“Get out of here, lovebirds.” She followed them to the front door and closed it behind them.
Seeing the pair gave her hope. Doug had told her about how he and Benny had weathered many rough patches. No matter how hard things got though, they always came back to each other. Love and happiness were real. And it came when you least expected it.
Doug had broken off with a steady boyfriend of five years. He’d sworn off love, and on a whim, went with his brother to a wrestling match, something he’d never have done on his own. Then, bam, he’d seen Benny, who’d seen him right back. The pair fell instantly in love. Two years later, Benny left wrestling and settled in with Doug. And then they’d married.
Maggie wouldn’t say she’d felt love at first sight with Reggie. After all, she’d been dazed from an accident. He’d been on a call. But seeing him in the hospital room, something in her knew he was special. And after just one kiss, she knew they had something rare between them. But it had all happened so fast. And sex, no matter how great, couldn’t be the foundation to a relationship. Just look at her and Stephen.
She was silly to rush expectations with thoughts about tomorrow and forever. But some part of her did want to get married again. She did want a stable life for her and Emily, not for financial gain or because she felt her daughter needed a daddy. Emily had a father. But Maggie didn’t like feeling lonely. Her daughter and good friends could only fill so much in her heart.
She still ached for that special someone, a man she could laugh with, confide in, and love to distraction.
Maggie sighed, drank down the last of her wine, and dragged herself off to bed. She’d stop worrying about tomorrow and try to get some sleep tonight.
Unfortunately, tomorrow came too soon.
***
“Emily, hurry up!” she shouted from behind the shower curtain Sunday morning. Maggie had wokentwo and a half hourslate. Emily, who typically bounced up and awake at seven on the dot, had decided to play with her toys and watch cartoons, indulging in the cookies and candy Maggie had forgotten to put away last night.
So now, when Maggie had less than twenty minutes to get them out the door, her daughter was dawdling instead of getting her little tush in the shower. Normally, Maggie would have Emily shower by herself. But she didn’t have time to let Emily play.
With her cast in a plastic bag to keep it dry, Maggie worked furiously with one hand. She’d finished with her hair and body, nicking her leg in two places with the razor, and was bleeding into the tub. “Emily Katherine Swanson, you get your butt in here, now!”
Emily dragged herself in the bathroom and undressed with the speed of a sloth. After yanking her in the shower, Maggie hurried her through the shampoo and conditioner, then soaped her up, rinsed her off, and tossed her out. “Dry off. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”
Emily complained, loudly, until Maggie reminded her just who they were going to see.
Then her daughter moved like a Tasmanian devil, whirling around, spraying water everywhere as she shook like Frank to get dry as she danced out of the bathroom.
“Dry off with the towel, please,” Maggie reminded her. “All over, including your hair.”
“I know, Mag-Mom,” Emily yelled back from her room.
Maggie could only be glad for the generous soundproofing in the apartments of the complex. Otherwise, she had a feeling they’d have been kicked out ages ago.
Drying her hair proved a burden, so she left it somewhat damp while she hurried to dress. Keeping Doug and Benny’s comments from the night before in mind, she threw on a pair of white khaki shorts that reached mid-thigh, a cute pink top, gold earrings, and a light dusting of makeup.Girl-next-door cute coming right up.
Emily saw her put on lipstick and demanded some for herself, so Maggie got out the kiddie lip gloss she’d bought for her daughter. A little brush over her mouth and Emily was ecstatic.
“I’m going to show Reggie my lips.” She puckered, and Maggie tried to hold back laughter. “Just like this.” Emily made fish faces at the mirror.
Maggie hurried them both, grabbed her phone to look over the directions to Reggie’s, since she hadn’t paid good enough attention the last time she’d been there, and drove them to brunch.
She felt a little nauseous on the way, both from nerves, the wine the night before, and excitement at seeing Reggie again. She couldn’t get his smiling face out of her mind. The sex and the lusting were all well and good, but the sheer amount of affection she felt for him didn’t seem normal.
It’s just a brunch. Relax,she kept telling herself.
By the time they arrived at his house, she’d almost convinced herself that today would be no big deal.
Until Reggie’s front door opened, and he stood there, waiting with one hand on his hip, holding Frank in the other.
Emily was smiling and bouncing in the back seat of the car.
“Hold on, Jumping Bean.” Too much sugar this morning.
She parked. The minute Maggie opened her daughter’s door, Emily tore up the sidewalk to Reggie. “Look! I have shiny lips, Reggie. Look, Frank.” She made the fish face, causing him to laugh.
Slower to arrive, Maggie soon joined them.
