A Honeymoon
The sun warms the patio and plums drop from the tree before the rumblings of real change sound in my ears and throw me off balance. Sophie has taken an apartment in Santa Clara, near the university. David lives with several roommates in a sprawling loft apartment above an auto repair shop in downtown Palo Alto. I shake my head often at the thought of a young man with David’s prospects living like a beatnik in a crash pad, but Roger reminds me that David was brought up in communal living.
“His mother tired of that. From what little David says she’s enjoying her new life as a property owner.” I lean against the doorjamb while Roger pulls a golf shirt over his head. Triophonics hired Roger’s replacement just as I was about to have a showdown with him over his work hours.
“I’m sure the day will come when David wants that too, but remember Dee, if he wasn’t building Triophonics he’d be pulling all-nighters in a dorm at Stanford.”
I forget that David is still essentially a college student on a fast learning track.
“Do you think David will ever go back to Stanford?”
“As a student? No, why should he? To collect an honorary degree? I’m sure of it.”
“So you approve of the course his life is taking?”
“One hundred percent. To get in on the ground floor of a new industry, what could be more exciting?” Roger sits down to pull on his socks. I walk into the room and sit down next to him on the bench at the end of our bed.
“Roger, do you miss working?”
Roger puts his arm around my shoulder and gives me a hug. “Not as much as I miss you when I’m working.”
I cock my head and shift my eyes upward into his handsome face, tanned by the sun during the golf games he’s resumed since leaving Triophonics.
“That sounds glib.”
“No, Dee, I mean it. I’ve always loved the work I’ve done, but I know it’s time to hand it over to the next generation. This is our time now.” He folds me in his arms and we fall back on the bed, snuggling and giggling. Then I remember that the door is open. I peek over Roger’s shoulder to see Valerie standing in the doorway, holding Miren. She clears her throat dramatically.
“Uh, there are children present.”
I shoot up but Roger just rolls over on his side and makes a face at Miren. The baby hides her face with her chubby hands and peeks through her fingers at him.
“Yes,” I say, “Miren and Roger.”
“Mom, can you watch Miren while I run to the grocery store?” Valerie strides across the room and plops the baby in my lap.
After she’s gone I tell Roger what troubles me.
“I feel like we don’t have our own life.”
Miren slides off my lap and sticks her head under the bed to see if she can spot Puffy. Roger gets up and goes to his desk. He picks up a mailer I spotted a couple of days ago in his mail tray and meant to ask about. The return address is a travel agency. He pulls out a watermarked envelope and waves it in the air.
“Start packing sweetheart. We are going on our honeymoon. And when we come home, we’re going house hunting.”