Wasp made the introductions.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall,” I said, extending my hand to shake.
“Elaine, please,” his mom corrected me with a welcoming smile. Ignoring my hand, she wrapped me in a hug. Her arms were warm and comforting and she smelled of roses and sunshine. I breathed the scent in deeply and felt myself relax. She released me and bent to talk to Trent. “And you can call us Grandma and Grandpa if you want, Trent. All the kids back home do.”
“Mom…” Wasp growled.
“What? Our names are difficult to say, and wearegrandparents.” She gave him an innocent smile and held out her hands to Trent. He went straight to her without the slightest bit of hesitation. Yep, she was definitely a grandma. Trent’s expression curious, he watched her, making me worry about what sort of questions I’d be fielding later.
“Stephen,” Wasp’s dad said, stepping forward to shake my hand. Then he bumped fists with Trent. “Hey there big guy. How are you?”
“Good,” Trent said with a grin. “I’m five.”
“You are?” Elaine asked, giving him a little squeeze. “Five-year-olds need to eat lots of good food so they can grow big and strong. Do you eat lots?”
He nodded.
“Good. They have our table ready, so let’s go sit down and get something yummy in your belly.” Elaine led us to a booth. She slid in and set Trent on a booster seat beside her, gesturing for me to join them. As I took my place, Stephen and Wasp sat across from us.
The waiter brought us waters and took our drink orders, then I had no idea what to say. Elaine seemed so loving and kind, the type of mom I used to wish for. She was dressed modestly, in a mid-calf skirt, blouse, and pumps, looking every bit the good mid-western Catholic girl. My clothing felt inappropriate—almost trashy—beside her, making me want to stretch out my skirt and cover my shoulders.
Desperate to compensate for my appearance by impressing her with my social skills, I floundered for something intelligent to say. “Did you have a nice flight?” I finally asked.
“Yes, it was lovely, thank you. The view coming into Seattle is breathtaking with the mountains and the ocean. I can see why Andrew’s fallen in love with the area.”
“We went kayaking in the ocean,” Trent said, obviously wanting to be included in the conversation.
“I heard. Andrew told me you went really fast. He was proud of you because you didn’t get scared. Did you like kayaking?”
Wasp had been talking to his mother about my kid? That knowledge warmed me way more than it should have. I glanced across the table to find him talking to his father about the weather. He gave me a bolstering smile before nodding to his dad.
“Who’s Andrew?” Trent asked.
“Me,” Wasp replied, putting the weather talk on hold. “Andrew’s my real name. Wasp’s my nickname, like T-man’s your nickname.”
“Oh.” Trent leaned back in his seat. “And buddy.”
Wasp grinned. “And buddy,” he confirmed.
“Andrew was right, you are smart as a whip,” Elaine said, smiling at Trent.
He gave her a big, toothy smile. “I know my alphabet and can count to a hundred.”
He was so eager to impress them, it made my heart stutter. He was desperate for a connection, and I couldn’t help but see how it could hurt him. I wanted to wrap his heart in bubble wrap and keep him safe from the possibility of more pain. The possibility of more people leaving or dying.
Elaine opened the kid’s menu the waiter had given us and leaned closer to Trent. “Look at all these amazing choices. Can I read them to you, so you can pick out something to eat?”
He nodded. “Yes, please.”
Just like Wasp, Elaine had anticipated Trent’s needs and was taking care of him. It was sweet and beautiful, and I had no idea what to do with myself. Again, I glanced across the table. Wasp gave me a crooked smile and a shrug.
“Carly, Andrew tells us you’re a bartender and a barista,” Stephen said. “Working two jobs with a child… that’s a handful.”
I expected Wasp’s good, wholesome parents to be disappointed in my bar job, but Stephen sounded impressed. “I do what I have to,” I replied.
“Well, your work ethic is admirable.”
My cheeks warmed at the unexpected compliment. “Thank you.”
