When We Collide by A. L. Jackson Page B

from her chair and taking her hand. “We just had a little
disagreement...that's all.”
    Blake’s whole face lifted in a you’re full of
shit sort of way, but he dropped it and took Olivia from
Grace's arms, whispering, “Let’s get you home, sweetheart,” against
his daughter’s head.
    With Emma’s warm hand in mine, I cast one last
glance in Maggie's direction. She pretended to be absorbed in the
menu. I turned my attention to the well-trodden floor.
    I didn't dare look at the boy.
    I forced myself to put one foot in front of the
other. Near the front door, Emma tugged at my wrist and handed me
the picture she'd drawn, shy once again. “This is for you, Uncle
William.”
    My smile was almost a grimace as I accepted her
gift.
    “Thank you so much, sweetheart,” I said as I looked
down at my brother's sweet child and thought this is the way it is
supposed to be. A child loved by her father. Loved by her mother.
Safe and protected in their care.
    A sudden need collided with my spirit, and I jerked
to look back toward the booth. Troy looked up just when I did. At
first he stared, working his jaw as if it took a minute for his
mind to catch up with the fact that I was there.
    Recognition dawned and a new challenge seemed to be
drawn.
    I was sure Troy had never known what had happened
between Maggie and me, was sure Troy had no idea the child sitting
next to her was mine . In my head, I saw myself walking up to
the table and throwing it in Troy’s face, taking Maggie and
Jonathan by the hand, and leading them out the door. As if that
would somehow be a magical solution. That this situation could ever
be that easy.
    I wasn’t even sure Maggie felt the same. She was the
one who’d pushed me away.
    Yet, in some way, I had too. I had left her standing
there, sobbing as she’d cried out my name. Given up on her. Maybe
when she'd needed me most. Her words had ripped me apart, and I’d
sworn then I was done. I’d promised myself I’d no longer allow her
that control over me, the anguish I’d endured just to have a small
token of her love.
    I had turned my back on her and walked away.
    “You ready?” Blake called as he opened the door, a
burst of winter thrust its way inside.
    Pulling on my hand, Emma grinned up at me and said,
“C’mon, Uncle.”
    As painful as it was, I walked away from her
again.
    But I promised myself this time it wouldn’t be for
good.
    On the sidewalk, Grace called for Emma and reached
out to take her hand, and they raced across the parking lot to the
warmth of their car.
    I trailed behind, falling to a standstill when the
small square window came into view. Pressed to the glass was the
boy’s face framed by the palms of his hands, his short breaths
fogging up the window.
    Jonathan .
    My son.
    I allowed myself the smallest smile. Huge brown eyes
blinked back at me, pure and innocent. In my mind, I heard his
footsteps echo in the forest.
    Startled, I jumped at the hand on my arm, felt like
a fool when I looked down at my mother’s concerned face.
    “Are you okay?” she asked as she followed my gaze to
the window, blatantly worried when she looked back.
    Nodding, I whispered, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
    I’d never told a greater lie. I was the farthest
place from okay.
    She frowned, hesitating when she pulled away. “All
right then…I’m just…I’m going to tell the girls goodnight.”
    I stuttered out a sigh of relief when she turned and
tread across the lot to Grace’s black mini-van to say goodnight to
the girls.
    “Night, Will,” Grace called from her door as she
hiked herself up into her seat. It seemed forced, but it was the
first thing she’d said to me since I returned.
    “Night,” I said, so low she probably could never
have heard.
    She started the engine. Headlights cut across the
parking lot and then she drove away.
    Mom and Dad headed toward my car, and I looked at
Blake who stood by his truck, watching me intently, the levity from
earlier somehow replaced, as if he