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“Oh, you would not believe the day I’ve had, dear!” Jodi exclaimed, pulling her husband into a kiss as she greeted him. “I’ve just been beside myself, I’m so glad you’re home.”
Always something… Kent mused internally, thankfully finding his wife’s high-strung nature to be adorable. A ‘hello’ would have been nice, but the kiss had served just fine as a substitute.
Setting down his duffel bag and placing strong hands gently on Jodi’s hips, he locked eyes with her. This always served to ground her, and always seemed to be something she needed when Kent had been away for a while.
Though, in this case, he’d just been gone for a week doing training exercises on base. So it must have been serious to rile her up in such a short span of time.
“What’s the matter, honey?” Kent asked, keeping his voice low and even. His chest rumbled as he spoke, and he found Jodi sliding a hand up his chest as always. It was routine for them, and even if his wife always became so easily fraught, Kent enjoyed this routine more than he would admit.
Jodi bit her lip, anxiety turning to mischievous excitement as she tried to hide her smile. Kent recognized that look instantly, and knew this was nothing to be worried about at all. Jodi was simply high energy, and the gossip was that juicy.
“I’ll put on some tea, and then tell you. Just get settled in,” she insisted.
Doing as she asked, Kent began to make himself at home again. He left his boots at the door, knowing damn well he wouldn’t hear the end of it if he dirtied up the floors again. The scent of lemon floor polish was strong, and Kent was certain she had just done the hardwood floors earlier today, or maybe yesterday.
The rest of the house seemed quiet, Kent making a sweep of the home as he always did. Sam’s room was empty, and left a mess as usual, as was their own as he deposited his duffel bag on the floor beside the laundry basket. He made his way down the hall to check the spare bedroom too— clear, of course it was, but he always had to be sure.
Making his way back to the kitchen, the kettle reached a boil and Jodi poured the water over tea bags. Kent sat down at the table, the mug being set down before him, then Jodi set down her own and finally sunk into her own seat.
“Where’s Samson?” Kent inquired before anything else.
“He’s with his friends. Caroline mentioned they were playing up at the community center, she caught me just as I was coming back from shopping earlier,” Jodi explained, leaning her elbows onto the table. “She’s actually the one who told me about what happened.”
“About what?” Kent asked, knowing Jodi needed the invitation to start spilling tea.
Jodi’s eyes widened and nostrils flared, the look on her face like an adrenaline junkie being strapped into a rollercoaster. It was adorable, even if her excitement usually amounted to little more than a good sale on vegetables or a plot twist in her soaps.
“Robin’s ex showed up a week ago,” Jodi blurted out. That made Kent’s eyes widen too. First he’s ever heard of the man, even with how much time Jodi spent with Robin.
“Evidently he came into some money recently, even bought that shabby little tool shed by the river, and he thought he’d impress her,” Jodi explained quickly, leaning in as the story built. Kent found himself leaning in too, out of habit.
“The man kissed her, no hesitation! He kissed her!” Jodi bubbled, delighted in the drama of it all. “And Demetrius socked him right in the nose! Caroline said he was carrying on so loudly from the clinic, she and Pierre could hear it next-door.”
“Good man,” Kent smirked, his opinion of Demetrius growing tremendously. “I’ll have to buy him a beer.”
“That’s not even the best part,” Jodi gasped, placing a hand on her husband’s arm. “You’re not ready for this.”
Kent’s smirk only grew. God, she was so cute like this. Ridiculous, but cute.
“Tell me,” he urged.
“They split because he had an affair,” Jodi admitted eagerly. “Caroline told me. It was a big mess, evidently. We’ve never met the woman, but we’ve met their son.”
There was really only one child in town that could be. Kent’s eyebrows shot up as he absorbed the revelation.
“I imagine Samson won’t be playing with Mallory anymore,” Kent surmised.
“No, they can still play together.” Jodi corrected, worrying her lip. “I don’t want to interfere, but I feel so awkward seeing that boy now. I haven’t talked to Sam about it, but I’ve been dying to.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Kent discouraged. “If he comes to us, we’ll talk, but it’s not something he should be worrying about at his age.”
“Now that you’re home, I want to go talk to Robin about what happened. Together,” Jodi insisted. “I want her to know she’s not alone.”
“She’s not alone. She has her husband,” Kent asserted firmly. “It’s really none of our business.”
Jodi pouted at that, and it was like a shot to the heart. Resisting that cute face was a nigh impossible task, even for someone as well-disciplined as Kent was.
“Maybe you can bake her something,” Kent conceded. “And I’ll deliver it. I’m sure the last thing Robin wants are more unexpected visitors, and I’ll keep it brief.”
The pout morphed into a pursed smile before splitting Jodi’s face entirely. The way she could pull faces on him that made him feel like a teenager all over again was a talent, truly.
“Fine, we’ll go together,” Kent relented. “Tomorrow. I want to enjoy some peace and quiet with you first.”
Jodi’s hands squeezed his arm fondly, and Kent could swear he felt his wife’s legs kicking joyfully beneath the table.