you.”
“Who is it?”
“Nigel.”
Callie’s heart slammed against her chest. Why was it that she should react this way, simply hearing that he was on the line?
She dried her hands on a dish towel, then walked to the wall where the phone was. She accepted the receiver from Natalie. “Hello?”
“I was wondering if you and Kwame are free this evening,” Nigel said without preamble.
“We don’t have any specific plans.”
“Then how about you come over here? I’d really like to spend more time with my…my son.”
“Sure,” Callie said. She could tell by Nigel’s voice that it was taking some getting used to the idea of being a father which was beyond understandable. “I think he would be happy to do that as well.”
“I have some errands to run, but I’ll be home about five. Is that a good time?”
“As good as any,” Callie said.
“I’ll see you then. I figure we can order a pizza and watch a couple movies.”
Nigel spoke in a somewhat dispassionate tone, and Callie felt uneasy. But it was becoming clear to her just how awkward this would be for her. For her and Nigel to communicate, relate to each other, hang out with their son as a family.
She forced a smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Are you seeing Nigel again today?” Natalie asked as Callie placed the phone on the wall mount.
Callie nodded. “Yeah. He wants us to come over this evening.”
Natalie’s eyes rose, hopeful. But she said nothing.
She didn’t need to. Callie knew that Natalie was ever the romantic, and she clearly had ideas about her and Nigel reconnecting.
Leaving Natalie in the kitchen, Callie headed out the doors to the backyard, where Deanna and Uncle Dave were sitting at the patio table, all drinking tall glasses of lemonade. It was the kind of day for relaxing and having a cookout. Within a couple hours, she had no doubt that someone would fire up the grill.
As if Deanna had read her mind, she said, “It’s such a lovely day, I think we should grill some steaks later. Or burgers. I have the best recipe for barbecue burgers you’ve ever tasted. I was just telling Uncle Dave that I’m planning to head out to the store fairly soon to pick up the ingredients. Maybe we can even have some other family members come over. We can share stories about Auntie Jean.”
“Oh, that sounds like a very nice idea,” Callie said, knowing it might especially help to perk up Uncle Dave’s spirits. “But I just spoke with Nigel. He was suggesting that Kwame and I come over this evening.”
“Tell him to come on over here,” Deanna said. “He can join us. The more the merrier.”
Callie thought about that, and had no objection to it. But she knew that in the early stage of bonding, it was probably best for Kwame to spend time with Nigel alone. She wasn’t certain that Nigel would be ready for any family get-togethers as of yet.
“It’s probably best for another day,” Callie said. “In fact, I can suggest it to Nigel. It can be something we work toward.”
“We can plan the cookout for another day,” Deanna suggested. “If you and Kwame won’t be here—”
“No, don’t put it off. Call the family. See if they’re free to stop by. It’s a great idea, isn’t it, Uncle Dave?”
“Your Auntie Jean always loved filling this house with food and people.”
“There you go,” Callie said, aware that she sounded a little too chipper.
Deanna approached her, said in a whisper, “Are you okay?”
No, I’m not okay. I feel as if I’m in the twilight zone. But she said, “Yeah, sure. I’m perfectly fine.”
But the truth was, Callie wasn’t fine. Because the very idea of seeing Nigel again had her stomach tickling with nerves.
It was uncomfortable, seeing Nigel like this, being amicable, when at one time they had hardly been able to see each other without ripping off their clothes.
But this was her own fault. She was the one who had created this awkward circumstance by not being honest.
She had no
“Who is it?”
“Nigel.”
Callie’s heart slammed against her chest. Why was it that she should react this way, simply hearing that he was on the line?
She dried her hands on a dish towel, then walked to the wall where the phone was. She accepted the receiver from Natalie. “Hello?”
“I was wondering if you and Kwame are free this evening,” Nigel said without preamble.
“We don’t have any specific plans.”
“Then how about you come over here? I’d really like to spend more time with my…my son.”
“Sure,” Callie said. She could tell by Nigel’s voice that it was taking some getting used to the idea of being a father which was beyond understandable. “I think he would be happy to do that as well.”
“I have some errands to run, but I’ll be home about five. Is that a good time?”
“As good as any,” Callie said.
“I’ll see you then. I figure we can order a pizza and watch a couple movies.”
Nigel spoke in a somewhat dispassionate tone, and Callie felt uneasy. But it was becoming clear to her just how awkward this would be for her. For her and Nigel to communicate, relate to each other, hang out with their son as a family.
She forced a smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Are you seeing Nigel again today?” Natalie asked as Callie placed the phone on the wall mount.
Callie nodded. “Yeah. He wants us to come over this evening.”
Natalie’s eyes rose, hopeful. But she said nothing.
She didn’t need to. Callie knew that Natalie was ever the romantic, and she clearly had ideas about her and Nigel reconnecting.
Leaving Natalie in the kitchen, Callie headed out the doors to the backyard, where Deanna and Uncle Dave were sitting at the patio table, all drinking tall glasses of lemonade. It was the kind of day for relaxing and having a cookout. Within a couple hours, she had no doubt that someone would fire up the grill.
As if Deanna had read her mind, she said, “It’s such a lovely day, I think we should grill some steaks later. Or burgers. I have the best recipe for barbecue burgers you’ve ever tasted. I was just telling Uncle Dave that I’m planning to head out to the store fairly soon to pick up the ingredients. Maybe we can even have some other family members come over. We can share stories about Auntie Jean.”
“Oh, that sounds like a very nice idea,” Callie said, knowing it might especially help to perk up Uncle Dave’s spirits. “But I just spoke with Nigel. He was suggesting that Kwame and I come over this evening.”
“Tell him to come on over here,” Deanna said. “He can join us. The more the merrier.”
Callie thought about that, and had no objection to it. But she knew that in the early stage of bonding, it was probably best for Kwame to spend time with Nigel alone. She wasn’t certain that Nigel would be ready for any family get-togethers as of yet.
“It’s probably best for another day,” Callie said. “In fact, I can suggest it to Nigel. It can be something we work toward.”
“We can plan the cookout for another day,” Deanna suggested. “If you and Kwame won’t be here—”
“No, don’t put it off. Call the family. See if they’re free to stop by. It’s a great idea, isn’t it, Uncle Dave?”
“Your Auntie Jean always loved filling this house with food and people.”
“There you go,” Callie said, aware that she sounded a little too chipper.
Deanna approached her, said in a whisper, “Are you okay?”
No, I’m not okay. I feel as if I’m in the twilight zone. But she said, “Yeah, sure. I’m perfectly fine.”
But the truth was, Callie wasn’t fine. Because the very idea of seeing Nigel again had her stomach tickling with nerves.
It was uncomfortable, seeing Nigel like this, being amicable, when at one time they had hardly been able to see each other without ripping off their clothes.
But this was her own fault. She was the one who had created this awkward circumstance by not being honest.
She had no
Similar Books
