The tear is small and conveniently located right at the seam, so it only takes a couple of minutes to mend.
“Thanks, Mom,” she says. “I knew you’d be able to fix it.”
“All in a day’s work.” I toss her a quick wink. “Now, let’s finish eating breakfast and then we’ll go over everything you’re going to need today, okay?”
She nods and I turn back to Grant, letting my shoulders sag a little now that the first round of daily crises is over for the moment.
“Thanks for helping.” I keep my eyes locked with his, afraid I’ll let them start wandering over the contours of his muscles or the intricate tattoos that are only slightly covered by his tank top. “If what you said earlier about the ones who glide effortlessly are the ones who paddle the hardest, I must look like the most effortless swan on the lake.”
He laughs, a genuine belly laugh that is so completely unexpected that I join in.
“For what it’s worth, it looks pretty effortless from where I’m standing.”
I’m not sure how to respond, but I can feel my cheeks heating up again.
April finishes the last of her breakfast and we have a quick conversation about whether she should take the initiative and introduce herself to her new teacher or just wait around to be introduced.
Her nervous energy from earlier seems to have transformed into excited anticipation, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
“Okay, sweetheart, it’s time to go.” I point to the clock on the microwave. “Say goodbye to Grant and go grab your backpack, then I’ll meet you by the front door.”
“Bye, Grant,” she calls out as she skips toward the stairs one more time to retrieve her book bag. “Thanks for letting me and my mom stay with you for a while.”
“No trouble at all,” he says, speaking a little louder with each word as she makes it to the stairs. “Good luck today at school. I know you’ll do great.”
I start gathering my own things—purse, keys, the folder with all of April’s school paperwork—and realize I must have misplaced my sunglasses.
I pat down my pockets and double-check my bag, but I can’t find them anywhere.
“Have you seen my sunglasses?” I ask, walking from the kitchen to the living room without waiting for an answer. “I swear I left them with my keys. Or were they in my purse when April brought it to me?” I catch sight of her at the top of the stairs and call out, “April, honey, have you seen my sunglasses?”
“Yeah, I see them now.” She’s already grinning from ear to ear, but her smile grows even wider as she crosses the room and looks up at me. “You seriously don’t know where they are?”
Grant is watching from a distance, leaning against the archway that leads from the kitchen to the living room with his arms folded across his broad chest. There’s definitely a hint of amusement in his expression, but not enough for me to know for sure that he’s in on whatever joke April is up to.
“I know this is probably hilarious,” I say in the most reasonable tone I can manage. “But we don’t have time to play games this morning. Can you please just tell me where my sunglasses are? Or where you saw them last?”
“Sure, Mom.” She points up toward my face. “They’re on your head.”
“Oh my goodness,” I mutter, snatching them from the top of my head as April dissolves into a fit of laughter. “How did that even happen? When did it happen?”
Grant finally speaks up from the corner of the room, and there’s definitely more than a hint of amusement in his tone this time. “I think you put them there when you were going through your purse. I almost asked at the time if you thought it was going to be exceptionally sunny in the kitchen, but decided against it.”
I groan, hating how many times I’ve already embarrassed myself in the past twenty-four hours. At least Grant is getting to see the real me, the imperfect mom who is trying her best, who struggles to juggle fifteen tasks at once every morning and who loses her sunglasses on the top of her head. At least he knows moms like me exist.
“Well, I’m glad I could provide the two of you with some comic relief this morning.” I laugh even though I’m trying not to. “Now we really do need to get going if we’re gonna make it to school on time.”
I give a little wave to Grant and start to usher April toward the front door when there’s a knock that stops us all in our tracks. I look back at Grant, unsure of whether I should answer the door since I’m closer to it than he is.
“Oh, sorry. I’ll get that.” He hurries to answer the door, then steps aside for an older man with thinning gray hair, deep-set wrinkles, and an easy smile. “Hey, Colin, I have a couple of friends I’d like you to meet.”
Gesturing in my direction, Grant continues, “This is Heather and her daughter April. They’ll both be staying here for a while.”
“Pleased to meet you, ladies. I’m Grant’s neighbor, handyman, and housekeeper. If you need anything while you’re here, just let me know.”
Two thoughts hit me at once. First, that this seemingly friendly, easygoing older man is the complete yin to Grant’s stern, serious, buttoned-up yang.
Second, I instantly regret the trail of empty dishes, discarded clothing, and lord-only-knows what else that stretches from thekitchen to the bedrooms upstairs. April and I are generally pretty tidy, but this morning has been so hectic that cleaning up was literally the last thing on my mind.
