“Mr. Mac, did you buy this for me?” Emily gasps with her hand on her chest.
“I did. Did I buy the right one?” he asks as he crouches next to her.
Emily drops to her butt and sucks in a breath.
“You did so good, Mr. Mac. This box has the glitter ones too! I’ve never had those before,” she tells him.
“Well, good, I’m glad. I can’t wait to see what you draw for me,” he tells her as he stands. He looks over at me and frowns. “You good?”
I clear my throat and offer him a smile. “Yeah. What can I do to help?”
“The only thing I need you to do is to sit down and hang out. I have everything else under control.”
“Are you sure?” I ask hesitantly.
“Positive.”
Reluctantly, I take a seat at the table.
He looks over at Tanner, and my eyes follow.
Tanner is frowning, with his arms crossed. Uncertainty rolls off him in waves.
“So how was school today, Tanner?” he asks.
“Good,” Tanner mumbles.
“Yeah? Hey, I got a question. I heard recently that you guys don’t play dodgeball in gym class anymore. Is that true?” Mac asks.
As Emily plays with her chalk, Mac and Tanner’s chat hits me. This. This is what it’s supposed to be like. This is what my kids were supposed to experience with their dad. This is the kind of life that everyone deserves.
Everyone should have someone who asks about their day and listens—truly listens. Someone who gets excited about the little things, like horrible chalk drawings on the cement. A person who cooks dinner for them instead of always being the one to serve everyone else.
This is what I’ve always wanted but never thought I would have. With Mac, it feels so normal, domestic even, and I don’t know how I feel about it.
Scared.
Hopeful.
Almost like it’s too good to be true. Will the other shoe drop?
Almost as if he can sense my thoughts spiraling, Mac looks over at me and smiles, making my heart race for a completely different reason.
This feels right.
“You good, Mama?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I tell him, and for the first time in a long time, it’s not a lie.
I am good. My kids are happy and healthy. I have a safe home and the attention of a good man. I don’t know how long it will last, but I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.
I won’t lie. It makes me feel ten feet tall the way Tanner relaxes the longer we hang out. I watch as his tough guy act slips, and he becomes a kid.
“No way, that really happened?” I ask as he tells me about a kid who projectile vomited all over his desk.
“It did. It was so gross. It was green.” He shivers in disgust, making me bite back a chuckle.
I look down at the grill and take the last of the food off.
