My eyes took a minute to focus before they grew saucer-wide.
“Hi, Mommy!” Victoria squealed before she barreled into my waist.
“Victoria!” I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed. Did she get taller since Christmas? “Oh my God, what are you . . . how did you . . .” I lifted my watery gaze to Josh standing behind her.
“Drew’s idea. He even found somewhere for Brianna and me to stay for the next couple of days not too far away. It’s a vacation for all of us.”
“It’s a breakfast bed!” Victoria chirped.
“Bed and breakfast, I think,” I whispered, trying to hold back tears of joy this time. I turned to Drew, beaming like the cat who ate the canary. “This is my part two?”
He nodded. “Yep. Guys are gone until Wednesday, and Brian is the neat one of the three of us, so I have her all set up in his room. Freshly cleaned, new sheets, he’s even got comics in there, but try to put them back exactly how you found them,” he said to Victoria in a loud whisper. “So, it’s the three of us for the long weekend. Good surprise?”
I flung my arms around his neck so tight he choked out a cough. “The best surprise ever,” I whispered in his ear. “I missed her so much.”
“I know,” he whispered back.
I craned my head to Josh. “Thank you for bringing her here.”
“Sure. And the ‘breakfast bed’ looks pretty sweet. Brianna could use a break.” His smile faded before he gave me a shrug. My heart broke for what they were going through. The last time I’d spoken to Josh they had seen a fertility specialist who was optimistic, but Brianna was still resisting.
“I never loved President’s Day so much!” I pulled Victoria in for another hug and my heart leaped at her giggle. “We’re going to have the best weekend ever!”
She replied with a stern nod. “We have a ton of plans.”
“We?” I squinted at Drew.
“Yeah! We’ve been talking about it for weeks.” Victoria bounced with excitement. “I almost messed up and told you a few times.”
Victoria asked Drew for his cell number before I left Queens, so they could “talk about comics on her iPad.” I’d caught them going back and forth quite a bit and loved that they formed such a nice friendship, but I had no clue they were plotting a surprise.
“I didn’t realize I was this out of the loop.”
“Drew is pretty persistent.” Josh handed Drew Victoria’s backpack. “You guys have fun. I’ll see you Wednesday morning, Sweets.” He kissed her forehead and headed back to the car.
“Bye, Dad.” Victoria waved at Brianna in the front seat and she waved back to both of us with a sad smile. I’d gotten to know her a little over Christmas and could see her infertility was affecting her in a big way. I hoped the weekend away would be good for them both.
“All right.” Drew rubbed his hands together. “First things first. Did you eat breakfast yet?”
“No.” My daughter clicked her tongue in irritation. “We left when it was still dark, in the middle of the night. I’m starving!”
“Okay, then. Sara, get your jacket. We’re going to the pancake house!”
Her nose scrunched up at Drew. “But it’s noon. Are they open?”
“Pancake house serves all day long, pretty girl!”
“Wow! Okay, Mommy. Get your jacket on!” She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the door.
Drew handed me my jacket and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Gorgeous.”
I took in a sharp breath to stop a tear from sneaking down my cheek and mouthed “I love you” before Victoria dragged me outside. When we stepped in the car, I called McQuaid’s and called out for three days. The restaurant would be slow this week, and I was allowed five days of paid time off I’d never dreamed of taking until now. Spending three days with Drew and Victoria was well worth the few hours of overtime I’d lose.
Until that moment, I didn’t know there were levels of falling in love. Granted, I’d never actually been in love before Drew, but what he did for me and my daughter, sacrificing his winter break and his apartment to entertain a nine-year-old because he would know how much it meant to me, it was too much. I pictured the Grinch cartoon Victoria loved and the part at the end when his heart grew three sizes and burst off the screen. My heart swelled so much, it really did feel like it burst. The Grinch and I had a lot in common before I’d met Drew. I saw things differently. I felt things other than anger and frustration. He showed me a different kind of life.
A life I wanted more than anything, but wasn’t sure how to keep.
Drew
