Work in Progress

When Chloe goes into labour, Luca can't be reached. She gives birth to a boy and, though lost in the glow of new motherhood, she is concerned that Luca missed the birth. Why did he not have his phone on?

Baby Dominic slept through the night as soon as he came home from the hospital. There was none of the nighttime crying that Chloë had heard about. He was so quiet and content that she often went into his room just to watch him sleep. Just to see him breathe. She had to fight the urge to wake him, to take him in her arms and hold him to her. Though she knew she was fortunate to be spared the stress and fussing of a less serene infant, she wanted to swaddle him, to rock him. She wanted to do everything for him. Dom had become her life.

“He just won’t cooperate with me,” Chloë complained to Carm. Sometimes I think he doesn’t like me. He’s always seems so much happier when Luca comes home and picks him up for a cuddle.”

“That’s the way it is,” Carm said. “You can’t predict what they’ll be like. You’re just lucky he sleeps through the night. Besides, you have him all day. Luca is more exciting since he gets to do the big arrival home. Bruno was the same. But Manuela and Luca? They were nighttime terrors, always wanting to be held and rocked, then screaming sirens as soon as you’d put them in their cribs.”

“Yeah, I know you’re right, but I don’t want to let go of him, ever.”

“That’s a bit unrealistic, Chloë,” she advised. “Wait until he’s older and you have to let him go…to school, to play ridiculous, dangerous sports like hockey or football. Appreciate all the time you have with him now. Geez, you have him all to yourself for…what…12 hours every day?”

“About that…” she admitted. “…when Luca does the regular day shift. I’m glad his hours have stabilized. When we have an agreed-upon routine, it’s so much better. And easier.”

Carm wasn’t sure what it was about the way Chloé had just said. ‘if things were easier’ with a routine, how they were should the routine got interrupted. “None of my business,” she thought, as she folded the last tea towel from the laundry and put it into a kitchen drawer. “There. Done. Anything else I can help with?” she asked Chloë. “I’ve finished putting the laundry away.”

“No, I don’t think so. Nothing else needs to be done today. Sit down and relax, Chloë urged. “I’ll make coffee.”

“No, no thank you, bambina. Gino needs my help getting deliveries ready. Joanna is sick today. I’d better get going.”

Chloë had nearly finished mopping the kitchen floor. “OK, and thanks so much. I’d be lost without you.”

“No you wouldn’t, but it’s nice to be appreciated. You’re welcome.”

“I’m off,” Carm said as she opened the side door to the kitchen. Arrivederci, bella.”

“Bye,” Chloë replied as she gave Carm a quick hug. And thank you again. I hope you know how much I appreciate you.”

Chloë watched as Carm walked down the hall to the elevator, then returned Carm's wave.

Closing the door, she walked over to the bassinet between the kitchen and livingroom. Dom was asleep, much to Chloë’s disappointment. “I don’t know how you can sleep with all that noise from the apartment above,” she said, looking down at him.

They were loud. Chloë hadn’t laid eyes on them, but she knew the name from the unit directory at the front entrance. It seemed their lives were in constant party mode as they never seemed to keep the same hours, nor did they seem to sleep. Chloë had complained about them often to Luca.

“Yeah, OK, they’re loud sometimes, but it’s not that bad.” He never got the full impact of the ruckus, with working 10 hours a day. He’d taken on some overtime to earn a bit more now they were a family of three. Chloë appreciated the extra effort but, because he had become so central to her life, she missed him any time he was out of the apartment. Still, she took comfort that she was able to stay home full-time. How new mothers could go back to work so soon after giving birth was beyond her, and she silently thanked Luca for working the extra hours.

“Chlo, remember it’s Thursday. I’ll be home late,” Luca called from the door as he was leaving. “I forgot it was Thursday,” she thought. It seemed like it had only been Thursday a few days ago.

“OK,” she replied, sticking her head out from the kitchen. “Have a good day.”

“You, too,” Luca shouted as closed the apartment door.

Chloë wasn’t sure how she felt about Thursdays. On the one hand, Luca wouldn’t ever get home before midnight and usually wound up falling asleep on the couch, the TV droning on in the background; on the other hand, she had the extra quiet hours with Dominic to herself.

She knew it was good for Luca to have Thursdays out with his friends. Every other weeknight, he’d go to bed just after he and Chloë put Dominic down for the night. Chloë spent the rest of the evening watching TV while she practiced knitting. Carm had shown her how it was done but, being left-handed, Chloë had a hard time following the instructions and patterns. She had found a few series that she liked to watch, and that kept her busy in between the many times she went to check on Dominic, hoping he might want a cuddle in the rocking chair.

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“How you doing, bud?” Gary asked as Lucas took off his jacket and sat across the table from him. “Work OK these days?” Gary had moved to another job, and now the two saw each other only on Thursdays. “The other guys are gonna be a bit late,” he said. “Keenan said to go ahead and order for them as well. They won’t be that long.”

Luca said, “Things are OK, as good as they can be. Having that little man puts me in a great mood when I think of him. And he’s getting big really fast.”

“You plan to get him into soccer the minute he’s old enough?”

“Of course. You know it.” Luca laughed.

The two traded the usual pleasantries about work and sports while they waited.

“You sure you’re alright, man?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You seem a bit off.”

“Nah. Probably just tired. The baby keeps me up a lot of the night,” Luca lied.

“So, did she tell you what time to be home tonight as usual?” Gary asked.

“She doesn’t tell me. She inquires.”

“What time you leaving here tonight? And how long after that do you expect to get home?

Before Luca could respond, Keenan and Buddy arrived. Almost as if it were planned, the first order - nachos for the table - came. The newcomers ordered a pitcher of beer, and the old friends spent the next few hours laughing and discussing hockey scores.

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“What time did you get home last night?” Chloë was pouring coffee and warming up Dominic’s bottle.

“Uh…I don’t know for sure,” said Luca, finishing the toast she’d made for him. He feigned a bepuzzled look. “It was before 1, I know that.”

“Tired this morning?” she asked.

“A bit, but it’ll be fine.”

“Don’t forget we’re going to that sale downtown tomorrow.” Chloë had seen a few things she’d like to get for Dom, and the sale was too good to miss.

“Do you really need me?” he asked, holding out hope for a reprieve.

“Don’t you want to be involved in your son’s affairs?” Chloë huffed.

“Affairs?” Luca echoed. “Babies don’t have affairs. Kids don’t have affairs. They have things. And a baby doesn’t need half of what we’ve already bought for him.”

“Fine, never mind. I’ll take the baby with me.”

“Why can’t he stay with me?” Dom asked, sounding annoyed.

“What are you planning to do tomorrow?”

“I don’t know,” came the response. “Hang around, play a few video games, watch TV, maybe go to the park.”

Chloë said, “He loves the park. That’s a good idea.”

“I’m not home all day like you, Chlo‘. I don’t get to do all the fun at-home things.”

“True,” she admitted, trying to sound empathetic, “You should get to spend more time with him, just the two of you. No problem”

Luca picked up his cup of coffee. “This is good coffee,” he remarked in an attempt to calm the mood.

“It’s the same every day,” she said.