The Bonus

I pull the car into the driveway and stop the car; the kids barrel out and I glance over to Grace, she forces a smile and I can tell she thinks this is a bad idea.

“Are you ready to be waited on hand and foot, my dear Gracie?” I ask.

“Let’s just try and survive, shall we?”

“What are you talking about, I’ve got this in the bag.” I get out of the car and go around to her side. This is a piece of cake.

Not a drill, I do have this in the bag. Unbeknownst to Grace, Mark has already cooked us dinner and it’s in the fridge waiting for me to heat up. I had too many meetings and didn’t have time today.

I reach in and lift Gracie out of the car, she’s torn the ligaments on her left foot as well as broken her left wrist, her hand and forearm are in plaster. It’s a bit of a nightmare, she can’t walk on her foot but then can’t use crutches because of her hand. For the next few weeks, she needs to be carried around…not that I’m complaining. I’ll take any excuse to pick her up and hold her in my arms.

I carry her in through the front door. “Home sweet home, babes.” I look around. “Where do you want to sit?”

“On the couch?”

I gently put her down. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“Watch something.” I hand her the remote. “I’ll grab your stuff out of the car.”

This is my chance to show her how great I am around the house, she’s going to be madly in love with me very soon, I’m going to make sure of it.

I race out to the car and grab her things and a large plastic bag of medication. Her wrist is giving her grief and aching at night, the hospital gave me strict instructions that she is to have medication every four hours. I’m going to set my alarm so I keep on top of it.

I walk back in and take her bags upstairs and straighten up the quilt. I unpack her bag and take the things down to the laundry and throw everything in the washing machine and turn it on.

I’m nailing this domestic shit to the wall.

My phone beeps a text, it’s from Mark.

Put the stroganoff into the oven on 325.

I reply.

On it

I walk back out through the living room. She’s snuggled up with the kids on either side of her. “You okay, Gracie?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Good, I’m just going to throw some dinner together.”

A frown flashes across her face. “You’re cooking.”

“Yes,” I reply casually. “Of course I’m cooking, I thought you would want a home-cooked meal?”

“Oh.” She smiles, impressed. “I do.”

Ha!

She’s half in love with me already.

I go into the kitchen and carefully take the pre-prepared beef stroganoff out of the fridge and put it into the oven. I turn the dial on to 325 and hold my breath as the light goes on.

It’s working… Yes!

“What are you cooking?” she calls.

“An old family recipe, beef stroganoff,” I call. “You’ll love it.”

“Oh, wow.” I hear her and the kids chatting about dinner.

Ha, this is brilliant…I text Mark.

What time do I heat up the mash?

His reply bounces back in.

Half an hour

Three minutes in microwave,

stir and then another three minutes.

Right…what next?

I walk back out into the living room. “You guys going to have a bath before dinner?” I ask the kids.

“I’ll shower first,” Dom says. He bounces up the stairs.

Grace’s eyes find mine across the room and I smile proudly, things are going wonderfully.

An hour later, we sit around the dining table. “That was absolutely delicious.” Grace smiles. “Thank you.”

“I love to cook for my family.” I smile as I begin to collect the dinner plates. “You guys go and chill while I clean up the kitchen.” The kids disappear, and Grace looks up at me.

“Do you need Fabio to carry you to bed?”

“Fabio?”

“You know, Fabio…the sex god?”

“No, I don’t know Fabio.” She gives me a crooked smile. “But I would like to go upstairs if that’s okay…without the sex god.”

“Your wish is my command.” I pick her up and she puts her arm around my neck. I feel her touch all the way to the tip of my dick.

Stop it.

We begin to walk up the stairs and my legs burn, my chest hurts, and damn it…I haven’t done enough exercise lately.

“You okay?” she asks.

“Yes, of course. You’re as light as feather.”

You weigh a fucking ton, woman.

We get to the top of the stairs and I struggle down the hall, fully perspiring now and I sit her on the bed. “Do you need a shower?”

“No, I had one this afternoon at the hospital.” She looks around the room. “I do need some pain meds, though.”

“Yes.” I rush into the bathroom and carefully get her pills. “I’m going to send the kids in to say good night and then I’ll come and help you get your pajamas on.”

“Okay.”

I rush back down the stairs. “Guys, go say good night to Mom, I’m going to quickly straighten up the kitchen.”

“Already?” they grumble.

I practically throw the dishes into the sink and wipe the benches down. I need to help her undress and get ready for bed.

The urgency is real. Undressing Grace is my favorite thing in the world. I take the stairs two at a time and walk in to find the kids hugging Grace good night, and I smile as I watch them from the door.

She’s such a good mom. They absolutely adore her.

Sadness falls over me. How has she done this alone for so long?

I have so much to make up to her…and them.

“Into bed.” Grace smiles.

They both go to their rooms. I tuck in Lucia first. “You happy to have Mom home?” I ask.

“Yeah.” She puts her little arms up and hugs me. I hold her in my arms for a moment. “You’re such a good girl.” She lies down all happy with herself, and I pull the blanket up over her and kiss her forehead. “Good night, angel.”

“Good night, Daddy.”

Daddy.

I walk into Dominic’s room and he’s already in bed. I sit on the edge and pull the blankets up over him. “You happy Mom’s home?”

He nods. “Thanks for taking care of us,” he mumbles.

My heart.

“I’ll always take care of you.”

He gives me a stifled smile, and I bend down and kiss his forehead. “Good night, Son.”

“Good night, Dad.”

This could be the very best day of my life.

I turn the light off and walk up to Grace’s bedroom, “Where’s your nightgown, babe?”

“It’s in the top drawer.”

I look through the drawer. “I’m not going to come face-to-face with that dildo in here, am I?”

She smiles sleepily. “He’s gone into hiding after the last time he met you.”

“So he should.” I grab the nightdress and sit down beside her. “And when I say come face-to-face. I mean…you…come on my face.”

“Stop.” She smirks. “I am in no mood for your sexual inuendo.”

“I know, I know.” I take her shirt off over her head. “Just making sure you’re listening.”

I go to unfasten her bra. “Just put my nightie on first, thanks.”

“I’ve seen your boobs before.”

“This is…different.”

I roll my eyes and pull her nightie over her head and then reach around and undo her bra underneath it.

“How can you undo a bra from underneath clothes around the back of me?”

“I don’t know, it’s a fluke, I’ve never done it before in my life.” I pull the blankets back and slide her pants down.

Don’t look.

The last thing I need when I’m being Mother Theresa is a raging hard-on.

“Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

“Yes, please.”

I lift her and carry her in to sit on the toilet.

She widens her eyes. “Can you go out?”

“Ugh.” I go out and wait for a minute and hear the toilet flush.

“Okay.” I collect her and help her wash her hands and lay her back in bed. I put her on her side and arrange a pillow under her wrist and ankle. “You okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I turn the side lamp on and turn off the main light. “I’m going to have a shower,” I say.

“Okay.” She smiles sleepily. Those meds are working great.

I shower and soap myself up. Is it wrong that I’m beyond excited to be here looking after her? I feel like I won the lottery or something. Eventually, I walk into the bedroom in a towel to find Gracie sleeping like a baby and I smile as I watch her.

I throw on my boxer shorts and slink into bed. I lie on my side and watch her for the longest time.

Bruising is not her best look, I have to admit, but to me…she is perfect. Her long hair is splayed across her pillow and her dark lashes flutter as she breathes.

A real-life angel…my angel.

To her regulated breathing, I feel myself drifting into the abyss.

Beside her at last.

“Oww,” Grace cries.

I jump awake. “What?”

“You hit my arm when you rolled over.”

“Oh.” I wince. “Sorry.”

“What are you doing in this bed?”

“I…” I rub my eyes as I try to wake up. “I thought you might need something.”

“I don’t need you hurting me.”

“Sorry, sorry,” I mumble. “Go back to sleep.”

She exhales in frustration, and we lie in the darkness for a while. “Now my hand is aching.”

I roll over and look at my phone. “You can probably have some painkillers now, you were meant to have them in half an hour anyway.” I get up and grab the pills. She sits up and takes them.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

I lift her and take her to the bathroom. Fuck…I was in the deepest sleep then. I wait for her and then carry her back to bed and lie back down and close my eyes.

“Gabriel,” she whispers.

“Huh?” I jump awake.

“You’re breathing too loud.”

“What?” I screw up my face.

“Roll over, you are keeping me awake.”

“But I can’t sleep on that side.”

“Go to the couch, then,” she growls in an Exorcist voice.

“Fuck’s sake, calm down.” I roll over and put my back to her and I’m so uncomfortable, this is not my sleeping position at all. I try to lie as still as I can so as to not disturb her.

Eventually, I close my heavy eyes.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

I jump awake. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Your phone alarm is going off.”

“Oh.” I forgot to turn it off. I switch it off.

“How could you forget that?”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t have forgotten.” I close my heavy eyelids.

“Mom,” someone yells from a distance. “Mom.”

I keep dreaming. Shut up, kid.

“Mom…”

I jerk awake. “Fuck.” I stumble out of bed; Lucia is full crying now and I kick my toe on the bedpost and go hurtling toward the wall.

Ahhh…my toe has been dislocated.

“Stop being so fucking noisy,” Grace grumbles. “You’ve woken up Lucia.”

“She woke me up.” I hop around. “My toe is not okay.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your toe.”

“Obviously.” I limp into Lucia’s room. “What’s wrong, baby?” She’s crying, and I sit beside her. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s okay.” I stroke her hair.

“Can you lie with me, Daddy?”

“Okay.” I scooch up on the side of her tiny single bed and smile as I close my eyes.

“Gabriel!” Grace yells from the other room. I jump awake.

“What now?”

“I need you.”

I throw the blankets back. This is the worst night’s sleep of my life.

I go to step and my toe radiates pain… ”Ahh, fuck.” I limp back to Grace’s bed. “What?”

“Don’t what me,” she snaps, “You said you were looking after me, don’t what me.”

I imagine myself throwing her out the window. “What is it, Grace?”

“I’m thirsty.”

“So drink your water.”

“It’s all gone. I need some cold water.”

“From the fridge downstairs?”

“Do you mind?”

I do, actually…

“Fine.” I limp down the hall and stairs in the darkness. The room glows from the refrigerator light as I open it. I glance over and see my keys sitting on the counter.

Maybe I could sleep in my car?

I fill the glass with water and make my way back upstairs. I pass Grace her water, she gulps…and gulps…and gulps…and gulps…jeez.

“Thirsty?”

“Don’t try me,” she snarls.

I grit my teeth and get back into bed. She’s testing my last nerve. I close my eyes.

“I need to go to the toilet again,” she whispers into the darkness.

I slap my hands over my eyes. This can’t be happening.

“That’s what happens when you drink like a fucking camel, Grace.”

“That’s it. Go home.”

Don’t tempt me, woman.

I flick the blankets back and pick her up. “Perhaps I should put a catheter in.”

“Perhaps you should shut your mouth.”

“You’re not a great patient.”

“Yeah, well… You’re not a great nurse.”

I hobble with her back to bed and lay her down, then stumble into bed.

Grace

The throb in my arm wakes me from my slumber, and I screw up my face in pain. The sun is peeking through the crack in the curtains, and I look over to see Gabriel is not in bed with me. He must be downstairs.

Zzzzz.

I sit up. “Huh?” I can hear him breathing. I lean down and look under the bed to see him sleeping flat on his back on the hard floor with not even a blanket.

I glance at the clock. 8:20 a.m.

Shit.

“Gabriel,” I stammer. “Gabriel.”

His eyes slowly open before closing again.

“We’ve slept in,” I tell him.

“Ironic, seeing as how I didn’t sleep at all.” He keeps his eyes closed.

“Seriously, you have to get the kids up.”

“They can have the day off.”

“They can’t, it’s photo day.”

“I’ll take a photo of them with my phone.”

“Gabriel,” I snap.

He drags himself up onto his elbow and forces his weary eyes open. I burst out laughing. His hair is standing on end and his eyes are red and bloodshot.

“You look bad,” I whisper.

“I feel worse.” He pulls his hand down his face as he sits up.

“You have to go and pack the lunches and get the kids ready.”

He nods and climbs to his feet. He limps out of the bedroom.

“What happened to your foot?” I call after him.

“I broke my toe in the middle of the night…not that anyone fucking cares.”

I lie in bed and listen to him walk down each stair. “Ahh… Ohhh… Fuck… Ahh.”

“Kids,” I call. “You need to wake up. We slept in.”

My phone beeps a text.

Do you want coffee?

I reply.

You don’t have time for coffee.

I smile to myself as I wait for his reply.

I don’t have time for your negativity.

“Kids,” I call again. “You need to wake up.”

My phone beeps a text.

What do I pack them for lunch?

I reply.

A sandwich and some fruit.

A bottle of water and a few cookies or something.

Their lunch boxes are in their bags.

Dominic appears at my door. “Hey, buddy.” I smile and hold my arms out for him, he comes and cuddles me for a moment. “You need to wake your sister up and go down and check on your father.”

“What’s he doing?”

“He’s making your lunch and might need a hand.”

“Oh no!” we hear Gabriel yell from downstairs. “What the hell do you call this?”

“What’s he doing?” Dominic asks.

“I have no idea, go down and check on him, please.” Dominic gets up and walks downstairs.

“Oh my god!” Gabriel cries. I hear a sound and I listen to try to make out what it is…wait…is he dry heaving?

“There will be no school today,” he bellows through the house. I hear the front door open and slam.

I hear a shuffle up the stairs and Dom appears; he’s panting and looks panicked.

“What’s going on down there?” I ask.

“A banana has gone rotten and smashed all through Lucy’s bag, it’s all on her pencils and everything. Dad is heaving and threw the bag out the front door.”

“Oh.”

Gabriel appears at the door; his eyes are wild. “In what universe do you put a banana in a school bag without a container?”

I stare at him.

“It’s all slimy and…it stinks and…” He dry retches as he thinks of it. “I’ll never eat a banana again.”

“You’re going to have to clean it.”

“How?”

“With a wet cloth?”

He dry retches at just the thought of it.

“Okay, she can use another bag. You need to wake her up first.”

He limps off, and I listen to him talking to her. “Wake up, baby girl.”

“No. Go away,” she snaps. “I’m tired.”

“Join the club.” I hear him hobble down the stairs. “Get up.”

Lucia walks into my room and crawls into bed with me. “You need to get ready, honey, we’re late today.”

She disappears, and I hear more things slamming around downstairs.

What is he doing down there?

“I hate Tupperware,” he cries. A cupboard door slams and I smile to myself. I wish I had a camera down there so I could watch this firsthand.

Eventually, the three of them appear at my door. “We’ve come to say goodbye.”

I hug Dominic and then turn to Lucia. “You need your hair done, bubba.”

Gabriel’s face falls. “Oh.”

“Get the brush.” I point to the dresser. “Just brush her hair and tie it up. Quickly, though, you’re going to be late.”

Gabriel grabs the brush and then looks over Lucia’s hair, he picks up the top layer to find a mass of knots lying underneath. His eyes widen in horror. “What in the rat’s nest is this?”

“Just brush it.”

“What?”

“Pull the brush through the knots.”

“I don’t know if you’ve seen these knots, Grace, but this isn’t a simple brush-through kind of situation.”

“Give me the brush.” I hold out my good hand, and he passes it over. I begin to quickly brush through the knots. Lucia screws up her face as her head pulls back with each stroke.

“Enough.” Gabriel snatches the brush from me. “That’s barbaric.” He begins to brush through her hair slowly and carefully.

“You’re going to be late.”

“I don’t give a flying…” He looks around and remembers where he is. “That’s fine.” He continues brushing at a snail’s pace.

Dominic rolls his eyes and snatches the brush from Gabriel. “Let me do it.” He grabs the scrunchie and puts her hair into a ponytail, it’s messy but it will do.

God help the photos today; they are going to be a disaster.

“Off you go,” I tell them.

“When I get back, we have to go to my house. I have a Zoom meeting at eleven and I need an office,” he tells me.

“Okay.”

I get a quick kiss on the cheek and the three of them run down the stairs and I hear the car take off. I smile into the silence.

First morning down…