Perfect Planning

by Donna Poole

“Want to go to the mall?” Jack asked.

Anglina buried her head in her pillow. “Not really. Why are you awake so early on a Saturday morning?”

“Why are you not awake? You’re usually up before sunrise.”

She yawned and stretched. “I’m tired today. And since it’s our first Saturday as empty nesters and there’s nothing we have to do, I figured I’d sleep in.”

“That’s why I’m awake, our first Saturday as empty nesters! Isn’t it great? Let’s not waste it. Come on! You shower, and I’ll fix breakfast. How do you want your eggs?”

“In the carton. Just toast and coffee for me, honey.”

“Are you sure? I’m in the mood to celebrate! I’ll make your favorite Western Omelet.”

“Thanks, but just toast.”

Jack talked all through breakfast about how happy he was that their perfect planning had worked out just as he’d imagined. They’d been young when they’d had their two children, a boy and a girl, planned and spaced two years apart. As much as Jack had loved being a dad, he’d always looked forward to still being young when the kids left home.

“This is our time, Ang,” Jack said. “No more ball games, recitals, plays; no more girl scout cookies to deliver, no more parent teacher conferences…”

Anglina chuckled. “Those two were in about every sport and activity possible in high school, weren’t they?”

“Yeah, and it didn’t end when they went to college either, because they didn’t go far away. We still attended games, drama productions, concerts, homecomings; you name it—we went.”

“It was fun though, wasn’t it?”

“It was, babe, but now we can do what we want to do.”

She sighed. “What exactly do we want to do?”

“Well, we’ll figure it out as we go. We’ve got all the time in the world. For starters, I want to go to the mall!”

“Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know. We can window shop. Maybe I’ll buy another 3-D puzzle.”

Anglina looked at him but didn’t say anything. He had three unopened puzzles sitting on the puzzle table already. Puzzles were something he and Denny had always done together.

“You having fun?” Jack asked as they strolled through the three-story mall.

“People watching is fun. Look at that baby. Isn’t she cute?”

She nodded at a baby nestled in her father’s arms, sucking her thumb, and holding onto her father’s earlobe with her other chubby hand.

Jack smiled at the baby, and she popped her thumb out of her mouth and smiled back.

“Ang, she remind you at all of Missy when she was a baby?”

Anglina nodded. “Kind of. I dressed Missy all in pink like that until she got old enough to talk and informed me she hated pink!”

Jack laughed. “Remember when we brought Denny home from the hospital? Missy was so disappointed that he couldn’t play with her right then. She told us to take him back and get a different one!”

They wandered on through the mall talking about their kids’ growing up days. They kept seeing the baby. Awake or asleep, she was always holding her dad’s ear.

“Holding her dad’s ear like that? It might be the cutest thing I ever saw,” Anglina said to Jack. “Do you miss it at all? The baby days?”

“Are you kidding? Taking turns getting up in the night, being exhausted all day? These days right here? These are going to be our best days; trust me. Hey, let’s get some lunch at the food court. What sounds good to you? Subs? Chinese? Tacos? Pizza?”

“I don’t suppose any of them serve toast, do they?”

“What’s with you and toast? Are you sick?”

“No. I’m not very hungry, and I’m tired. I’ll save us a place at a table, and you get whatever you want to eat. Just get me a cup of hot tea.”

“Hot tea! Since when do you like hot tea? And another thing! You’re never tired; you can outwalk me at the mall every time.”

She shrugged. “Well, I’m tired today, and tea sounds good.”

By the time Jack returned with her tea and his food she’d fallen asleep, her arms folded on the table and her head on her arms.

“Babe!” he shook her shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

He uncovered his plate. “I ordered an extra-large and got two forks in case you change your mind. I know you love chow mien.”

Anglina took one look at the food and covered her nose. “That smells disgusting. I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

He put the Styrofoam lid back on the food and grinned at her. “Okay. So, when were you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“About the baby. Come on, Ang. The only time you’ve ever been this tired, liked hot tea, or hated Chinese food was when you were pregnant. When are we having this baby?”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I know how much you’ve looked forward to this empty nest time. I didn’t want to tell you. I’m fourteen weeks along.”

“Wah hoo!” He jumped from his chair and shouted. “We’re going to have a baby!”

People at nearby tables smiled.

He sat back down. She stared at him. “You’re really happy about this?”

“Ang, do you realize all we’ve talked about today is our kids? I wanted to come to the mall today because I was feeling sad about the kids being gone. I needed to get out of the house. I’ve been trying to talk myself into believing these were going to be our best years, but honestly, I feel too young to be an empty nester. I’d rather wait and be one when I’m in my sixties!”

His smile made her a believer.

“Come on, Ang!”

He threw his food in the nearest garbage can.

“Where are we going?”

“To the puzzle store. I hate doing puzzles alone. I’m going to pick out one the baby and I can do together!”

She laughed with tears still on her cheeks. “I know it’s been a while, but you must remember it will be several years before this baby can put together puzzles.”

“I can wait. The time goes fast. Too fast.”

The couple with the baby was coming toward them. The dads smiled at each other.

“Your baby girl is adorable,” Jack said. “We’ve got one in the oven!”

“Jack!” Anglina laughed. “People don’t use that expression anymore.”

“I do!” Jack said.

“We’ve got one in the oven too!” the other dad said, smiling at his wife. “We have three in college, and when God sent us this surprise, we didn’t want her to grow up alone.”

“Congratulations!” Jack said.

He watched the other couple walk away and took Anglina’s hand. “What do you think, Ang? Should we get this baby a sibling?”

“Jack, I know we’ve been busy helping the kids move into their new homes, but you’ve gotten terribly unobservant lately. You didn’t notice how quickly I was gaining weight?”

“I noticed. I just thought it was, maybe, you know, middle-aged spread?”

She laughed. “I’m spreading alright, and there’s a good reason. The doctor gave me an early ultra-sound because of my age. This baby already has a sibling.”

“You mean?”

She nodded. “Twins. A boy and a girl.”

“Holy cow!” He stopped walking, put his hand on his forehead, and stared at her.

“Say something!”

He just kept staring. Finally, he laughed. “That’s what I call perfect planning!”

The couple with the baby had turned around and was coming back toward them.

“Hey!” Jack said to the other dad. “I just found out we have two in the oven!”

“Congratulations!” the other dad said. “You should celebrate! Maybe the four of us could go out for dinner sometime?”

“Anything but Chinese!” the two women said at the same time.

And the baby popped her thumb out of her mouth and laughed.

The End

***

These blogs are now available in book form on Amazon:

Backroad Ramblings Volume One: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Two: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Three: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

I have six other books on Amazon as well, four fiction books in the “Life at the Corners” series, and two children’s picture books.

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