Once the casserole was in the oven, Ollie dashed off to grab some games to bring along for this evening. A pile of dishes waited to be loaded into the dishwasher, but before I even touched the mess, I folded my arms on the parmesan-dusted counter and put my head on the butcher block, letting out a huge sigh.
Phew. I loved the holidays, but this time of year could be tough.
I didn’t waste time on regrets. That wasn’t my style. Life hadblessed me with a wonderful son, a beloved local business, and dear friends.
But sometimes, my ex-husband… Oh, that man made me wonder.
How did my Ollie share an ounce of Danny’s DNA?
A few days ago, Danny had called and asked to spend Thanksgiving with Ollie. Finally making an effort with our kid, or so it seemed. Danny was supposed to pick up Ollie at noon and take him to a family-friendly hotel and hot spring for the long weekend. I’d agreed, of course, and Ollie had been over the moon.
Should have known better than to let Ollie get his hopes up.
Yanking my phone from my back jeans pocket, I opened my messaging app and scrolled to Danny’s thread. I’d toyed with the idea of changing his contact name to “That Dick,” but then Ollie might see it. The kid made enough jokes about bodily functions as it was.
In front of my eyes, a message appeared in the thread, and I sucked in a breath.
Danny
Tell Ollie sorry. Something came up
Me
Something always comes up, right? You’re unbelievable
Don’t lecture me, P. You don’t know what’s going on
And I don’t want to know. Just want you to do better
Ollie was smart and funny and caring. Also a handful at times, and I loved that about him. I loved my son with every fiber of my being. I’d move every mountain in Hart County for him. How dare Danny not feel the same?
Whenever my brother Teller was in town, he spent qualitytime with Ollie. He’d built that treehouse in the front yard. Ollie had so many aunts and uncles looking out for him.
Yet the loneliness of single-momhood struck me sometimes, right at my center.
“Mom?” Ollie’s voice drifted from somewhere in the house. “I’m ready! Is it time to go?”
I pressed my palms against my eyes for just a second and then plastered on a smile. “Almost!”
By the time Ollie came back to the kitchen, I was myself again. Cheerful, capable Piper who had almost everything under control. For my kid, I could do anything.
“Can I bring my skateboard?” he begged.
“Absolutely not.”
TWO
Piper
Ollie rangthe doorbell about five times in quick succession before I could stop him.
“I think two rings was enough,” I said with a laugh, balancing the casserole dish and my bag with the rest of my contributions to the potluck.
“I had to make sure! I bet they’re already having fun in there without us.”
The door swung open, and Grace appeared.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Ollie shouted.
