The kids walking in halted our conversation.
Billy put the plates on the sink and turned back to gaze up at Karson. “Are you really Superman?”
Karson’s lips quirked up. “Not quite, Billy.”
“But you can run fast, right?”
“I can.”
Billy’s eyes lit up. “Can you take me running really fast now?”
There was a long pause, then he said, “I can, as long as you agree to tell no one. Deal?”
“Deal.” Billy nodded, holding out his fist for a fist bump.
Karson looked down at his fist, appalled. I chuckled. He straightened Billy’s fingers out and shook his hand. “Men shake hands, Billy, they do not fist-bump each other.”
They shook hands, then Karson squatted down and turned around. “Jump on.”
Billy smiled, slightly misaligned teeth flashing as he climbed onto Karson’s back, wrapping his arms and legs around him.
Karson took hold of Billy’s legs, sprang to his feet, and ran out of the room. Not quite vampire speed, but much faster than your average human. Billy’s giggles floated through the house. I took Lottie to the sitting room and put cartoons on the TV. She stared at them as if she was in a trance. When they came back a few minutes later, Billy’s face was flushed red, and his smile brightened the whole room.
Karson squatted so the boy could climb off his back.
“That was so cool! We jumped over this big table.”
“My turn, my turn!” Lottie squealed.
Karson swooped her into his arms, then swung her onto his back. “Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” She grinned. And they disappeared in shrieks of laughter.
I suddenly envisaged a life with him, with us, with our own family. I was only twenty-two and not ready for children. But it was a life I had always craved. A family to call my own, one filled with love and laughter and happiness. The sounds of giggles and tiny feet were ones I wanted—one day.
Karson returned with a giggling Lottie.
“Go wash up for dinner,” he said as Lottie clamored off. The kids ran upstairs, chatting and laughing the whole way.
Our eyes locked. Was he thinking the same? Was he imagining tiny Karsons running around the house. He was infertile, but so were his parents until a spell from witches resulted in his birth. It was possible.
Monique’s voice broke the moment. “I’m looking for some balls, tiny little things that belong to Karson.” She held her fingers in a pinch. “They seem to have gone missing.”
He rolled his eyes and went to pour a whiskey.
“I think it’s sweet,” I said defensively. “And it helps the kids.”
She threw me an annoyed look. “Yes, well you would think it’s sweet.” She spoke to Karson before I could respond. “I’m off. I assume everything is under control at the little house on the prairie?”
“Yes, Monique,” he answered dryly. “We have it in hand.”
“Fabulous.” She fluttered a hand as she exited the room. “Night, night, Mary Ellen.”
“Different show entirely,” I called out behind her.
“You’d know.”
I flopped back on the couch, exhausted. “What did you give Billy to help heal his toe? He barely seemed to notice any pain today.”
