“How about I make us spaghetti bolognese for dinner and we watch a movie?I think I spotted a packet of microwave popcorn when I packed the food.”
We’d spent the day at the old house, half the time with Vance.He’d come over after lunch and stayed.He then followed us to the apartment, where he’d now taken a seat on the couch.
The girls cheered, and Addy leaped off the top bunk.I cringed at the loud bang it made.We were on the second floor, so the neighbors downstairs wouldn’t be happy with us.“No jumping, Addy.”
“Sorry.”She bounced from foot to foot.“Can Vance stay?”
The girls adored Vance.He’d played with them, answered all their million and one questions, and brought them ice cream.I glanced at the man in question to see if he wanted to stay for dinner again, and when he nodded, I did the same.
She cheered, then did a little fist pump.She was already half in love with him.
Join the club, girlfriend.
Addy raced out to the living room, Elana right behind her, yelling loudly because apparently that was the only way she would say anything at the moment.“Do you want to see our new room?It has stars on the ceiling.Mom put them up.And she bought us new sheets.And we’re having spaghetti for dinner.Can you stay?Eric said a bad word at school today.”
My eldest threw up her hands.“He said dang.That’s not a bad word.But Ms.Bowler said an actual bad word today when she put too much vinegar and baking powder in the bowl to show us how to make a volcano.”
“Was it the f-word?”Elana cut in.
Addy huffed.“You don’t even know what the f-word is.”
“Do so.It’s shit.”
Elana broke out into giggles, and I knew it was time to cut this off before a serious fight ensued.Or one of them said theactualf-word.
I joined their huddle, my two girls now glaring at each other.Turning to Elana, I crouched down in front of her.“Where did you hear the f-word?”
“Uncle Thad said it when he hit his finger with the hammer.”
“Elana, we don’t use bad words.”Poking her in the belly until she giggled, I put on a mock stern face.“And I thought we agreed other people cursing was going to be a family secret not to be repeated?”
She shrugged, holding Vance’s hand that she must have grabbed while I was talking to her.“Forgot.”
“It’s okay,” I conceded.“Right, you have twenty minutes.”
She huffed but knew that was all she was going to get.“Fine.”
Addy leaned her little body to the side to pull Vance in the direction of her and Elana’s room.“Have a look at our room, Vance.”
I laughed at his panicked look when she dragged him down the hallway, closely followed by Elana and Orange.Winston was perched on top of the bookcase watching us.
I sank onto one of the barstools since they were the only place besides the couch I could actually sit.The chairs around the table didn’t pull out much since there wasn’t enough room.
After giving myself a minute, I cooked dinner.I called out to the girls to come back after about twenty minutes, but unsurprisingly they ignored me.Putting down the knife I’d been using to cut tomatoes for the salad, I washed my hands and went into the room.
But nothing could have prepared me for what I walked into.
Not only was Addy telling Vance a story about a giant spider that she’d seen at school while busily draping him in glittery scarves—one of which she’d tied around his head, making a bandana—but she’d also made him sit on one of her small chairs that looked about ready to collapse under his sizable bulk.
He was holding a minuscule teacup between his thumb and pointer finger, and a doll was perched on his knee, held tight with his other hand.
He was lucky his hair was too short for hairclips, or he’d be wearing them the same way Orange seemed to.
Our dog was happily sitting next to Vance, hoping to get crumbs of the invisible cake, while Elana draped a sparkly scarf around him as well.
“I see you started the party without me.”
Vance lifted his cup to me in a toast.He seemed weirdly at ease.
