Exhausted

Exhausted. The first thing he sees is the “Honey Do” list on the table. The kids bombard him with verbal demands. He broke my tablet. Take me to the game. Drop me off at Claire’s. Leash in mouth, Champ circles impatiently. Both cry for relief. He trudges to the kitchen. Another set of instructions under the magnet on the fridge.

Eleven minutes away is the prettiest woman in town. Soft jazz overlays the tastefully decorated room. Dim light and a glass of Merlot await his arrival. He has an hour. She understands it is all she will ever get.