~Zoey~
I walked out onto the balcony, feeling the fresh beach air push against my face. I smelled nature from the saltwater ocean, felt it from the sun glaring into my eyes and heard it from birds singing while soaring over the water.
We were in Rio de Janeiro, one of my grad school graduation gifts from Stenton. The others came two months ago when I graduated: jewelry and a new car. This was my dream. I was beside myself with glee. Jordan and I arrived last night, and after an early dinner, we found ourselves passed minutes after hitting the door of our villa. When I awoke this morning, like a kid on the morning of her birthday, I flew out of bed to dress and took in Brazilian nature. Jordan was far more slow paced, groggy in his exhaustion. As I hung over the railing of the wooden patio, I slowly and deeply inhaled the fresh air.
In my musing, I didn’t know how I ended up in such splendor. Wait…scratch that. I knew exactly how I did. Stenton. However, I didn’t quite get why I’d agreed to this trip.
“Mommy,” I heard that adorable little toddler tenor pour out from behind me.
I turned to him and saw Jordan at the doorway, holding out my cell phone to me. “Yes, baby?”
“The phone,” he informed, almost in a melancholy fashion with his eyes barely open against the bright sun and clouds.
He knew I preferred he didn’t answer my phone…an iPhone that was code protected. My child knew how to unlock my phone at three years old. Even though it was a hint of his aptitude, it somewhat annoyed me. That was because he’d only known how to do it because his father had taught him on his third birthday. One day when he was left alone with mine, Jordan attempted the same four numbers, and coincidentally unlocked my phone. The code was my two-digit birth month and his two-digit birth year. Ever since then I had no privacy.
“Who is it, JR?” I asked with a glower, one that had no effect on my child because his eyes were still closed.
He looked so much like his father, I couldn’t help but observe. Jordan had his father’s thick eyebrows, Stenton’s heart shaped lips, and his long lashes. And that particular morning, he wore Stenton’s tight morning face. Unlike his father, however, Jordan wasn’t a morning person.
“It’s my daddy,” he mumbled over a yawn. “I gotta pee, Mommy!” he shrieked, shaking the phone with urgency.
I leaped to grab the phone. “Go!” I nearly shouted, not understanding how he could hear my phone ring when we didn’t even share a room.
This must have meant that he tried to sneak into my bed to catch his last bit of sleep and found a ringing phone instead. The little punk.
“Hello,” I answered the phone.
“Good morning, Elizabeth,” Stenton sounded as though his mouth kissed the phone, his voice rumbled so fluidly.
“You know only my momma calls me that when she’s angry with me,” I feigned annoyance, my lips warming into a smirk.
“Well then, that’ll make two of us,” he stated emphatically. “You didn’t call last night to let me know you two had checked in.”
I rolled my eyes as my smile remained. Not even Stenton’s sudden bossiness could break my morning bliss.
“We were starving when the plane landed, and exhausted. We grabbed a bite and collapsed minutes after hitting the door. It’s no biggie. We’re here, alive,” I assured. “Plus, I know Srey told you. It was a long flight.”
“But I could have tucked him in. I’m sure he would have enjoyed that.”
I couldn’t help my snort. “Yeah, but I can’t decide who would’ve enjoyed it most—you or Jordan.”
Those two were like play fiends when together. They were addicted to each other. I’d never seen anything like it. Since I had no brothers, I couldn’t reference a father/son bond. These two topped the charts, I was sure.
“Okay, so I’ll see you tonight at dinner, right?”