From Rowan's diary
Client: (amid a nostalgic tale) Ah, if there is a regret I really have, it would be not having spent enough time with my spouse, at the end we were barely talking anymore... Who knows, maybe we wouldn't have divorced, if things went differently.
Rowan: (not really listening) Uh uh...
I don't get it, the lady came to discuss an inheritance case. Why do I need to waste my time listening to all this stuff, when I'm already late to go pick up Gaia from daycare?
Rowan: (trying to be diplomatic) I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I have some quite urgent appointments I really cannot postpone. In any case, the papers are now on order, so...
Client: Sure, I understand. I wish you a blissful evening!
Rowan: Uh uh...
The move to the new house somehow made things slightly easier, but I can't really say that I and Juno are in our best shape yet. Sure, life in the new house is massively more comfortable than in that too-tiny apartment, but our schedule remains just as messy. To repay the loan and program the renovations the house needs we still need to save as much money as we can, but working systematically overtime while taking care of a toddler still means that our free time remains a mirage, just like a decent night of sleep. Both I and Juno are exhausted, that's what.
Rowan: How is the tax declaration this year? All things considered, I guess there are way more forms than usual to fill in.
Juno: Don't worry, at work I'm always making way harder budgets than this one. I should manage to finish before going to sleep.
Rowan: Great. I'm reading to Gaia her bedtime story then, and after that I have some urgent paperwork to finish before tomorrow.
Juno: I see.
Rowan: Ready to go to sleep?
Gaia: No sleepy, I play!
Juno: There isn't any need to make that face, Nacho.
Nacho: Mewh?
A few hours later
Completing that paperwork took even more time than I had anticipated, the police really sent us a pile of messy and barely readable stuff this time. I knew it was late, but I didn't want to believe the clock when I finally raised my eyes from the screen while switching the laptop off.
I'm very, very tired at this point, so tired that even just sleeping a few hours at this desk doesn't sound as unappealing as it should. At this time Juno is surely sleeping already, anyway, and I don't want to wake her up. And also in the case she isn't, I don't think I would be able to hold a conversation. All I want is to switch my head off for a few hours and recharge a bit my batteries, that's what...
Juno: (to herself) I guess he's not coming tonight either...
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An unspecified number of weeks later
Gaia: Let's play!
Rowan: (surprised) Oh, hi Gaia. Sorry, but I really don't have time to play with you right now, I have some very urgent emails to send.
Gaia: Ugh!
Rowan: I'll join you as soon as I can. Why don't you start to explain to me what game you want to play, in the meantime?
Gaia: Then Rino flies away, and then the house...
Juno: Gaia, I told you to wait while I prepared you breakfast!
Gaia: I play with dad!
Juno yawned for a good five seconds, before fully realising I was already working. At that point she said to me, very straightforwardly:
Juno: Did you sleep at all tonight, Rowan?
Rowan: I was very late, today we have a big meeting about that big case. But I slept a few hours on the sofa, I didn't want to wake you up in the middle of the night.
Juno: But… (Shrugs) Well, whatever. Anyway, do you think you will manage to bring Gaia to daycare? It's quite late already.
Rowan: I know, I know, I'm finishing this and then we're ready to go, don't worry.
Juno: Uh...
Gaia: Cat!
Rowan: His name is Nacho.
Gaia: Na-ho?
Rowan: Close enough.
Gaia: Hi Na-ho!
Rowan: C'mon, it's time to go!
Gaia: Yes, bike!
That afternoon, just before picking up Gaia to bring her back home, I had to participate in another of Juno's company fundraisings. They seem to be in an expansion phase, and they are organising these events more and more often. I already had to refuse her invitations to events like this too many times, I couldn't say no again. So I took a few hours off work and joined her.
Juno: Hi, I'm glad you managed to make it this time!
???: I think we were never introduced, right? I'm Logan, I organised this fundraising with Juno. You're Rowan instead, right? Nice to meet you!
Rowan: (perplexed) Nice to meet you too(?)
Logan: Today Juno is just fabulous, I'm sure she won't pass unnoticed!
As if to underline what he had said, he then patted her shoulder with far more emphasis than was necessary.
Juno: (flattered) C'mon, don't exaggerate!
Logan: But I'm not exaggerating, it's the truth!
It doesn't happen often that I dislike someone at first sight, but that guy really takes the cake for that. Who the heck was that guy?
Rowan: Not to be rude, but is this how you usually work in here?
Juno seemed to have immediately guessed what I was thinking, and she was probably afraid that I might say something wrong, because she immediately grabbed me by my arm and dragged me away to talk, in private.
Juno: There's no need to be jealous, Logan is just a very friendly person.
Rowan: You mean he behaves that way with everyone?
Juno: I would say so, yes.
Rowan: …
Juno: Don't worry anyway, I know what I'm doing. Just trust me, okay?
This said, she returned among the guests to present their project, and convince them to make donations. I don't know, Juno understands social situations much better than I do, after all. Still, I really can't change my first impression of that guy, I really don't like him at all.
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The weekend is the only part of the week where we have a chance to have some free hours, that we usually dedicate to Gaia. We often go to the city park, at least when the weather allows it, as she just loves to run around and climb around the playground.
Between her and Juno, I don't know who has more fun, they certainly love playing together like this.
Gaia: Mom, play!
Juno: Ah ah, do you want to fly?
Gaia: Yes, yes!
Juno: Uh, where are you hiding now?
Gaia: Ah ah!
Later we briefly went to New Sixam, so that Gaia could spend some time with her cousins. Since we live so far away from the rest of our relatives, we think it's important to make an effort to allow them to bond too.
Caleb: But she's so small!
Rick: Well, she's normal, at her age.
Caleb: Oh.
Gaia: (cheerfully) Hi!
River: We don't all need to be here in the street. Let's go inside, I'll prepare something for you to snack on.
Gaia: Snack, yes!
Gaia actually fell asleep on an armchair almost immediately, but it was a nice afternoon all the same.
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Another unspecified number of weeks later
This is a very tough week, I and Juno have a ton of stuff to do at work and we really struggled to make a schedule that could also fit with Gaia's daycare. Getting up in the morning and finding the motivation to work all those hours is becoming a real challenge, honestly I would gladly hide in the studio for a few days (at least). But obviously I can't afford to do that, and every morning I just put on a face that I hope could seem convincing and hold on for another day.
Rowan: I'm taking the grocery list, I and Gaia can pass from the store before returning back home this evening. Did you notice anything else we need to buy?
Juno: I don't think so, that should be enough.
Rowan: Okay. Then, if your fundraising tonight ends earlier than expected and you want to join us for dinner, just call.
Juno: Sure.
Rowan: Well, let's get going then.
Juno: (distracted) Uh...
Rowan: Ehy, are you all right?
Juno: Uhm? Sure, that's nothing...
Rowan: Well, see you tonight then!
Gaia: Bye, dad!
Juno: Ready to go, Gaia?
Probably I should have noticed earlier that something was off, or at least in retrospect it is easy to think so. Instead I didn't, and I limited myself to drag myself through the schedule of yet another day.
Rowan: She'll be here for your goodnight story, don't worry.
Gaia: Uhm.
Rowan: Rather, did you have fun with your friends today?
Gaia. Yes! There was Emy, and Tim. We coloured the wall!
Rowan: I see... Anyway, what about finding Nacho now? I'm sure he would be glad to play with you.
Gaia: Yeah, Na-ho, Na-ho!
I finally realised something was very wrong when I saw Juno who, unexpectedly, showed up several hours earlier than expected, rushing to our bedroom without even talking to us. I had no idea about what had happened, but I had a strong suspicion that she cried before arriving.
So that Gaia was napping, for once, I didn't think twice, and just followed her.
Rowan: (worried) Hey, did something happen?
Juno: Mh...
She seemed upset, but also extremely reluctant to answer me, I've never seen her like that. And this could only make me worry even more.
Juno: I... I'm so ashamed of myself, I'm such an idiot!
Rowan: What happened, Juno?
Juno: I.. Do you remember Logan, that colleague of mine?
Rowan: (nods warily)
Juno: Well... Everyone drank way more than usual at this fundraising, and... I mean, I...
Rowan: You're making me worry, it's something bad?
Juno: I...
She then tried to tell me what had happened, but her voice was shaking so much I could barely follow what she was saying.
At that point she burst into tears again, hiding her face in her hands, and she could only mutter that she wanted some time alone.
I just had so many questions, what she was telling me just didn't make sense. Was I really that blind not to notice anything? I really don't know what to do, or what to think, my dear diary, how could this be happening to us?
Oh yes, the customer / client giving you the unecessary life story you don't have to listen to... We've all been there! Don't make that face, Nacho! You don't have to go to work and your fluffy little butt lives rent-free on top of the fridge! Logan better watch his step, 'he's just touchy with everyone' won't matter if he gets too hands-on with Juno! Rowan will be having none of that!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Gaia, miniature vandal, good on her : P I wonder what's gotten Juno upset? Okay, so she was drunk and flirted a bit too much with Logan. What I want to say here is: They can probably work through this, for Gaia's sake, and Juno can be given another chance.
HOWEVER, there's something in the back of my mind: I am wondering if this isn't a honest and drunken mistake. This is a long shot since I don't think Juno would do this to Rowan given their closeness and the face they have a kid together, but when she said Logan 'is like this around everyone'...Is that actually a lie and an excuse? I really hope not.
Thanks a lot for your comments today, as always!
DeleteThere is a lot going on in this chapter, for sure it rises more doubts than answer any question...
As for your doubt, it's definitively a possibility, like many others. It's actually a messy situation, it will take several chapters to explain everything, so now I can't say much more today :X