Milo and Jet are spooning in bed. The early morning light is bleeding through the curtains projecting patterns across the walls and ceiling. Flittering moments, each individual, all created and destroyed trillions of times per second. He’s staying perfectly still. He’s hoping that she doesn’t wake. His right hand is on her hip. Her hair is in his face. He’s taking in every aspect of the experience for him to remember. He memorizes the feeling of the warmth of her back against his chest. The moreish candy cotton shampoo smells like heaven. He loved her right then more than he thought possible to love any woman. He wished he could slow this moment, down to make it last forever. Tears were running from his eyes. He wanted to wipe them but that would wake her. His heart was already aching for that which he had right now, but which would soon be gone. Milo can’t resist, he softly kisses her neck.

“This is starting to become a habit,” she says with a waking voice.

“You mean me kissing your neck?”

“I meant waking up with you in my bed most mornings.”

“Well you know what they say about habits, they can quickly turn addictive.” He wipes the tears away before she can see.. 

“Riley thinks you’ve moved back home.”

“And what do you think?” She rolls over to look him in the eye.

“I think you’re showing positive signs of redemption. Your black out episodes seem to have stopped, and I’m very proud of how you’ve worked so hard building your business.”

l thank you.” Milo said graciously, not letting on that felt his stomach was a single giant knot of entrails.

“But what about that trouser snake of yours.”

“What about it?”

“How do I know I can trust it?” Milo opens his mouth to answer as Riley can be heard running through the house.

“Mummy, Daddy, Mummy ,Daddy,” she cries over and over until she bursts into the bedroom with her big bright red hair bouncing with every step.

“Good morning Daddy’s girl,” said Milo as Riley leaps onto the bed and gives him a tight hug.

“Daddy Daddy Daddy.” Jet puts her hand on Riley’s shoulder.

“Do you like Daddy being home again?”  Asked her mum.

“Oh yes, it’s the best Christmas present ever and it’s not even Christmas.”

“So do you think he should stay forever?”

“Can he can he can he?” Riley turns to Milo. “Can you Daddy, please?” 

Milo looks at Jet. “Well I think that’s up to your mother.” Riley as well turns to Jet.

“Please please please, and we can watch Princess Binky every morning with me in the middle starting today?”

Jet looks from Riley with her infectious smile to Milo, who looks like he’s standing at the edge of a precipice in the dark as Jet herself appears ambivalent. She briefly considers things, then turns to her bedside table to pick up the T.V. remote. She shakes it in front of Riley. “What do you think this means?”  Riley looks at the remote and ponders for a moment.

“Daddy’s home forever. Yay yay yay.”  Jet turns the T.V. on,  drops the remote on Rileys lap, then looks at Milo with a hopeful smile and nods her head. Milo smiles back. Jet grins even broader and blows him a kiss, then drops on her back to browse on her phone.  The T.V. comes on midway through a news report showing footage of multiple cars mounting busy city sidewalks mowing people down. “This isn’t Princess Binky,” said Riley dismayed. 

A T.V. reporter is talking. “Sources say Russia’s the  responsible…” Riley’s changed the channel to Princess Binky singing a song of love and caring. Jet has been reading messages on her phone. She’s looking angry.  

“Did you see that?” Said Milo to Jet as he takes the remote from Riley and changes the channel back to the news.

“No,” cries Riley quite loudly. “You and Mummy said I can watch Princess Binky.”

“But this is something really important that Mum and Dad have to watch.”

“Mummy, Daddy changed the channel. Mummy.” Jet starts playing happy children’s music on her phone and plugs in a headset.

“Jet are you watching this?” She puts the headset over Riley’s ears.

“Riley listen to this and don’t take them off.”

“But I wanted Princess Binky.” 

Jet turns to Milo. “Where were you last night?” He can’t take his eyes off the screen.

“What? At work I told you. Jet look at the T.V. Look what’s happening stateside, it’s insane.”

“Then why are three of my friends telling me you were seen walking out of Bludgy’s Bar with your hands all over some skank?”

“What?  It wasn’t me. I was at work.”

“You son of bitch.”

Next Chapter: 5