“Yes!” Pete exclaims. “But wait—will it count against my game time tonight?”
“No, bud. This’ll be extra.”
“All right!”
Brett reaches in the console, pulls out a digital tablet and headset, and hands them to Petey, all without taking his eyes from the road. He’s had some practice at this, I think.
A moment later, Petey is happily occupied, the headset affixed to his ears.
“Whew.” Brett cuts me a sideways glance. “Sorry you were a captive audience to that.”
“No problem. You handled it really well.”
“It didn’t feel like it from where I’m sitting.”
“Well, from the passenger seat, it was darn impressive.”
He lifts his shoulders. “I do my best. Most days it feels like it’s never enough.” He flips on a turn signal. “I hate feeling like I’ve let Petey down.”
I search my mind for something positive to say. “Hey, life and love are the biggest gifts of all, and you’ve given him both of those,” I say. “You’ve got to look for the gifts, right? It’s all a matter of perspective.”
“Yeah.” He glances over at me and shoots me a grin. “I guess the perspective is better in the passenger seat.”
“It’s always easier to be objective if you’re just along for the ride,” I say.
He stops at a stop sign and smiles at me. I feel a little flicker of attraction I haven’t felt in a long time.
“I can slide over,” I say. “There’s room for two over here.”
“Sounds great, but who would drive?”
“Maybe neither of us.” I think about my infertility, about Zack’s donor child, and about our argument. I feel a distance from my husband that’s further than 1,500 physical miles. “Maybe we’re all just passengers and we’re fooling ourselves to think we’re driving.”
“Wow. That’s deep, Jessica.”
“Yeah.” I grin. “Better put on your waders.”
He pulls into a driveway. A fit woman in yoga pants with short gray-streaked hair is in the front yard, watering a rosebush. Shesmiles, waves, puts down the hose, and heads toward the car. Brett lowers his window.
Petey yanks off his headset and bounds out of the back seat, clutching his backpack. “Hey, Grandma!”
The woman hugs him. “Hey, sprout.”
Brett gestures to me. “Mom, this is Jessica Bradley. She used to be Jessica Caldwell. She was valedictorian the year I graduated, remember?”
She leans in the car window. She has friendly brown eyes and an open smile. “Yes, I do! You gave a wonderful speech. And you’re even prettier now than you were then.”
I feel a rush of pleasure. Compliments always make me feel validated. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m showing her some houses,” Brett says. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“Take your time. Petey and I will be just fine.”
“Your mom is really nice, and Petey’s adorable,” I say after Brett closes the window and starts backing out of the drive.
He nods. “Mom is the best. And as for Petey...” He brakes, then shifts gears. “I didn’t have a clue how much I could love someone until he came along.”
Wistfulness fills my chest. “Everyone says that parenthood takes you to a whole other level of love.”
