“Young love.” He sighed, disappointed in the news. “Do you think the break up is final?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. If I had my guess, I’d say no, but Lara needs someone to stand strong beside her, not a guy who will bail when life gets tough.”
“I agree, but they are young. Sadly, statistics prove the chances of them staying together are slim, even under the best of conditions.”
“Time will tell.”
“Are they still speaking at all? He’s not planning on abandoning the baby, is he?”
“Lara hasn’t said. She’s heartbroken over the breakup and having trouble focusing on anything else.”
His chest tightened with anger. Aiden might be young, but he was old enough to take responsibility. “I’ll call him and see if I can get some answers. I should have known something was up, and gotten in touch with him when he stopped coming again.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You have over forty youth to keep track of.”
“Thanks, but considering his circumstances, I should have stayed on top of him.”
“I’ll call Lara when I get home. Today’s rough, I’m sure, since it’s Valentine’s Day.”
“Such a ridiculous holiday.” The comment slipped out, and he rolled his eyes automatically.
She laughed, spitting out crumbs. She grabbed a napkin and covered her mouth, swallowing before speaking. “For some reason, I took you for the type who loves Valentine’s Day and goes all out for it.”
He scrunched his nose and twisted his lips. “Nope. I only ever celebrated it to keep the peace in my relationships.”
“I get the idea behind it, but I’m with you. If someone wiped the holiday off the calendar, I wouldn’t be upset.” Her eyes twinkled. “However, I’ll admit, I bought Alice a cute outfit for the day. My one splurge from my first check.”
“Hey, there’s never a wrong day to show your child love.”
“Exactly.” She flashed a broad smile, then glanced at the old analog clock above the counter. “My time’s up.”
“Already? That half hour went quick.”
“It did. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thanks.” She stood up and collected the dishes, placing them on the tray. “This job is a huge blessing, but it’s exhausting. I didn’t realize how much I needed to sit for a few minutes and relax.”
“You’re welcome. The company sure beat eating alone again.” She smiled as she tore his bill off her pad and laid it on the table. They said their goodbyes and he watched her walk away and disappear into the kitchen.
Tonight had turned out better than he thought. He realized his melancholy from earlier had lifted, and his shoulders felt lighter.
He took out several bills from his wallet, leaving a generous tip that amounted to more than his tab. He prayed she’d accept it in the spirit it was meant—a compliment for good service and a token of gratitude for her willingness to move past their poor beginning.
Chapter Eight
Trixie taped another purple kitten to the wall of the fellowship hall, adding it to the twenty that had already been hung. Balloons floated from the tables and chairs, and a huge banner stretched across the double doors, greeting every person who walked through them with Alice’s birthday greeting.
Her little girl was one. It didn’t seem possible that twelve months had flown by already. At the same time, so much had changed that it felt like years. Her lonely life estranged from her family was only a memory now, but one she’d never forget—she’d experienced too much pain to waste those lessons learned.
She finished with the wall decorations and went to the kitchen to check on the food.
Phoebe stirred a large potful of barbeque meatballs. “Did you want to keep these here and let people serve themselves or dish them into a bowl?”
“What did Mom say?”
“Nothing except to stir occasionally.”
“Let’s put them in a bowl if there’s one available.” She searched the cabinets for a bowl and found one on the third try.
Using a ladle, Phoebe transferred them. “I can’t wait to see Alice’s reaction to her cake and gifts.”
