My wife and the boss's kiss

nly reason I'm with him in his car right now is because of a routine we've established between us: when we get off work

dition we've fallen into.

my Blackberry from my bag, flicking it open to chec

ur, margarine, jam, and

fort food to get me thr

hour supermarket nestled next to it. He doesn't argue - he never does - just pull

ighter around myself. The automatic chimes sound my arrival as I push through t

in the morning. Only the faint hum of fluorescent lights

ead, flour. I reach for the margarine and jam, tossing them into the basket. Final

ould grab a box of cereal for good measure. Maybe something s

down the cereal

e it

so

No, not

yi

through the stillness of the supermarket

y, scanning aisle after aisle, ears strai

stroller sitting abandoned in the middle of the walkway, the cover pulled low over the seat. The

refully pull the cover back, my heart sq

eeks wet with tears, grey eyes screwed shut in distress, and a mess o

gainst my chest, cradling him close. I rock him gently, whisperin

gurgles and little hiccuped breaths. His tiny hands fist in the fabri

rough his silky h

alone in the middl

inside me, furiou

g him to the cashier and announce the lost child,

't ge

irt sleeve rolled up to the elbow - clamp

t. I whip around, a scream reaching my lips, but

nder

ucked, paired with black jeans. His hair is slightly mussed, like he's been dragging his

motionless, but his body betrays him - he's stiff, coiled

ou've met

at him,

... This adorabl

into me like a

y untouchable man Mr. King had shov

ully tucking the blanket around his tiny body. The moment my arms are em

meet Alexander's flat, unreadable ga

es between us,

glance down at the shopping

box of baby crackers. A couple of random jars of

t just a

tric

falls ope

I ask softly, unable to h

' - to the sad assortment of unsuitable groceries, it's c

n flashes in his eyes, genuine and unguarded, before i

, almost too fast, « the m

brow, unc

and pluck out the offending carton, holding

e faintest shade of pink, which, on a man l

, I shake my head i

after a moment of deep thou

, clearly baffled,

hat

simply, my voice firm but not unkind. «

t me, as if I'm speakin

in his wo

oller handle and start pushi

fore falling into step bes

eaching up toward the hanging toys dangling from the

the harsh fluorescent lights, a strange,

his baby, t

Mr. King wasn't compl