"Okay," he said, and went to work.
The mom and boys were going to take me for a picnic later, so I thought the muffins were intended for that. They smelled good, but knowing they were for later and one was mine, that was nice.
One of the boys came to ask for a muffin, and the mom said yes. The other boy came and got one, too.
I asked why she hadn't let the dad have one, if they weren't for the picnic.
She looked at me without recognition, it seemed, at first, that she had even told him no.
It wasn't nearly time to leave. I suggested there would've been time to make more, after he left. He was at work, missing the fun, and had asked nicely. He worked just a very short walk, and so she packed those two up, sent the boys to deliver them, and made some more.
The idea of being as nice to her husband as she was being to the boys seemed a new idea, and she was very excited by it. She said she would write the story, and if I get that I'll put it here, too (or instead, if it has more details).