“Get you better, get you bested, get you better, get you arrested,” she croons.
I’m unfamiliar with the song, but I spot earbuds in her ears as her head bops with her rear end.
She dances about, organizing containers of lettuce and tomato and pickles.
I lean into the window and watch.
After a minute or so, she executes a dance spin, one arm in the air, head bopping, and then she spots me and screams.
I step back and applaud. “Brava. Have you considered backup dancer as a future career possibility?”
She pops her earbuds out, then fans her face with one hand and holds her other over her heart. “First, don’t scare me like that, and second, I can’t tell if you’re mocking me or not.”
“I only mock people who deserve it.”
“That doesn’t reassure me.”
“I can assure you, your performance had a rather…moving…effect on me.”
She stares at me for one more long moment, and then she half laughs while shaking her head. “I’m choosing to believe you enjoyed it.”
“Good. Because I did.”
“Burgers aren’t ready yet.”
“I didn’t think they would be. I was in the area and simply wished to say hello.”
“Oh! You enrolled the boys in the summer program?”
How is it that I feel as though I’ve only just discovered smiling every time I’m in this woman’s presence? “I assumed a veteran parent of teenage boys wouldn’t steer me incorrectly.”
We had a short text exchange once I returned home Sunday night, and she suggested I consider this summer program for the boys.
So that they could make friends, she said.
To ease their transition to this smaller town.
It meets once a week on Wednesdays.
Those dimples light up my entire world as she smiles back at me. “All of us loved that program. I did it. Ryker did it. Griff kept saying he had to do it again so that Hudson wouldn’t be alone, but I knew he wanted in for himself.”
“The minute the teacher saidget dirty, I was concerned my boys might die of happiness overload.”
“They have to be faced with too much happiness sometimes. How are they going to learn to live with it otherwise?”
“Good point.” I peer around her again. “No Daphne today?”
“Daph has a day job. Environmental nonprofit that tries to convince animals to cross the roads in safer places.”
I recall that she had a job, but not the specifics. “Truly?”
“It’s a little more complicated than that, but yes.”
“So Hudson will be along to assist you?”
“Nope. He has a thing with some friends. I’m flying solo today.”
Oh, this is excellent. “Are you indeed?”
