She Had Fire in Her Eyes

I thought flames were going to shoot out of my wife's eyes at dinner tonight. All I could think was that my oldest daughter, Molly, would be vaporized while eating the lovely chicken dinner my wife had made. It really would have been ugly. After all, we have a wooden dining room set. First, Molly would have been burned to smithereens, then her chair would catch on fire, then the table, and then we would probably need to order take out because dinner was burnt to a crisp. The point is, it almost got ugly.

Allow me to set the scene: My wife had made really tasty chicken. She butterflied the breast, seasoned it, and baked it. We also had zucchini cooked in a little olive oil with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Shannon also baked an Acorn squash fresh from our garden. To finish the meal, she made Gnocchi, the girls' favorite. It was yummy, and she worked really hard.

So, we sat down to eat. Now, there are some days when the girls literally shovel the food into their mouths, and they are asking for seconds before Shan and I have had a chance to really settle in. That can be frustrating. We are hungry, and we want to eat too.

Tonight, Molly is about to finish her first helping when she starts to ask for more Gnocchi. My wife calmly tries to tell my dear sweet daughter that she needs to wait a minute until Mommy and Daddy eat a little first. And if she would wait a couple of minutes, one of us will take care of her. Well, Molly cuts Shannon off before she finishes her statement to ask Shannon a question about seconds. Shannon did not lose her temper though, but she clearly says: “Why do I even bother talking?” To which Molly replies, “What?”

I had to look down and away quickly and stifle a laugh. All that I am thinking is - “Molly just shut up. Do not say another word.” After the nanosecond it took to regain my composure, I looked up and saw a look in my beautiful wife's face that made me shiver. I was afraid to make eye contact lest she vaporize me or turn me to stone. I knew Molly was a goner; my next thought was to grab Jillian, the 3 year old instigator, and take her to the other room before she pushed that final Big Red button to launch the Nuclear Strike known as “Mommy's Wrath.”

Thankfully, no children were harmed in any fashion as my wife quickly calmed herself. I am not really sure what did it. But, I am not going to question it. Somehow, we went from a Code Red down to a Code Yellow. Shan was still ticked, and rightly so; yet, she managed to channel that anger elsewhere.

Please do not get get the wrong idea about my wife. Shannon is a great mother and a fantastic wife; but every so often, a child pushes a parent's buttons and everyone in the house holds their breath waiting for the impending destruction. I think just about every husband (and wives) would agree that A Happy Wife Means a Happy Life – and that is for husbands and children.

Author's Comment: No children or husband were harmed in the composition of this piece.