A Life More Complete(20)
“I seriously doubt that. You’re the only person I know who has it as together as you do. You make being a parent look effortless. You should write a book.”
“Yeah, right,” she says changing the subject. “Where’s Trini?” Gia’s met Trini several times but knows only what she reads in the tabloids. No matter how much she pries, I’ve never given up the goods on Trini.
“She’s sleeping. She needed a break from everything.”
“Cryptic, like always,” she scoffs, unenthused. “One day will you tell me everything?” She smiles and nods her head. “I have very little stimulation in my adult life, you owe it to me.”
“One day when I leave my job behind and lead a normal life I will tell you everything.” I’ve subdued her for a short time. I know she’ll question me later.
We’re all gathered around the kitchen table after our swim waiting for David to return with pizza. I’ve always joked with Gia about living in the middle of nowhere, but they can’t get a pizza delivered to their home, so I know it’s the truth. The kids and I are competing in a burping contest that I can tell is annoying Gia to no end, when I hear someone call my name. I turn around and find Trini standing at the door to the mudroom. “Hey Trini. You remember Gia, right?” Gia rises and hugs her briefly. “These are Gia and David’s kids, Nico, Gianna and Liam. We were just getting ready to eat dinner. Join us?”
“Sure,” she responds shyly.
David returns with the pizza shorty after Trini’s arrival and we eat, talking and laughing, reliving old stories and telling jokes with the kids. Trini is quiet, but polite. She looks better. The color has returned to her skin and she’s eating, so I can’t be too concerned. She helps clear the table and clean up before retreating back to the guesthouse. I give the kids baths, allowing Gia and David a break. First is Liam, once he’s done Gia nurses him to sleep as I corral Nico and Gianna and bathe them together. We make a Lego boat that I’m sure will float; yet they doubt my ability and it sinks like a rock. They’re giggling and splashing around and I can’t help feel a pang of jealously for Gia’s life.
After bath, I read each of them four books and Gianna falls asleep in my arms as I rock in the chair with her. I kiss her head and place her in her crib. She rolls over and cuddles up to a kitty head attached to a small blanket. Her dark curly hair splayed out over the white crib sheet. She looks serene and beautiful.
I creep downstairs, so I don’t disturb the kids. I head through the kitchen to the family room, but stop short. I can see Gia through the doorway to the family room. She’s curled up on David’s lap, her face buried in his neck. He’s stroking her hair gently as he whispers something in her ear. She looks up at him and he kisses her softly on the lips. She sits up straddling him while his hands move to either side of her face. They kiss with more urgency, more passion. His hands trail down her back and ease under her behind cupping her. She pulls away and he says, “I love you.” I can see the respect and love in his eyes. They have a marriage that’s based off of love and friendship, both of them knowing exactly what the other needs. I want what they have, but I can’t help but wonder if they are an anomaly. How often do you find someone who understands you so fully that they just know when to leave you alone and when to comfort you? Like everything Gia does, she makes it look effortless.
“Hey, David? You want a beer? Gia, you want anything?” I call from the kitchen so as to not to completely interrupt their time together.
“No, thanks,” Gia answers.
“Yes, Kris. Thanks.” David is the only person who calls me Kris. It makes me feel like a different person. I’m not Kristin, publicist who hates her job and is on duty 24 hours a day and I’m not Krissy, kid with a shitty home life and awful parents. I’ve always tried to use the name Kristin at work, but no matter what I do Krissy still slips through. Ellie and my clients are the only ones who use my proper name, yet in given situations both Melinda and Bob will slip between the two. I thought if I forced myself into the role of Kristin that maybe I would be able to outrun my childhood nickname. I should have known better.
I take a deep breath and head into the family room; Gia’s now sitting next to David as they both stare at the television. I hand David his beer and plop down in the overstuffed chair across from them.
“How was your flight?” David asks.
“Fine. Pretty typical. Long and boring. Had to make a few stops along the way so it took longer to get here than usual.”