“Disappointed?”

At first I wasn’t sure how she’d respond to that. I meant it playfully. T and I always seem to be searching for the right tone with each other. Sometimes what, to me, is meant as humor is not received as such.

My concerns were allayed soon enough.

“Hardly,” she replied, giving a wink. “Do you want a drink, or anything, or is this a grab n’ dash.”

Sadly, that phrase probably does give the essence of many of our current handoffs. Having started my day especially early this morning with the call to the UK, I really did think of just getting in, getting out. Perhaps it would be good for Angelica to see her mommies sitting in the same room from time to time. “Water?”

“Still or sparkling?”

“Still is fine.”

I took a seat with my back against the couch, legs stretched out on the floor. I was rewarded with my daughter crawling into my lap, literally, an inadvertent slip causing her to give me a headbutt.

“Well that was silly,” I said to her in a ‘happy’ voice.

She sat for a moment and contemplated the event, and then the realization sunk in and she started crying. Loudly.

Tina was back in the room in an instant. “What happened?”

“She bumped her head.” I picked up Angelica under her arms and sat her in my lap. “We’ll just kiss it and make it better.” I dusted the area with noisy little kisses.

“What’d she hit her head on?” Tina moved to where she could see the spot. I guess I don’t blame her for wanting to confirm to herself that there was no real harm done.

Angelica answered the question. She pointed to my head. “Ouchie!”

I gave Tina a shrug. At least there were no comments about my hard-headedness.

“Mama, kiss Mama B.”

“What?”  We each asked, simultaneously.

At least Tina and I were still in unison in some matters.

“Ouchie!” Angelica pointed again. “Kiss,” she demanded, starting to get the fussy face on as she remained in my lap, her other hand tightened into a fist.

I can’t quite explain all that seemed to have passed through Tina’s face in that instant. But, as demanded, she bent down and gave me a peck on the forehead. “Better?” she asked, almost timid.

“Better,” I agreed. Angelica smiled.

Tina almost appeared to be blushing.

As for me, I pretended I didn’t feel that spark from Tina’s touch, from her lips. After all, we’re just friends, right? We’re working to figure out how to co-parent as friends. And she’s got Henry. I’ve got Jodi.

That means I felt nothing.

Angelica snuggled in closer to me. Tina did the opposite, darting away. The silence between us seemed to fill the room.

“I think she’s tired. I suppose I should…”

“Yeah.” Tina nodded.

After I got up, she handed me the things I’d need, the few items we tended to trade back and forth, favorite toys and such that weren’t replicated between our different houses.

Tina approached me, leaning in to give Angelica a kiss good-bye. “You be good for Mama B.”

At the mention of my name, Angelica wrapped her arms around my neck and gave a squeeze.

I felt like I should do something to say good-bye to Tina. Hug? Kiss? But she hung back which left me wondering what I was really seeking from her. I decided to go for a cast-off phrase. “See you.” That was easy enough.

“Yeah.” She stood at the door and watched as we made my way out towards the car, waving to Angelica who, over my shoulder, waved back.

One more thing to try to forget about, this incipient awkwardness between Tina and me. After all, forgetting was easier than actually dealing with it.

We were just doing our best to be co-parents; friends, even. Right?

(tbc?)