It’s 9 p.m. I’m in my jammies on the couch, fresh from a post-sex shower, when the Kid comes barreling in the front door.

“Dad says you’re going to a Halloween party. Is that true?”

I blink cluelessly. “Uhhh… what?”

“On the way home Dad said you’re going to a Halloween party. WITHOUT me.”

I give Bruce some serious side eye as he shrugs sheepishly from the entryway.

“Ohhhh, right. Yeah, we might do that. We hadn’t totally decided yet.”

“Who with?”

I look at Bruce. He shrugs again, damn it. It’s a good thing we already had sex, because he sure as hell wouldn’t be getting any now.

“Well, you know how we went out with a group of people up in the city a couple weeks ago? Some of them are having a party. And they invited us.” None of this is a lie. It’s just not the whole truth.

“What are their names?”

“I , uh, I don’t have any of the details. Dad just told me about this like 15 minutes ago.” This is a lie. I already RSVPed.

“Whatever.” With an epic eye roll, the Kid turns and stomps her way up the stairs.

I glare at Bruce. “Thanks for leaving me hanging like that. Next time you’re going to talk to the Kid about our schedule, warn me first, okay?”

“Sorry.” Noting the daggers my eyes are skewering him with, he makes a hasty exit. “I’m, ummm, going to go work out.”

Communication, internet. Did you know it’s key? Because it is. Especially when your social calendar is filled with events that aren’t kid related (and that you can’t tell the Kid about) for the first time in a whole lot of years.

We’ve got multiple party invites. A possible meet and greet event. And even a date, I think? It’s a lot to juggle. But I’ m not complaining (okay, I was, but I’m done now).

We’re just playing catch up. Most people learned how to juggle all these things in their twenties and thirties, when they’re out there trying to find Mr. Right Now. We went from being teenage wallflowers to a crazy young married couple and missed that step.

It’s kind of fun, actually. I feel way less middle aged than I did a few months ago (although I am considering getting some Botox). Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go stare at my closet some more, because I have no idea what I’m going to wear to any of these things.

Also, if anyone has tips for on how to lie to your dang kids about where you’re going and what you’re doing, we’re all ears. Ours is a nosey little bugger.