“Auntie,” I heard my niece call for me from downstairs along with the loud slam of the front door. Ooo, I wish she’d stop slamming my door. I feel like every time she comes over, she’s always slamming that door. “Auntie!” She called again, her footsteps loud amongst the stairs as she raced up to find me.

I stood up from my vanity and tied my robe tight across my waist before opening the bedroom door, “Nova,” I got her attention as she went down the wrong hallway.

“Oh! Hey, Auntie! I was just letting you know I was here,” she came over to hug me.

“You forgot to take your shoes off,” I nodded toward her sneakers.

“Sorry, I was in a rush,” she slipped them off and held them in her hands. “How long are y’all gonna be gone? Uncle Mike told me to bring a change of clothes.”

“We probably won’t be back until two in the morning or so. I’d hate for you to go back home so late. That’s okay with you, right?”

“I mean, yeah. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have agreed,” she smiled. “But you know tomorrow’s my sixteenth birthday. Daddy’s taking me straight to the BMV tomorrow to get my driver’s license.”

“Your father just dropped you off, right? He didn’t come in to say hello?” I started to go downstairs.

“No. He let me drive myself.”

I stopped and turned to look back at her, “he what?”

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “He said since I’m turning sixteen tomorrow, it doesn’t make much of a difference anyway.”

I closed my eyes and exhaled through my lips, “I could strangle him…” Whether she’s turning sixteen tomorrow or not, that doesn’t mean she should have driven herself all the way out here alone. I may be able to excuse driving up the street or something. But all the way out here? Matthew has lost his mind! “Okay. Um. Listen. I trust you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have you baby-sitting the twins. I’m glad you got here safely, but I don’t feel comfortable with you driving back to school tomorrow by yourself.”

“Daddy’s letting me skip school. My friends and I are having a fun filled day after getting my license,” she beamed.

“Your friends parents let them skip school too?”

“Yeah! It’s already been pre-arranged. Don’t worry about it, Auntie. You worry too much. Where’s Uncle Mike and the twins?”

“The twins are downstairs. You’ll see your Uncle shortly.”

“Alright,” she ran back downstairs.

Matthew has always been something else, but come on… I get Nova’s turning sixteen in less than ten hours, but that just wasn’t wise. Especially to have her drive all the way out here in Middletown. The police out here have a bit more time on their hands here than they do in the city. I’m just glad she got here okay.

I went back to my room and sat back in front of the vanity to finish my makeup.

“Was that Nova?” Michael walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Mmhm,” I brushed mascara through my lashes.

“You look beautiful,” his wet lips met my foundation covered cheek.

“Baby…” I giggled. “Now I gotta redo my face.”

“It’ll be messed up later tonight anyway,” he winked terribly. After all these years, he still hasn’t mastered winking.

“Let me at least look great going out, okay?” I picked up my make up brush to redo my face.

“Did I hear that Nova drove here all by herself?”

I sighed, rolling my eyes just as hard as my mother did yesterday, “yes.”

“Good for her! I’m glad she got here safely!”

I looked at his reflection in my vanity mirror, watching him unwrap the towel from his waist. Water slowly rolled down his spine. We’ve aged. Gotten older. Become seasoned. But we still look so good. His body is still so lean because he still regularly takes time to dance to himself and still eats so clean. He hasn’t changed a bit. And I really wish the tabloids would stop saying such things. He still looks just as he did ten years ago, but better.

“She’s fifteen, Michael,” I reminded him.

“She turns sixteen tomorrow.”

“That’s not the point. The point is that she shouldn’t be driving by herself until she has a proper license. That was irresponsible of Matthew and Rachel. But I won’t even say anything. He’s getting her license for her first thing in the morning.”

“That’s a good way to start your sixteenth birthday.”

“Yeah, well, just know I’m not allowing the twins to do any of that. They’ll be driving by themselves once they turn sixteen and not a second sooner.”

“You know this is why the twins say you’re no fun, right?” He smirked at me as he pulled a white v-neck over his head.

“At this point, as long as they know I love and care about them, I really don’t care if they think I’m the cool Mom or not.” I finished my makeup and stood up to take my robe off revealing my long sleeve black dress with a plunging V-Neck by Saint Laurent. I love the way this dress hugs each and every one of my curves.

Michael immediately looked over and shook his head, “wow…”

“What?” I turned to face him.

“I know for sure you’re going to be the most beautiful woman in the room. Whether at the restaurant or the theatre. It’s going to be such an honor for me to be on your arm tonight,” he walked over, placing his hands on my hips as he pulled me in for a passionate kiss.

I smiled against his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck, “we have to leave in fifteen minutes,” I said between pecks. “I’ll be downstairs.”

“You don’t want to walk down with me?”

“I can.”

“Then be patient, girl. Let me be in awe of you as I get dressed.”

“Where are we going for dinner?” I sat on the bench in front of the bed as I watched him pull on a pair of black slacks that had a slight shine like diamonds were embedded in them.

“It’s a surprise. I’ll give you a hint. Your family used to visit all the time.”

“That can be so many different places. You know what came to mind when you said that?”

“What?”

“‘Homer’s.’ You remember that?”

He sneered in disgust, “the restaurant your family swore up and down was ‘good?’”

“You came when they changed their recipes. You can’t judge them off of their change.”

“I can and I will because that was my first and last experience. I can’t believe y’all subjected me to that mess.”

“I’m taking your children to ‘Homer’s,’” I laughed.

“Yeah? Well, don’t be surprised when they don’t like it. Because unlike you, they actually have taste,” he winked as he pulled a long black overcoat over his shoulders. “Do I look okay?”

“You look amazing,” I stood up and went into our walk-in closet to obtain his black aviators. “These should finish the look.”

“They do. Thank you,” he placed them on top of his head and went to brush his hair before grabbing my hand. “Ready?”

I placed my hand in his and followed his lead downstairs. What I love the most about being back with Michael is the fact that our children get to see their parents together and in love. Sometimes I hate that I brought them into this world to disfunction. We were separating and divorced and they only knew of us separately. Sure, it might have been slightly weird for us to get back together, but they acclimated well. They love seeing us together and I know it’s done a lot for them mentally in a positive way. Children deserve a healthy household. Whether we’re married or not isn’t the point like my Mother so desperately tried to make. A healthy household with two loving parents matter.