shoulder. “I’ll do it. I’ll take the day off.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Really?”
His look of incredulity annoyed her no end. Who did he think got Savannah ready for Nanny every morning? Took her to the doctor? The dentist? Who smiled as Savannah dragged her from store to store until they finally found a Halloween costume that met with their daughter’s approval?
“Okay,” he said when she deliberately didn’t speak. “Terrific.”
Caroline gave a faint smile. Even if he meant it to be flattering, his words didn’t seem like a compliment. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m running into a blazing building.” She twisted the edge of the comforter into a complicated knot. She had to teach a class in two hours. Three surgeons were expecting her in the afternoon. Reports were due. It was close to the end of the month. Moreover, weren’t they interviewing a new part-time pathologist to cover weekends?
“Maybe I can take her into work with me,” Caroline said. “Ana could watch her when I’m out of the office. I’ll bring in the iPad, for movies. Or books—I’ll download some new books.”
“An iPad can’t watch Savannah. Forget it. I already said I’d do it.” Peter lay back and put his hands behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling as though he preferred it to looking at Caroline.
She opened her mouth to defend herself, but nothing came out. She fell down on the bed beside Peter. He continued looking at the ceiling, his jaw tight, his mouth pressed to a deep drawn-in line.
“Come on. Look at me.” Caroline placed her hand on his bristly cheek, trying to turn him, but he remained a mummy. “Haven’t you ever said something in the excitement of a moment? Wanted to do something good and then realized it was impossible?”
He turned and looked at her. “Not when it comes to my family.”
• • •
It was Saturday, and Caroline wanted to please Peter and Savannah. She hurried downstairs while Peter showered and Savannah slept. Caroline had at least twenty minutes before everyone gathered for breakfast.
She had an appointment for a makeover in a few hours, and if that wasn’t unusual enough, she planned to bring along Savannah. When she’d received the baffling offer for a free makeover, she shocked herself by scheduling an appointment, desperate enough to think it might bring her back to life. Somewhere she’d lost her physical desires. Her need for Peter, once so strong, had at first dissipated, then disappeared, and now she dreaded his touch.
Believing that a facial and having cosmetics smeared on her face might help her was ridiculous, but Caroline wanted a miracle, even one from a jar.
Despite being a bit nervous, as this was so wholly outside her ken, Caroline felt unexpected optimism about going to juliette&gwynne, though she hoped their affected use of lower-case letters didn’t portend a place so chichi that Caroline would be dressed wrong no matter what she chose—which, considering her closet, was not unlikely.
She wondered what database had lifted her name from obscurity and deemed her worthy of Juliette Soros’s personal ministrations. Caroline lacked familiarity with the world of beauty authorities, but when she’d mentioned Juliette’s name to a lab assistant, she’d reacted as though Caroline had been granted an audience with the Queen.
Caroline mixed eggs into a bowl of broken bits of bread, her quick version of French toast. As the soggy mess sizzled, Savannah rode into the kitchen on Peter’s shoulders, smiling as she always did when near her father. Peter was lit up in that way he did only with Savannah. Had he once produced such high wattage for Caroline?
“Look!” Caroline tipped the pan toward them. “French toast eggs.”
“Way to go.” Peter swung Savannah down and placed her in a chair in one graceful swoop. His wide shoulders that tapered to a trim waist made him appear taller than five foot eight. He and
He cocked his head to the side. “Really?”
His look of incredulity annoyed her no end. Who did he think got Savannah ready for Nanny every morning? Took her to the doctor? The dentist? Who smiled as Savannah dragged her from store to store until they finally found a Halloween costume that met with their daughter’s approval?
“Okay,” he said when she deliberately didn’t speak. “Terrific.”
Caroline gave a faint smile. Even if he meant it to be flattering, his words didn’t seem like a compliment. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m running into a blazing building.” She twisted the edge of the comforter into a complicated knot. She had to teach a class in two hours. Three surgeons were expecting her in the afternoon. Reports were due. It was close to the end of the month. Moreover, weren’t they interviewing a new part-time pathologist to cover weekends?
“Maybe I can take her into work with me,” Caroline said. “Ana could watch her when I’m out of the office. I’ll bring in the iPad, for movies. Or books—I’ll download some new books.”
“An iPad can’t watch Savannah. Forget it. I already said I’d do it.” Peter lay back and put his hands behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling as though he preferred it to looking at Caroline.
She opened her mouth to defend herself, but nothing came out. She fell down on the bed beside Peter. He continued looking at the ceiling, his jaw tight, his mouth pressed to a deep drawn-in line.
“Come on. Look at me.” Caroline placed her hand on his bristly cheek, trying to turn him, but he remained a mummy. “Haven’t you ever said something in the excitement of a moment? Wanted to do something good and then realized it was impossible?”
He turned and looked at her. “Not when it comes to my family.”
• • •
It was Saturday, and Caroline wanted to please Peter and Savannah. She hurried downstairs while Peter showered and Savannah slept. Caroline had at least twenty minutes before everyone gathered for breakfast.
She had an appointment for a makeover in a few hours, and if that wasn’t unusual enough, she planned to bring along Savannah. When she’d received the baffling offer for a free makeover, she shocked herself by scheduling an appointment, desperate enough to think it might bring her back to life. Somewhere she’d lost her physical desires. Her need for Peter, once so strong, had at first dissipated, then disappeared, and now she dreaded his touch.
Believing that a facial and having cosmetics smeared on her face might help her was ridiculous, but Caroline wanted a miracle, even one from a jar.
Despite being a bit nervous, as this was so wholly outside her ken, Caroline felt unexpected optimism about going to juliette&gwynne, though she hoped their affected use of lower-case letters didn’t portend a place so chichi that Caroline would be dressed wrong no matter what she chose—which, considering her closet, was not unlikely.
She wondered what database had lifted her name from obscurity and deemed her worthy of Juliette Soros’s personal ministrations. Caroline lacked familiarity with the world of beauty authorities, but when she’d mentioned Juliette’s name to a lab assistant, she’d reacted as though Caroline had been granted an audience with the Queen.
Caroline mixed eggs into a bowl of broken bits of bread, her quick version of French toast. As the soggy mess sizzled, Savannah rode into the kitchen on Peter’s shoulders, smiling as she always did when near her father. Peter was lit up in that way he did only with Savannah. Had he once produced such high wattage for Caroline?
“Look!” Caroline tipped the pan toward them. “French toast eggs.”
“Way to go.” Peter swung Savannah down and placed her in a chair in one graceful swoop. His wide shoulders that tapered to a trim waist made him appear taller than five foot eight. He and
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