mirah-riyad:
“Don’t tempt me. But I already went through half the trouble of fasting this morning and putting some extensions in. Now the dress is zipped and I’m putting heels on. It’s too late — I’ve committed.” Gazing into her reflection, she began threading her earrings through each hole while simultaneously watching Henry go through the motions of buttoning his shirt, applying beard oil, and finally getting into his shoes.
“We should at least make an appearance in case we need an alibi. But we both know it isn’t going to take you much to convince me. We’ll stay for one drink, two sorry-ass Owl City covers, and then you and I have a date with Queen Elsa and a vat of popcorn with the kids.” Before, Mirah wouldn’t have been caught dead missing a birth control appointment. The idea of kids in all their messy, sticky, fussy glory seemed beneath her. Now, after meeting Roland and Lela…and after assuming the role of their mother over the last several months, Mirah had weaned off her birth control in the hopes that Henry would hit the trifecta in knocking up another woman. So far, no cigar. But until then, she happily attended tea parties for Lela and custom-built LEGO castles with Roland and Henry. Her little family.
“The nanny’s got my new cell, right? In case anything happens? Will you grab my bag? Here, I’ve got the wax pen. I’m gonna take it in between my boobs in case we get checked at the door. And you better not give up your side piece. You’d have to be a dumbfuck to show up without so much as a rock and sling. Here, babe, I got it from the safe. Are we taking your car or mine?”
For a second, the man wears a faux pout, tilting his head. “I don’t know Mousey’,” he shrugs, something resembling a smug smirk going over his face as he goes on, “I think I’d be pretty good at getting you uncommitted.” The words were something they both knew held truth. When it got down to it, the two of them couldn’t keep their hands off of each other.
After getting his slacks pulled up, he walks to the dresser before putting his shirt on. He grabs the open bottle of wine, throwing his head back to take a few gulps. If he was going to make it through tonight with an actual smile, then he’d be needing a lot of this. Now, he moves on to his shirt, being careful with buttoning it up, as to not miss a button.
The nanny’s got my new cell, right?
Pausing, Henry thinks for a beat, before shrugging and muttering out a low, “I dunno.” As long as the nanny could get ahold of him, he was fine. Granted, Mirah was much better at answering the phone than he was, so he should have just given hers over in the first place.
Finally, he puts his fedora on, glancing to where her bag was and picking it up. At her question, he lets out a deep sigh. “Don’t make me drive, please. If I have to go, I get to drink. I’m not driving.”












