaven’tactually talked about it.
The kiss.
And it’s been five days.
We’ve spoken every day since, but we haven’tspoken. And maybe it’s my fault for not wanting to address it. It’s completely unlike the old Noah to just let things ‘happen’ without discussing it to death, researching it, or making a plan. But that’s how much this woman has changed me–ischanging me.
I want to go with the flow and not be so in my head all the time.
And ithasfelt different, regardless. It has.
It’s rained non-stop since that day and work has been insane. All the crazies come out when the weather turns, apparently, and as a result, I haven’t actually seen Lucy since. But we’ve been in contact. A lot. There’s a new kind of awareness between us now, a familiarity, atoneto our interactions that has blossomed since that day. I can’t explain it but it feels like … possibility.
Like endless possibilities.
Like we can just reach out and take what we want, and it can work, and we can be happy.
In addition to the texts we exchange throughout the day (and that I look forward to with mildly embarrassing eagerness–just ask Aidan how fast I move when that chime sounds), we’ve also been having long phone conversations late into the night. I lie in bed while she recounts her day and I imagine her doing the same. In my mind she’s all sleepy and adorable in that worn She-Ra t-shirt she likes to lounge in–and nothing else.
What? I’m a guy.
