The day started as any ordinary Saturday would. But this would turn out to be anything but an ordinary day for me.
I started the day with a shower and breakfast for the family. As I cleaned the kitchen after everyone was finished eating, my daughter's friend called and wanted me to bring her over to play for the day. I figured, why not, this way I would have the day to myself and I could do the spring cleaning that my house so desperately needed. Besides, all single parents need a day to themselves from time to time even if it is spent spring cleaning.
When I returned home I began the usual Saturday cleaning ritual. I turned on some music, lit some candles and began cleaning. First the bathroom, all of the bed rooms, the living room, and then the kitchen. Once all of the rooms in the house were clean, I began the ever growing baskets of laundry that seemed to get larger each week. I took my time sorting the colors from the whites and couldn't help but wonder why the piles got larger when the days of the week were always the same.
After the first load was put into the wash, I decided to relax and read a couple of the weekly magazines that I picked up at the store the other day. Just as I began to get lost in the tales of the rich and famous, the phone rang. I wondered who it could be since everyone was with who generally calls for them and all of my friends usually communicated via email or text messages. I was surprised to hear his voice return my hello. He never called on the weekends. Our time was always during lunch or after work. I don't know why, but that is just how it was. He asked, "What are you doing today?" "Not much, just the usual", I replied. I questioned his surprising call and he said he had a few minutes between errands and just wanted to say "Hi". Our conversation was cut short due to another call he received.
I sat with a little smile at the thought of him calling me on the weekend. The washer was now finished and I had to get the next one started so I left my smile in the chair as I went to put the finished load in the dryer and start the next one. My mind must have been a million miles away, or in the chair with my smile, because when I felt someone's hand on my hips I screamed and turned around with my hand pulled back ready to hit whoever was behind me. My fear quickly left me when I realized it was him. I was so surprised to see him standing there, I was briefly speechless.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.