As she made them lunch, she glanced around. The house was a mess. The fridge was empty. And yet she had so much to do for the gallery show that she didn’t have time to leave and go getgroceries. Back in the city she could run downstairs and up to the corner market. Here, she had to get in the car and drive ten minutes minimum. What she needed was caffeine. She got a mug out of the cupboard, but then realized the coffeepot was empty. There was only a cup’s worth of espresso grounds left. “Can you add coffee to the list?”
Jake was prostrate on the couch. “What list?”
“Never mind.” She’d have to get to the store before the end of the day. Once she finished with Marge in the studio, that is. And there was dinner at Jane and Edward’s at six. Jane had called the evening before to remind them. “We’re looking forward to tomorrow night!” Jake’s mother had chirped. Of course, Olivia had not remembered.
“Right, yes! So are we,” she lied.
“I don’t want to go,” Jake had said.
“Why not? It’ll be good for you to get out of here. I feel bad—there’s so little room. You’ve been bumping into furniture and Buster. It’ll be good to get you out.”
Jake had made a face. “So I can go bump into someone else’s furniture?”
She realized her mistake. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“This isn’t how I imagined our moving in together would be. You’re doing everything, waiting on me hand and foot. All while juggling Luci and Ben…” Jake’s hands were balled into fists. “I’m sorry, Livi. It’s not fair to you.”
She’d pressed herself up against his side, listening. When he finished, she ran her finger over his hands, until they relaxed, and then slipped her hand into his. “But wouldn’t you do the same for me?”
Jake swiveled. “In a heartbeat.”
“Well. There you have it.”
They’d gone to bed, the sting of the matter somewhat dulled. But now, standing in the kitchen flipping eggs, with the rain pounding against the windows, it was back with fresh heat.
“Lunch is almost ready,” Olivia announced. But she wasn’t sure to whom. It wasn’t like Jake was going to come out and help set the table.
There was a thumping sound from the table and Olivia looked over. Luci was pointing to her painting. “Are you done?” Olivia asked.
Luci shook her head, and pointed again.
“What is it?” Olivia asked. She’d just cracked the eggs into the pan. “I’m cooking, baby. I can’t come over right now.”
But Luci was determined to get her idea across, despite the fact Olivia was too far away to see what she was pointing at and therefore couldn’t tell what it was.
“Luci,” Jake said. “How about I help you?”
She nodded.
“Okay. Hang on while I get up.”
“No,” Olivia said, warily. She appreciated his wanting to help, but it was too much for him. In fact, all of it was starting to frustrate her. “She can hang on a sec. You stay put.”
Jake paused. Luci clapped again. Something was upsetting her. “Is there a bug?” Olivia asked. Luci was afraid of bugs. But she shook her head. “Did you spill?” Again, she shook her head. Olivia flipped the eggs irritably. “Hang on.”
This time when Luci clapped, she knocked a bottle of paint with her elbow.
Olivia looked up from the eggs just in time to see the paint tip. “Luci!” The container of tempera blue flipped over, then rolled off the table and onto the floor, where its contents exploded across the hardwood. Luci jumped back and squealed.
Jake hopped up. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
Olivia grabbed a roll of paper towels and rushed around the kitchen island.
The chair was splattered in blue. As were Luci’s legs and socks. Her lips trembled like she might cry, and she hopped back, stepping in a puddle of it. “Careful,” Olivia warned, bending to wipe it up. But Luci had already begun walking to the kitchen, leaving a fresh trail of blue footprints in her path.
Behind Olivia Jake was attempting to get up from the couch. He reached for his crutches, but one fell. It clattered to the floor with a crash and sent Buster scrambling across the floor again, this time right through the puddle of paint. “Please,” Olivia cried. “Let me take care of it!”
She turned to Luci, who stood frozen in the middle of the floor. Tears had started. “Lu Lu, it’s okay,” Olivia pleaded. “Stay there.” She continued to mop, on all fours. What she wanted to do was cry, too.
