“Thanks, Kaden. But I think I’ve had enough of thinking about it today. I want to know what’s going on with you. How’s the furniture and apartment going?”
“It’s going well. I’m just about done with the living room. The shelves need one last coat, and then I’ll start on my desk in the home office. It’s been surprisingly therapeutic to tell you the truth. Each finished piece feels more satisfying than the last.”
“Man, that’s awesome! I’m looking forward to seeing it all come together.”
I chuckle. “I’ll let you know, brother.”
I’m just about to ask him if he wants to watch the footy at my place tomorrow night when a flash of bright red hair catches my eye behind Jason. A woman in a thick green woollen jumper slowly rises to her feet, and across from her, a little boy, no older than seven or eight by the look of him—hops down from his seat.
I don’t know what it is, but I swear I’ve seen that woman before.
“I’d stop staring at her before she starts thinking you’re some kind of creep,” Jason says suddenly, snapping me out of it as my gaze jumps back to him.
“She looks so familiar, but I can’t quite place where I’ve seen her before.”
We both glance back at the woman, watching as she takes her son’s hand and head towards the exit door.
Moments later, through the glass window, I see a man slide out of the car parked in front of them.She greets him with a full embrace, then leans in for a kiss. When he pulls back, I finally get a clear look at him.
“Oh my God. No fucking way!” My eyes widen so much they nearly pop out of my head.
“What?” Jason says, his gaze tracking my line of sight.
“I think I might know who that woman is.”
“Who is she?” he asks curiously.
“That man she’s with—that’s Lucia’s ex-lover, Adrian. And that woman and child right there… are his wife and son.”
Hope
Adrian pulls up into my parents’ driveway, where we’ve been staying for the weekend. We’ve just finished lunch at Hawkins Bar and Grill after I’d promised Zac we’d go for his favourite fried zucchini flowers while we’re in Sydney. Adrian had some errands to run, which is why he couldn’t join us, but he insisted on dropping us off and picking us up once we were done.
I unbuckle my seatbelt, expecting Adrian to do the same, but he remains in his seat, the engine still humming softly.
“Are you not coming in?”
“Um… actually, Gavin called just before I picked you guys up and invited me to join him for a few rounds of golf. I only agreed because I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to catch up with him next.”
“Oh. Okay, yeah,” I reply, swallowing my disappointment. “I guess I’ll see you in a few hours then?”
“Of course. I’ll try not to be too long.”
“Sure,” I smile, even if it’s a little forced.
He must think I’m a total fool. I know that the real reason he’s leaving is because he wants to spend as little time aspossible with my dad. My father has never been particularly fond of him, even after all these years. He never warmed up to Adrian again, after he broke my heart the first time following our high school graduation.
And if I’m being honest, I think my husband prefers to just keep out of his way.
I hop out of the passenger seat and help Zac from his. Once we’re out, we wave goodbye to Adrian as he backs out of the driveway. Without waiting for him to disappear around the corner, we make our way up the porch stairs and enter through the front door.
Almost immediately, I hear my mother’s overly enthusiastic greeting from the living room.
Zac heads straight upstairs to his room, no doubt to disappear into games on his tablet, while I make my way to the living room.
My mother sits curled into the couch, knitting what looks like a pink baby blanket—probably for one of her friends’ new grandchildren, as the television murmurs softly in the background.My dad sits across from her in his reading chair, engrossed in something on his iPad, his reading glasses perched precariously near the tip of his nose.
My mother looks up the moment she hears me enter, her attention lifting from her knitting, as my father continues to focus on the screen in front of him.
