I can’t move.I don’t know what to do.
Zoe glances between Gemma and me as she rubs her eye with her wee fist, looking so tiny in the doorway.“Why is Dwoo here?”
I clear my throat and start pulling on my jacket.“I was fixing Mommy’s toilet.”
Shit.
What a dumb thing to say.
Gemma pulls the sheet up higher and reaches out her arms.“Come here, darling.”
Zoe runs across the room and climbs up onto the bed.
Sorry,I mouth, and Gemma shakes her head, but I can tell she’s stressed.
Zoe asks, “Where are your pajamas?”
Oh my God, is she thirty?A budding investigator?How bright are kids when they’re this tiny?
I have employees less aware of their surroundings.
Gemma opens her mouth, then shuts it, while I have the brilliant idea of furthering my toilet story.
“They got stuck in the toilet.Her pajamas.They got stuck in the toilet.”
Gemma cringes over Zoe’s head.
“Why did you put your pajamas in the toilet?”Zoe frowns as if her mother is completely stupid.
“They fell in there,” she mumbles and shoots me aleave nowlook.“By accident.Drew helped me and now he’s going home.Say thank you to Mr.Carrington.”
It’s best I stop talking.
“Have a nice day, girls.I’m going to,” I thumb over my shoulder, “take my plumbing gear and go do my day job.”
Gemma chuckles silently.
“Can you fix my bathroom, Dwoo?”Zoe asks.
I go still at the door.“Ahh, sure.What’s wrong with it?”
“There’s a robot in my toilet.”Zoe tilts her head, and her expression is so serious, like she’s exhausted having to deal with all these robots.
I almost laugh.
“Ah,” I rub my jaw.“I need a special tool for the robot jobs.Can I come back next week?”
“Sure.Mommy can Dwoo come back?”
“That should be fine, but Zoe, we can’t tell Grandma, okay?”
“Yes,” Zoe whispers loudly.“Gramma doesn’t like the robots.”
I cover my mouth and wink at the woman I’ve spent hours making love to.Then slip out the door.
––––––––
MY MORNING WORKOUTwas slow.All I could think about was being curled up in bed with Zoe and Gemma, talking mumbo jumbo, giggling with Zoe about her robot obsession.