Three hours later, I’m up and going about my morning routine, which I’m getting used to. I have Tommy dressed for school as Monica takes her shower. As he eats his Lucky Charms cereal (a must), I pack his lunch: a PB&J, a pear, and a couple of chocolate-chip cookies into his Star Wars lunchbox. For Monie (I blink—did I just call her Monie?) it’s a coffee, extra cream and sugar, and a toasted plain bagel with cream cheese to go. I’ll catch an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with black coffee at Burger King on my way to class.
As the toaster pops with Monie’s bagel (there I go again, thinking of her as Monie!) I hear her come down the stairs. She sweeps into the kitchen, gives Tommy a kiss on the cheek, and joins me at the counter. Pulling a paper towel off the roll for the bagel I’m spre
