Michelle grins. “I’m happy to hear it. I’ll be right in.” She steps to the side and puts a hand on Eden’s arm. “Catherine emailed me about you. I’m so glad you decided to visit. Do you have any questions before class starts? If you’re able to stay late, I’m happy to chat with you after class too.”
Eden looks from Michelle to me, then back again before answering. “No questions. Thank you. I was going to say that I have childcare for a little bit, but I might not stay the whole class. I didn’t want to be rude and get up and leave in the middle.”
My mind is spinning so fast, I can’t think straight.
Michelle shakes her head and takes the pass from Eden. “That’s no problem. You leave whenever you need to.” She pulls a pen out from her briefcase and scribbles something on the back of the pass, then hands it back to Eden. “This is my work email and phone number. If you have any questions after class, you let me know. I can make an appointment and see you in my office.” She looks at Juniper. “And if you need to bring your daughter, please do. I do a lot of work with female clients. I like to help women understand how to make money and how to manage it.” She gives me a grin. “No offense to you, Vito.”
“None taken,” I say, my lips as tight as my gut.
Michelle is being really nice, and I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s good people. She always was. But after all these years, why couldn’t I have just run into her at a gas station or something?
Eden tucks Michelle’s contact information into her notebook. “Thank you so much. That’s really generous of you.”
Michelle pulls the black glasses back over her face. “Not at all. This is literally what I do. Come on in.” She looks back at me and Juniper. “V, there’s a little playground over by the early childhood center. Your daughter might be able to get some time in the swings while you wait.”
I nod stiffly and force a smile on my face. I won’t correct her about Juniper. Unless Eden says something, I’m fine with Michelle thinking this is my family.
Eden turns to follow Michelle into the classroom, but then Michelle turns back to me with a stunning smile. “It was great seeing you, V.”
I bristle at her familiar nickname. I grip the handles of the stroller, hoping I don’t snap the plastic. “You too, Michelle.” Then I look at Eden. “Stay as long as you want,” I tell her.
Her face is pale and her lips tight, but she follows Michelle into the classroom without looking back.
It’s only after the door is shut and I’m alone with Juniper that I realize I should have kissed Eden goodbye.
* * *
“So, Juniper, that was freaking awkward.”I talk to the little girl the whole walk.
She’s surprisingly quiet after leaving her mom, but I’m hoping that she’s seen enough of me over the last few weeks that the excitement of being someplace new and being out in the fresh air has her nicely distracted.
I peek over the stroller and make sure Junie is okay. She’s tucked under a light blanket, kicking her legs and babbling.
What are the odds that my ex-wife is teaching the class Eden wanted to visit? My gut twists in a knot, and I realize I have to talk to someone, but then the bunny hurtles right out of the stroller.
“Hey,” I call out, stepping on the brakes on the stroller. I kneel in front of Junie, a huge smile on my face. “Where is he?”
I tap the blanket on her lap, and she laughs and screeches.
I stand up and look all around and pretend I don’t see the bunny. “Is he…here?” I peek inside the sleeve of my flannel.
“Bunny!” Junie shouts, and she suddenly lifts her little hips up and out of the seat like she’s going to get up and show me where the bunny is.
“Whoa there.” The safety belt is on, so she can’t get out, but I don’t want her tipping out of the stroller the first time I’m alone with her. “No injuries, no tears,” I point a finger at Junie. “I’ll get that bunny, but you stay right here, okay? Is that him right there?”
I motion off into the grass, and Junie shouts “bunny” again. I grab it and hand it off to Juniper before we head toward the playground.
I’m expecting it to be locked, but I’m shocked to see that two other kids are playing, with an older lady sitting nearby on a bench looking at her phone.
A security guard in uniform wanders over and waves at me. The guy surprises me by calling my name. “Vito?”
As I get closer, I recognize him, and I reach out a hand and shake his. “Hey, man. You’re Martinez, right?”
He nods. “Yeah. Nick Martinez.” That’s when it hits me. Nick used to be a waiter at my brother’s restaurant.
“What’ve you been up to, man? No more Italian dinners?”
He shakes his head and pats his stomach. “I miss Benito’s cooking. I loved that job, but I couldn’t hack the hours. I’m enrolled in night school here, trying to get an associate’s. It’s tough out there without a degree. I’m doing security part-time and doing some training over at the gym.”
