Time to Be Patient

Addison was running very late to her daughter preschool’s parent night. The last thing she needed was to be judge in anyway. The mothers at these schools could be ruthless and all she wanted to do was fly under the radar as much as possible. She carefully ran up the stairs to the front door, making sure to not trip in her heels. Addison began to curse as her phone bang to sing from inside her purse. She stopped midway down the hall to fish out her cell phone. Across the bright screen read her husbands name in clear white lettering.
“Michael, where are you?” She hissed into the receiver.
It took him a moment to respond, “I’m sorry, darling. I got done later then I expected and now I think I’m going to hit some traffic.”
“Baby,” I groaned, “it's parents night. You’re going to leave me here alone with all these couples?”
“I will do my best to be there. If I can’t, you can fill me in when I get home.”
Addison sighed, there was no reason to fight now. She was used to this by now. Michael in the past few months had become unreliable, and sometimes it felt unattainable. She knew that this year his job had come with a lot more pressure and responsibilities. The family finally move to Chicago and it hadn’t been easy for her. She left her support network behind in Canada, and felt so alone here. Yet, after not moving last year she knew she couldn’t take another year of long distance. Her kids were to young and their marriage was too new to put that much strain on it. So, she did what her mother told her was the right thing to do. Fallow her husband and be a good spouse.
“All right,” she said defeated, “I’ll see you later.”
“Goodbye, darling.”
She threw the phone back into her purse before continuing to the class room. She slowly walked into the room as the teacher was making her welcome speech. Her eyes searched to see if their was any familiar faces. Sitting in the second to last row was Patrick and Abby Sharp. She quickly, and quietly as possible walked towards them. Abby waved while Patrick cleared off a chair for her to sit.
“You’re late,” Patrick whispered.
“I know. Problems with the babysitter,” She rolled her eyes.
“Well, don’t worry you haven’t missed too much.”
Addison sat back and tried to pay attention to what all the teacher was talking about. All she could really think about is Michael. Everything seemed so different now between them. She knew this would happen eventually since they got married so young. It just didn’t seem like it would happen this early. She knew he had gotten used to being on his own last year. The family was together now, and she would just have to hold him responsible as her husband and a father. Her thoughts were broken by all the clapping from the other parents so she joined in. The teacher offered the parents food and to mingle some. The three stood up and headed to the snack table.
“How are you, Addison?” Abby said sweetly.
“I’m good,” grabbing some cheese, “just really tired from this move and getting the kids situated.”
“Where’s Michael?” Pat asked as they made their way over to the side of the room to stand.
Addison tapped a piece of cheese on her plate. She did her best to hold back all the bad emotions she was feeling for her husband. She looked over at the door hoping he would waltz through right at that moment. No luck. “He was running late, hopefully he will be here any moment.”
“Understandable,” Pat assured her, “the front office has really been in over drive after the Stanley Cup win last year.”
“They work this late?” Abby looked puzzle.
“Enough about hockey,” Addison smiled, “is Madelyn excited to start school soon?”
Abby rubbed her pregnant stomach, looking toward her husband, “I think she is. This is a lot of changes for her...”
“But, she is taking them like a champ,” Pat finished. “How about Evelyn?”
“I think starting school soon will make the move easier. It will be so nice to have the girls in the same class, too.”
They agreed before some of the guys began to introduce themselves to Patrick. Addison and Abby took that time to move about the room to meet all the different parents. Together they signed up for snack days and craft aids. Addison was so thankful that she had Abby, she knew with her by her side she’d be all right. It was almost time to leave when Michael showed up.
“Hello ladies,” he smiled as he wrapped his arm around Addison’s waste. “I’m sorry I’m so late. How was it?”
Addison sighed, but still kept a smile on here face. She was just so relieved that her husband was able to make it, no matter how late he was. “It was good. I’m sure we should go introduce ourselves to the teacher.”
Michael nodded his head as he looked around the room. He seemed very odd, but Addison shook it off, chalking it up just to him being late. Patrick returned to the group after the fathers were done with their pictures. “You made it man,” Sharp took Michael’s hand into his.
“Yeah, traffic was a bitch.” Addison hit him for swearing in a school causing Pat to laugh
“You guys should sign up for something together, and we’ll meet you over by the teacher,” Abby said sweetly as she pulled Addison along with her.

Addison arrived home before Michael. She walked up the front steps of the brown stone slowly, admiring how lovely the house looked. It made the move so much easier having such a lovely house to wake up in every day. Even her very picky polish mother agreed that the house was fit for nobility. She entered the home to find the nanny sitting in the living room reading one of her texts book.
“Hello Mrs. Morgan,” she looked up to her.
“Hello Casey,” Addison began removing her shoes and placing her purse on the bench. “How were they children? Did you have and problems?”
“No, they were perfect. Dominic woke up once looking for you, but I was able to get him back to bed.”
“Okay all right, how much do I owe you?” Addison reached in for her check book.
“Forty just for the evening,” Casey packed her things away.
Addison wrote out a check for fifty-five and showed the girl the door. As Casey walked out Michael walked in, carrying a bottle of wine. Addison watched her walk down the street before entering the brown stone again. She looked down the hall to see Michael in the kitchen pouring two glasses of red wine. All she wanted to do at the moment was change out of her skirt and top, and get cozy in bed. On the other hand it wasn’t very often she got a moment alone with her husband. She padded her way into the kitchen to hear Michael was humming. It was so nice to see him happy.
“Thank you for making it tonight,” she leaned her body across the island towards him.
“Even though I was late?” he handed her the generously poured glass of wine. Across his face was a huge smile, even his eyes were smiling. It was her old Michael back.
Addison smiled back, “Even if you were late, you still did your best to make it.”
Michael stood up straight and pulled at his tie loosing it then slipped off his jacket. Even though he was almost ten years older then she was, you could see that he kept his body well in shape. He was all about image, if Addison was going to be honest. She knew on some level she was a trophy wife. Young, beautiful blonde that gave him two beautiful children. It did bother her sometimes, since most just assumed that she wasn’t very bright. Still, her mother was right when she said ‘It’s better to have a husband that can protect you, then one that will always fail you.’ Besides that, she loved him and he had given her such a wonderful family and life. So what if she had to keep her thoughts to herself sometimes? Or look the other way when something didn’t feel right?
That is something every couple dealt with.
The couple sat in the kitchen and talked until their glasses were empty. Quietly the walked up the stairs, making a stop of the children’s floor to check up on then. Each one sleeping perfectly. When they reached the top floor, their room, the couple went their separate ways. Addison into her closet and Michael to the bathroom. When she was dressed in her silk nightgown she stepped out to find her husband a sleep with the TV on. Her heart sunk a little cause she had hoped they would do more that night. She climbed into bed, and turned off the TV. Rolling her body away from her husband, Addison reached her hand to grab her cellphone from her side table. She had a text message. She chewed on her lip debating if she should open it.
>>Hey sexy! Been thinking about you all day. When are you free again?
Her heart skipped a beat. She looked over to her sleeping husband, unaware of everything going on around him. She quickly typed back and curled up for sleep.
>Brandon, you know better to text me tonight. I’ve been thinking about you, too..