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Thursday was officially my favorite day of the week. Even though we avoided touching each other after that first day, the hour-long play dates were in some ways more intimate than our passionate night together in August.
Over time, we learned that even though our parenting styles were not identical, they were alike enough that we were able to feed off of each other's insights and find new ways at approaching parenting obstacles.
Where I tended to be more of a tough-love advocate, he was more of a kill them with kindness parent. But our differences of opinion weren't overly unbalanced, and we found it allowed us to foster mutual admiration for each other.
It also helped that our children got along like peanut butter and jelly.
John would alter his time between playing with the girls and helping Mandy around the playground, and Mazie and Katie were always trying to negotiate longer play times.
Initially, I was worried that their fierce attachment to each other would cause problems in class, but Mrs. Dalton assured me repeatedly that they took turns holding each other accountable out of fear that they would have to move desks away from each other.
How did I end up lucky enough to have a kid that behaved?
I wasn't necessarily a bad child growing up, but I was a chatterbox who received more than her fair share of mandatory quiet time in school. My childhood best friend Joanie was always trying to help me stay under the radar, but being born without a verbal filter didn't help matters, and she couldn't always be there to stop me from saying the worst.
In first grade when she came down with a nasty bout of chicken pox, and I was forced to go to school without her for almost two weeks was when my lack of filter finally caught up with me. As a result, during the first half of the year, my cafeteria time was relegated to the quiet table after I started talking about the movie Dirty Dancing which my mom and Auntie Imogene had been watching one weekend.
Of course, I decided everyone needed to know that the characters had had sex.
In my defense, I assumed sex was just exaggerated hugging. Unfortunately, it caused enough shock amongst my classmates' parents that I was doomed to quiet lunches for the rest of the year so that my vulgarity wouldn't rub off on their innocent babies.
Ironically, I turned out to be the only one out of those 30 students to remain a virgin past college.
By the time the first Thursday in October arrived, I had decided to take a leap and invite Dale to join us for our weekly pizza night. If he agreed, tonight would be the ideal time since my mother would be out of town until Monday.
She was helping my uncle get the family pumpkin farm ready for the Halloween season.
Plus, I was curious to see how the friendship Dale and I were building could translate into a more private setting.
Sadly, Thursday morning Dale texted to cancel our playdate due to rain, and since the following week we were scheduled to visit Geoff during Mazie's fall break, the day suddenly didn't feel as exciting.
Dale –
Forecast says that the rain won't let up till after ten this evening. Will you be in town for fall break next Thursday?
Kelly –
Bummer. Unfortunately, I'm taking the girls to visit with Geoff for fall break.
Dale –
Do you always accompany the girls when they visit their father?
Kelly –
Only for the overnight visits. (Remember, I'm still nursing.)
Dale –
Where do you stay on these trips?
Kelly –
Geoff still lives in our old house, so I usually stay there and sleep in the spare room.
Dale –
That has to feel uncomfortable.
Kelly –
It did at first, but he is getting more agreeable since we finalized our divorce.
Probably helps that he gets most of his free time to himself and has plenty of time for daily naps.
Dale –
Who takes daily naps after kindergarten?
Kelly –
My ex. Sometimes he would come home and take 4-hour naps after work, wake for an hour and then go back to sleep for another 10 hours.
Dale –
Sounds excruciatingly lonely.
How does he date with that kind of sleeping schedule?
Kelly –
He has a friend he chats with online and since he doesn't believe in or desire regular physical affection it works for them.
Dale –
Are you sure he's not harboring hope of reconciliation?
Wait! Is he jealous?
Kelly –
He was at first, but once we lived apart for a few months, he realized how much happier he was alone. i.e., he likes sparse furnishings and hates clutter; I'm a little bit of a clutter bug (but not a hoarder).
Plus, there is the added bonus of constant, uninterrupted sleep for him.
Dale –
My ex was a minimalist, so I get it. That's probably why my house looks like a decorator's closet exploded everywhere. But it's homey, and that's what I wanted.
So that means we'll have to wait another two weeks to see each other?
Not wishing to go another two weeks without trying to see Dale, I leapt and sent the pizza invitation before I could lose my gumption.
Kelly –
You guys are welcome to come over for pizza after school.
Kelly –
That is if you want to come over for pizza. No pressure.
Yeah, real smooth Kelly.
Dale –
Is it okay if I text you after lunch today? I'm waiting on an email from Maggie confirming a time for her to Facetime with the kids.
He didn't say no!
Silently squealing to myself, I texted,
Kelly –
Sure, just let me know.