Celeste Peters

I must have died and gone to heaven. Only three weeks into the job and there are so many things that have me pinching myself every day. Here's a list because I make lists now:

1. I'm already starting to make a small dent in paying off my credit card bills and even stow a teeny bit away for Noah's future lawyer. This means I'm ever so closer to getting my baby brother out of prison! After spending time researching, I have about eleven thousand five hundred dollars to go. Baby steps, let's fucking go!

2. I am in love with everyone I work with. Turns out, the telenovela nights are just a major gossip session mixed with some TV viewing. These women know everything about everyone in the community and I currently feel equipped to write a book about the neighbors I've never met should the occasion arise. And while Kristina is our boss, she's more of a mom who takes care of every single thing we need. (That reminds me, I need to thank her for getting me car insurance.)

3. I have complete creative control when it comes to meals. There are still some hard days, like when the girls told me they loved fish sticks when I asked, but then they actually meant hate instead of love after I made it for them. But overall, when it comes to feeding the girls, it's been getting easier. I know what are hard no's now, versus what I can convince on. And my coworkers literally love anything I put in front of them.

4. The girls are amazing. They are hands down the funniest people I have ever met and it's actually scaring me how much I've grown to love them in such a short amount of time. We now have a weekly tradition where they help me cook a meal. Heidi has even written it into the official schedule, likely somewhere between Haiku writing and glass blowing, or whatever else these five-year-old girls are being subjected to these days.

5. Lastly, interactions with Marc are nonexistent. I thought we would likely run into each other a couple of times a week, but it's like the man doesn't even live here. The only evidence of his presence are the family photos scattered throughout the house and the empty morning coffee cup that lands back in the kitchen sink. In all honesty, I debated whether to add this to my Pinch Me List. I kind of want to feel the things that I felt when hearing his laugh or voice and seeing his smile. Plus, my heart stings when the girls cry and ask for Marc but he's not here. But ultimately, I've settled on adding this point to the Pinch Me List because it's a good thing I'm not running into him. Here is a two-point sub list to stress why it's good and needs to be on this list:

A. After the coffee shop interview, I can't stop thinking about him. And I can't be thinking about him in the ways I'm thinking about him. He's my boss' boss and five thousand percent out of my league. Seeing him would only catapult me deeper into those thoughts that I need to work on stopping.

B. If I saw him, I'd say something inappropriate again and then after all, I'd lose my job. After the coffee shop interview or whatever that was, I replayed our conversation over and fucking over again and decided I need to train myself to be more proper. And I need time to figure out how to do that. I even asked ChatGPT but it gave me an essay that I didn't have time to read.

So, to summarize, things are looking up! And now it's Wednesday afternoon, which means that my cooking session with Nina and Laila is coming up. I'm feeling energized and ready for the fun.

After I chop and prep some of the food, Heidi and the girls arrive. Kristina got them these cute little aprons last week, with heart shapes all over and their names monogrammed at the center. They put them on and instantly look like they could model for some kids cooking magazine.

"What are we making today, Ms. Celeste?" Laila asks. I told her and Nina they didn't have to add Ms. before my name and they laughed at me like I was crazy.

"Cauli-Tots and quesadillas."

I grab the ingredients on the counter to place in front of them when Heidi gets what sounds like a FaceTime call. "Hi, Mr. Nassar," she says while pulling the phone up to her face. The girls scream and jump up to get a view of the screen. My heart starts doing some weird fluttering thing.

"Hi, girls, it's so good to see you," Marc says from the device in Heidi's hands that the twins are now beaming at and fighting to get a view of. My insides turn in delight. I haven't heard his deep voice in so long. Constantly feeling his presence around me in this house but not actually hearing him was starting to play tricks on my mind. But now it's like the world is back to order.

"Baba, are you coming home?" Nina asks.

"Yes, I'm coming to pick you up soon! I want to take you both out to dinner tonight."

They squeal and my heart sinks a little. Dinner out means I don't get to spend time with them. But they'll be spending some much needed time with their dad, so I can't honestly be selfish here.

"I'll be home in about an hour, so get ready. I'll message Heidi when I'm outside."

"How much is one hour?" Laila asks while turning to me. "Ms. Celeste, will we be done cooking by that time?"

"Yes, but we can cook some other time since you'll be going out to eat."

"You girls are cooking?" Marc asks. Heidi flips the phone around, revealing Marc's gorgeous face on the little screen. My pulse ticks up a notch. He cracks a smile and I reciprocate with a wave.

"Yes, they're making dinner with Celeste now," Heidi says as she pans the phone over the ingredients on the counter.

"Oh. That looks well underway."

"We just started, so it's okay, Mar- Mr. Nassar. I can pack these things up and we can reschedule for another day," I say while chiding myself for almost calling Marc by his first name. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but it's literally the bottom floor for being more proper and professional.

"Okay sounds good, thanks," he says before Heidi flips the phone back to the girls. "Girls, are you okay if you cook with Ms. Celeste some other day?"

"What? No!" Laila's eyes grow wide and she reaches for the phone. "Dad! No, we have to cook today! It's Wednesday!" Nina remains quiet but carries the same expression as her sister.

Marc sighs. "Well, maybe you can still cook and then eat it tomorrow?"

He seems awfully set on eating out. A part of me wonders...is he avoiding me on purpose? No, that can't possibly be true.

Heidi chimes in. "They wouldn't be ready in time, and you might have to wait."

"What if we made your dinner tonight?" I ask. "I bet we could do it better than the restaurant." I turn to the twins smirking and placing my hands on my hips. "What do you say, girls?"

Laila gasps and Nina's eyebrows shoot up. "We get to make Dad dinner?" Nina asks, almost dumbstruck at the suggestion.

"We could, if he's open to it?" I shrug. I probably shouldn't be stepping into Marc's plan, but this would be so much sweeter for them if they could treat him.

"Dad! We have to make you dinner! Please, please, please, please, please, please!" Laila smacks her hands together in a praying motion.

I don't hear anything from his side for a moment, and then he says, "Sure. Of course. That's so kind of you girls. Thank you."

"Yay! We'll make the bestest food you ever, ever had!" Nina says while jumping in front of the camera.

"Alright, I'll be home in about an hour. I'll see you then."

We're all smiling so widely. This feels momentous for some reason. I know exactly what we're going to make with our meal. "Girls, change of plans. We're making loaded nachos with our meal tonight and then carrot cake for dessert."

"We're allowed to eat cake?" Nina's body starts visibly shaking and I try to stifle my laugh at how excited she and her sister are right now.

"Well, we'll have to change out some ingredients but I don't see why not!"

After the fanfare of the upcoming dinner has settled down some, we get to work. I task the girls and Heidi with making the guacamole while I work on the chicken.

"Let's make Dad hearts with the chips!" Nina says.

"I love that idea!" I respond, feeding off of the girls' excitement. "And let's make them extra loaded. We can set down some foil and then put the food directly on the table."

The girls crack up laughing. "Ms. Celeste, you're so kooky," Laila says while trying to catch her breath.

"No, I'm serious! Here I'll show you." I lay down the foil on the breakfast nook table, and then start placing the chips directly on top of it, clumping them together so they form a heart shape. "Kind of like this, but we can make it big so you all can eat from it."

"Wow! I didn't know we could do that!" Laila says excitedly. The girls go to town with the heart shape and load up the nachos fixings directly on the table. Soon, the time for Marc to arrive comes. The table is set, the carrot cake is out of the oven, and the girls have changed into evening dresses.

Five minutes go by and no sign of Marc. He's probably stuck in traffic and I try to distract the girls, who are getting antsier by the minute, with I Spy.

Ten minutes go by and the girls have started picking at the food, dying to start eating. Marc's still not here.

After fifteen minutes go by and still no sign of Marc, I ask Heidi to call him. He doesn't answer but sends a text right after saying he's running late. No shit, Captain Obvious. He doesn't apologize. He doesn't give an estimated time of when he'll be here. I tell the girls to start eating.

After forty five fucking minutes, the sound of a car rolling up right outside the front door filters through the house. But it's too fucking late. The girls have already eaten and have just gone upstairs to start cleaning up and get into their PJs.

My hands keep clenching and unclenching. The front door opens and adrenaline rushes through me, propelling me toward the entrance, my ears pounding with every step. Who the fuck lies to their kids like that? He better have gotten into a major car accident or almost died because he saved a baby from a burning building or else I'm going to fucking lose it.

Yet, I stop dead in my tracks when an unfamiliar female voice lands in my ears.