May 1974
“Joe, I’m going to walk down to the park with Phillip, would you like to take a break and get some air?”
“I can’t right now. I have to finish this paper for my Torts class.”
“It’s a beautiful day and you’ve been holed up here for hours…”
“Not now, Amanda! Later. Let me get this done and I will get there in a little while.”
“Sure, Sweetheart.”
Amanda put Phillip in his stroller and left the apartment. Mr. Woodell helped her carry the stroller down to the first floor. The whole way down he talked to Phillip about what a big boy he had become and how lucky he was to have such a pretty mommy. Amanda thanked him for the compliment and made a mental note to bake some bread for him.
Phillip and Amanda arrived at the park and Amanda put him in the kiddie swing and swung him gently. When he started to get fussy she put him on a blanket and gave him a bottle and some Cheerios. She pulled out the small lunch she had packed for her and Joe. She ate her sandwich and carrots but left his in the bag just in case he showed up. Meanwhile, Phillip played happily with her hair and necklace babbling happily. Amanda talked to him and he managed a few coherent phrases. She rolled a ball to her son and he tried to roll it back. Phillip was making huge strides he was practically growing in front of her eyes and Joe was missing so much of it. He had missed Phillip’s first words and first steps. She heard noises coming from the park pavilion and watched enviously as a man and woman set up a children’s PARTY together. She wondered if she and Joe would ever do something like that together. It seemed that everything she did was with Phillip. It also seemed that lately all she and Joe did together was sleep.
The whole time she was playing with Phillip, she kept hoping that Joe would join them. He was working so hard on his school work and at the EPA. She felt like she barely saw him. He needed a break. There was only another year of law school then he could settle into a practice and have a normal life. She could hold on that long.