tension before I even opened the door. Charlie sat stiffly in her seat as I helped Olivia into hers and hooked her in. After I slid in behind the steering wheel, I turned to look at her. “Hey.” I laid a hand above her knee.
She stared at it a moment before gradually meeting my gaze. “Hey.”
“So, it’s Taco Tuesday. We’ll bake cookies, then meet my friends for dinner. By the time we get back to the pool house, it’ll be Ollie’s bedtime.” I shrugged. “I thought it might be a nice change.”
“I can’t…” Her voice trailed off and she stared out the window again.
“My treat. It’s tacos. And queso. Lots of queso.” I nodded, the excitement building in me as I considered what it would be like to bring them to dinner with my friends. “And kids. Becca and Konnor are Gabriel and Isabella’s kids. Becca and Olivia are about the same age.” I grinned. “They’ll get along fabulously.”
“Germs,” Charlie mumbled.
“We’ll have her wear the mask when she’s not eating. And we’re in a private room, away from the rest of the restaurant.” I watched as Charlie shifted in her seat and stared out the window. “I know you want to protect her, but you have to let her live too.”
She whipped around and glared at me a moment before her eyes began to fill with unspent tears. “You have no idea what it’s like.” She spoke through gritted teeth.
I shook my head sadly. “No, I don’t, but now I will.”
While we stared each other down, we realized the car seemed to be shaking. Immediately, we both turned to check on Ollie in the back seat. She wore a huge grin. “A real restaurant, mums.”
***
Charlie
How could I deny her? The look on her face was one I hadn’t seen in forever. Sheer joy radiated from her. If it weren’t for the bald head, Ollie would look like a normal, healthy kid for a change. My shoulders sagged. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe what she needed was a little more normal. Maybe I should stop worrying so much.
“Yes, Olls. A real restaurant.” My would-be tears dried up and I sighed. Swallowing my pride once more, I looked into Ben’s deep brown caring eyes and shrugged feeling both hopeful and defeated. “Okay. You win.”
His head tilted as he looked at me. “This isn’t a battle. We’re not on opposing sides here. We both want the same thing.”
“Oh really? And just what is that?” I could feel my anger rising as he presumed to tell me how to live my life yet again.
“A happy, healthy Ollie, of course.” He reached out and took my hand in his.
For a moment, I just stared, admiring how nicely our hands fit together, embracing the warmth that flowed through him, into me. It was nice and terrifying all at the same time. Ever since I left my parents’ home, it has been Ollie and me against the world. We were a team of two, partners in crime. I liked it that way. Sure, I’d had friends in the past. The guys were left behind when I grew serious about Damien. When we broke up, some tried to come back into my life, but none of them could hang with pregnant me, or worse, mommy me. See, my timing had been terrible. Senior year of high school is no time to become a mom. My female friends went off to college and studied abroad, while I stayed home and struggled to make ends meet while raising a baby.
Once in a great while, I’d break down and visit my father, but otherwise I had no real relationships outside of medical professionals. Now Ben burst into my life and somehow, he fits. Somehow, he gets it, gets us. Part of me wants to feel relieved because he keeps showing me I don’t have to do it all, be everything, all by myself anymore. Then that stupid nagging worry pipes up and reminds me I can count on no one but myself, ever, and steals all my joy. Why can’t I simply relax and savor this while it lasts? I know it’s temporary. I know once Ollie gets her movie, he’ll be gone. Maybe I should treat this like the vacation I haven’t had in
She stared at it a moment before gradually meeting my gaze. “Hey.”
“So, it’s Taco Tuesday. We’ll bake cookies, then meet my friends for dinner. By the time we get back to the pool house, it’ll be Ollie’s bedtime.” I shrugged. “I thought it might be a nice change.”
“I can’t…” Her voice trailed off and she stared out the window again.
“My treat. It’s tacos. And queso. Lots of queso.” I nodded, the excitement building in me as I considered what it would be like to bring them to dinner with my friends. “And kids. Becca and Konnor are Gabriel and Isabella’s kids. Becca and Olivia are about the same age.” I grinned. “They’ll get along fabulously.”
“Germs,” Charlie mumbled.
“We’ll have her wear the mask when she’s not eating. And we’re in a private room, away from the rest of the restaurant.” I watched as Charlie shifted in her seat and stared out the window. “I know you want to protect her, but you have to let her live too.”
She whipped around and glared at me a moment before her eyes began to fill with unspent tears. “You have no idea what it’s like.” She spoke through gritted teeth.
I shook my head sadly. “No, I don’t, but now I will.”
While we stared each other down, we realized the car seemed to be shaking. Immediately, we both turned to check on Ollie in the back seat. She wore a huge grin. “A real restaurant, mums.”
***
Charlie
How could I deny her? The look on her face was one I hadn’t seen in forever. Sheer joy radiated from her. If it weren’t for the bald head, Ollie would look like a normal, healthy kid for a change. My shoulders sagged. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe what she needed was a little more normal. Maybe I should stop worrying so much.
“Yes, Olls. A real restaurant.” My would-be tears dried up and I sighed. Swallowing my pride once more, I looked into Ben’s deep brown caring eyes and shrugged feeling both hopeful and defeated. “Okay. You win.”
His head tilted as he looked at me. “This isn’t a battle. We’re not on opposing sides here. We both want the same thing.”
“Oh really? And just what is that?” I could feel my anger rising as he presumed to tell me how to live my life yet again.
“A happy, healthy Ollie, of course.” He reached out and took my hand in his.
For a moment, I just stared, admiring how nicely our hands fit together, embracing the warmth that flowed through him, into me. It was nice and terrifying all at the same time. Ever since I left my parents’ home, it has been Ollie and me against the world. We were a team of two, partners in crime. I liked it that way. Sure, I’d had friends in the past. The guys were left behind when I grew serious about Damien. When we broke up, some tried to come back into my life, but none of them could hang with pregnant me, or worse, mommy me. See, my timing had been terrible. Senior year of high school is no time to become a mom. My female friends went off to college and studied abroad, while I stayed home and struggled to make ends meet while raising a baby.
Once in a great while, I’d break down and visit my father, but otherwise I had no real relationships outside of medical professionals. Now Ben burst into my life and somehow, he fits. Somehow, he gets it, gets us. Part of me wants to feel relieved because he keeps showing me I don’t have to do it all, be everything, all by myself anymore. Then that stupid nagging worry pipes up and reminds me I can count on no one but myself, ever, and steals all my joy. Why can’t I simply relax and savor this while it lasts? I know it’s temporary. I know once Ollie gets her movie, he’ll be gone. Maybe I should treat this like the vacation I haven’t had in
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