the door.
“We haven’t discussed how long I’m staying.” Her words were low, barely louder than a whisper and she wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“No, we haven’t, but there’s no need to rush your recovery.” Then I quickly shut the door. Her need for independence was already at war with my need to take care of her, of them. I wasn’t ready to consider their departure yet. Suddenly, a small cool hand grasped mine. “Hey, squirt.” I smiled down at her as we started toward the store.
“Mommy says we have to hold hands in the world.” She nodded while staring up at me seriously.
“Your mother is very wise. We should always hold hands.” I squeezed her gently.
“I’m glad she has you to hold her hand, Ben.” Ollie sighed contentedly.
I wasn’t sure what to say, or if it even required a comment, so we simply chose a cart and walked inside. We tried to be as quick as we could be, but picking out meals took time. And phone calls. “How do you feel about tacos?”
“What?” Charlie sounded confused.
“It’s Tuesday. Taco Tuesday. Sometimes I meet up with my friends. We love this Mexican restaurant, but I wasn’t sure you’d be up for it.” I rather hoped she’d suggest we go out.
“You can meet up with your friends. Ollie and I can eat some nuke-a-meals. We’ll be fine.”
“Ut oh. Not fine.” I chuckled to hide my fear. “Every smart man knows ‘fine’ is the kiss of death.”
“If I use it, I mean it.” She sounded agitated and I regretted mentioning it.
“Okay, we’ll figure something out. Bye.” I waited for her to say something, but instead she ended the phone call. Glancing at Ollie, I frowned. “Did she sound fine to you?”
“Nope.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“That’s what I thought.” I pocketed my phone as we walked through the store. “Do you want to go out to eat tonight?”
Her eyes widened. “Like a real restaurant, not in a hospital?”
I swallowed hard and tried not to imagine what her life was normally like. “Yeah. A real restaurant.”
“Wow. We never go to real restaurants.” Her eyes had a far off look.
“Time to change that.”
Ollie wrapped her arms around my waist. “Yes, please.”
It was settled. I had to make this happen. While we wandered the store, I sent Gabriel and Sebastian a text message.
me: Taco Tuesday. The usual spot. I’m gonna secure the private room. Our party has grown by two.
I knew it wouldn’t take long for my phone to blow up. Sure enough, seconds later, I received my first response.
Sebastian: This is Marisa. What? One girl isn’t enough for you? Now you need to bring two to a family dinner?!?!
Before I could respond, Isabella chimed in.
Gabriel: This is Isabella. Give Ben a chance. He’s the sweetest guy I know. He would never do anything that tacky. Right, Ben?
They had me chuckling and Ollie tugged at my sleeve. “Who’s that?” Her brows knit together as she stared at me suspiciously.
“My friends. Well, my friends’ wives, actually. I told them I was bringing two people to dinner.” I shrugged. “Let’s just say they’re excited.”
Without asking, Olivia plucked the phone from my hands. “I wanna say ‘hi.’” She quickly touched the buttons for her short message. “Now what. This isn’t like mommy’s phone.”
“Here.” I took the phone back and added to the message.
me: Hi. (This is from Olivia. She’s almost six.)
That was all I needed to say. Immediately, Isabella and Marisa were chatting back and forth, excited I’d found someone. It was a little early for that. I couldn’t even keep up. Finally, I simply sent one last message.
me: Please don’t freak her out. See you at six! (Ben, who reclaimed his phone, and misses talking to the guys once in a while.)
With dinner tonight decided, we concentrated on cookie ingredients and soon left with just two bags of groceries. When we returned to the vehicle, I could feel the
“We haven’t discussed how long I’m staying.” Her words were low, barely louder than a whisper and she wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“No, we haven’t, but there’s no need to rush your recovery.” Then I quickly shut the door. Her need for independence was already at war with my need to take care of her, of them. I wasn’t ready to consider their departure yet. Suddenly, a small cool hand grasped mine. “Hey, squirt.” I smiled down at her as we started toward the store.
“Mommy says we have to hold hands in the world.” She nodded while staring up at me seriously.
“Your mother is very wise. We should always hold hands.” I squeezed her gently.
“I’m glad she has you to hold her hand, Ben.” Ollie sighed contentedly.
I wasn’t sure what to say, or if it even required a comment, so we simply chose a cart and walked inside. We tried to be as quick as we could be, but picking out meals took time. And phone calls. “How do you feel about tacos?”
“What?” Charlie sounded confused.
“It’s Tuesday. Taco Tuesday. Sometimes I meet up with my friends. We love this Mexican restaurant, but I wasn’t sure you’d be up for it.” I rather hoped she’d suggest we go out.
“You can meet up with your friends. Ollie and I can eat some nuke-a-meals. We’ll be fine.”
“Ut oh. Not fine.” I chuckled to hide my fear. “Every smart man knows ‘fine’ is the kiss of death.”
“If I use it, I mean it.” She sounded agitated and I regretted mentioning it.
“Okay, we’ll figure something out. Bye.” I waited for her to say something, but instead she ended the phone call. Glancing at Ollie, I frowned. “Did she sound fine to you?”
“Nope.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“That’s what I thought.” I pocketed my phone as we walked through the store. “Do you want to go out to eat tonight?”
Her eyes widened. “Like a real restaurant, not in a hospital?”
I swallowed hard and tried not to imagine what her life was normally like. “Yeah. A real restaurant.”
“Wow. We never go to real restaurants.” Her eyes had a far off look.
“Time to change that.”
Ollie wrapped her arms around my waist. “Yes, please.”
It was settled. I had to make this happen. While we wandered the store, I sent Gabriel and Sebastian a text message.
me: Taco Tuesday. The usual spot. I’m gonna secure the private room. Our party has grown by two.
I knew it wouldn’t take long for my phone to blow up. Sure enough, seconds later, I received my first response.
Sebastian: This is Marisa. What? One girl isn’t enough for you? Now you need to bring two to a family dinner?!?!
Before I could respond, Isabella chimed in.
Gabriel: This is Isabella. Give Ben a chance. He’s the sweetest guy I know. He would never do anything that tacky. Right, Ben?
They had me chuckling and Ollie tugged at my sleeve. “Who’s that?” Her brows knit together as she stared at me suspiciously.
“My friends. Well, my friends’ wives, actually. I told them I was bringing two people to dinner.” I shrugged. “Let’s just say they’re excited.”
Without asking, Olivia plucked the phone from my hands. “I wanna say ‘hi.’” She quickly touched the buttons for her short message. “Now what. This isn’t like mommy’s phone.”
“Here.” I took the phone back and added to the message.
me: Hi. (This is from Olivia. She’s almost six.)
That was all I needed to say. Immediately, Isabella and Marisa were chatting back and forth, excited I’d found someone. It was a little early for that. I couldn’t even keep up. Finally, I simply sent one last message.
me: Please don’t freak her out. See you at six! (Ben, who reclaimed his phone, and misses talking to the guys once in a while.)
With dinner tonight decided, we concentrated on cookie ingredients and soon left with just two bags of groceries. When we returned to the vehicle, I could feel the
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