The Big Dream Read Online Free

brushing his knee.
    â€œHe was only supposed to ask if you were free – I just mentioned it to him at tennis. You could’ve said no if you had plans.”
    She didn’t answer and without her looking at him, Theo couldn’t gauge if she was listening. “But thanks. It’s only dinner, a couple hours. Rae wanted to go. For dinner.”
    â€œSo go.”
    The baby squirmed towards Colleen’s voice, flailing her now-limp cracker. Theo flipped the baby against his chest. “Rae’s not here yet.”
    â€œDid she say when she’ll be?”
    â€œJust working late, I think.” He could feel wet over his left nipple, but Marley’s face was pressed too tight to see if it was drool or sick. “She might’ve called, I guess. The machine’s getting a little shaky. But I don’t think it’s been eating messages yet.”
    They watched the traffic easing off rush hour. A motorcycle drowned out something Colleen said. At least, he thought he’d heard her voice. He leaned forward, Marley against him. “Sorry, what?”
    She turned, gave him the glint of her eyes. “What?”
    Joe had mentioned that Colleen had been consistently furious lately. Theo couldn’t think of a safe thing to say. “I didn’t . . . hear you.”
    She seemed to consider this. Finally: “It’s good you two are going on a date.”
    Jake, somewhere unseen, was singing. Theo hadn’t realized that Colleen knew about the separation. “Well . . . We’re going for Vietnamese, this restaurant we love.”
    â€œGood for you.”
    Jake scootched back into view, his voice a high soprano bleat: “Faa-laa-laa-laa-laa, la-la-la-la!”

    â€œJake, it’s summer,” Colleen snapped.
    â€œI’m playing pretend.”
    Marley turned towards the sound of her brother’s voice. Often both children seemed unaware that each was not an only child, but occasionally they noticed one other.
    â€œHey, Marley, hey hey!” Jake danced on the spot, with jazz hands, badly, all the fingers scrunching closed at the same time. The baby waved her own hands, mirror-like enough to be spooky.
    â€œHey, Dad? I bet Marley would like to ride on your skateboard, eh? I’ve got a rope an’ she could hold onto the rope an’ I could pull her around an’ – ”
    â€œBabies aren’t too good at holding on, Jakey. And where did you get a rope?”
    â€œBut it’s – it’s not fair. She never gets to skateboard and I always do. Marley should get a turn.”
    Colleen muttered, “I dunno about this generosity. The last time I babysat, he grabbed a cinnamon heart out of her mouth.”
    Marley beamed at the porch rail.
    Jake stamped his foot. “When’s Mommy getting here?”
    Colleen sighed. “We don’t know. Phone systems are down.”
    â€œNo, no, the phone’s probably fine, she’s just late. Jake, you take Marley for a ride in her stroller, ok? Promise you won’t undo the straps?”
    â€œThat’s not as fun.”
    â€œPromise?” Theo knelt awkwardly in front of the stroller and shoved the baby in. It was while he was fumbling with the harness that Theo suddenly realized, “The baby’s not supposed to have hard candy! She could choke.”
    No one answered. The baby kicked him in the face. Not hard, but it took him a moment to recover. “Guys?” He could feel a welt rising hot on his cheekbone. “Where would Marley get a cinnamon heart?”

    â€œWe got a whole bucket at the drugstore for two bucks.” Jake was already jiggling the stroller, making it nearly impossible to fasten the clasps. The boy had to reach above his own head to reach the handles. This was starting to seem like a bad idea.
    â€œBut who gave it to her ?”
    Colleen answered, “Dunno. She’d had it for a while, though – the red was all worn off.