The Shower and the Repairman

            Although there were no longer any toddlers in the house, Kyle was absent from bed most nights, still complaining of being too tired to do anything other than nap in the rocking chair. It was great for Frederick, who liked to sleep by me, but I longed for my husband.

            After getting the children to their beds, I came out to Infant Central. Kyle was staring out the front window.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh,” he dragged the simple word out. “Just thinking about things I guess.”

“Any thoughts you would like to share?”

“Hm, I don’t really know. Nothing specific.”

            We hadn’t kissed in a long time. Not once since the second set of twins were born. I had nearly forgotten how it felt, and so I refreshed my memory with a simple peck. I hadn’t specifically meant it to lead to things, but I did not mind.

            We found ourselves in the bathroom, since my bed was being used.

            I pulled away for a moment, feeling quite sad despite the situation. “What’s wrong?” Kyle asked.

“I thought that you were no longer interested in me. As a wife.”

“What? How could you even say that?” I didn’t have to answer. “Well, I guess I get it. I’m just… I’m just getting tired too much lately, ya know? The kids, they’re hard work.”

“Yes, I suppose they are.”

“But I love them. And I really love you! You guys are my family, my passion in this world. I’m happy I finally found you!”

            We did not exchange further words, taking our activities into the shower.

            Kyle never dressed after we finished in the bathroom. He strode out and fell into the rocking chair as if nothing were amiss. I found myself biting my lip when I thought of Mother and her late nude years.

            Avery, the repairman, returned to fix the television again. Francis became interested in the man and loudly asked if he could keep him. Embarrassed, I forgot about the man’s staring and apologized for my son addressing him like a stray canine.

“I could stay for a while though, if you don’t mind. I love kids, but I don’t have any of my own.”

            Of course I was going to ask the near stranger to leave after hearing that, but the other children came to investigate what had Francis so excited. They, too, decided that they liked the man, each asking him various questions and prompting him to pillow fights. I told him that he could stay, as long as he cleaned up any messes that they made. Frederick volunteered to take care of them.

            I stayed in the room while all four children gathered to play video games with the repairman. Everything appeared quite innocent.

            I had to wonder if my children were so taken by the man because of an internal need for a fatherly figure. They knew Kyle to be their father, but they were at the age where they could first notice that he was not like the other dads. The repairman more closely resembled their friends’ fathers, and he did not walk around without clothes. At least, not in front of them.

            Before going to bed, Frederick thanked me for allowing the nice man to stay for games. I hoped they would not catch the correlation between broken objects and the man. Especially not Francis.