Party of Four

And a Workspace for Him - Nica

I watched Gwen hustle across the grass from my window. Her arms are wrapped around that brown paper-wrapped secret like it was a long lost relative. Once she disappeared into the cottage, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

A moment later my bedroom door creaked open. Cole stepped in, his expression relaxed now that the “tummy time” workout was over. He sank onto the edge of my bed and let out a long sigh.

Just before Riley had gotten home, we had started planning his Christmas gift. I’d went to the kitchen to get us coffee, and next thing I knew, he was walking through the door. “He’s giving Poppy her pre-nap bottle,” Cole murmured, not wanting his voice to carry, even through my closed door.

I sat next to him and rested my head on his shoulder. “He’s been working so hard lately. Between double shifts at the restaurant, the baby, and whatever he has going on with your mom and the wedding binder… I don’t think he’s sat still for more than twenty minutes since Thanksgiving.”

“I know. He’s the architect,” Cole said, reaching out to trace the line of my hand with his thumb. “He’s so busy making sure the roof doesn’t leak on us that he forgets he needs to sit too. He spends all of his off time hunched over his computer or the binders… or his journal. It’s gotta be killing his back.”

“Which is exactly why we’re sticking to the plan for his gift,” I said, shifting so I could look him in the eye. “Did you give your dad the measurements of the alcove yet?”

Cole gave me a conspiratorial smirk, “I did.”

Even though we had an extra bedroom that was being used as both storage and a guest room, Riley didn’t have his own dedicated space for his “office.” So we were going to turn the alcove between the kitchen and the dining room into his own workspace. We’d picked out a high-end ergonomic desk chair — the kind he could sit in for hours and not groan when he stood up — and a high-res laptop dock with a curved screen. There would be no more squinting at a twelve inch screen while he tried to balance the household budget, maintain Poppy’s charts, and organize whatever other secret projects he was working on.

“I also ordered the espresso machine he said he wanted. It’s addressed to mom, so he’ll have no idea when it comes in that it’s his.”

“We’re giving him a sanctuary,” I smiled, leaning my head on Cole’s shoulder again. “A place where he can be the ‘manager’ of the house and not feel like he’s in the way.”

Riley was so used to being the one that provided service. He was the one that made sure everyone else’s glass was full and their needs were met. Being on the receiving end of a grand gesture usually made him squirm, but he deserved a space that was just for his brain to work.

“He’s going to complain we spent too much money,” Cole whispered.

“He’ll complain for exactly five minutes while he checks the warranty,” I countered. “And then he’ll realize he has a dedicated spot for his binders and his espresso, and he’ll never leave. We’re giving him the one thing he never gives himself. A bit of luxury.”

It felt right — plotting for him just like he and I had plotted for Cole. Just like whatever him and Gwen were plotting with the wedding binder.

“Three weeks,” Cole murmured, pulling me closer. “I think this is going to be the first Christmas where I’m not waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“No more shoes,” I promised.