She took it, pulled the lid off, and there was her scarf. The softest, pinkest, prettiest scarf she’d ever seen.
He’d made it with his hands for her, because she mattered. He wouldn’t leave her behind. He’d just keep knitting her scarves.
“Don’t cry, Molly,” he said.
She wasn’t crying. She didn’t cry in front of other people. Ever. She just didn’t.
So why were her cheeks wet? Why were her eyes dripping?
“Damn,” she said, swiping at them. “Can I have it?” She reached for the scarf. “For real?”
“For real, Molly.” He pulled it from the box and wiped her tears with all the knots he tied her up in.
The DJ came over the loudspeaker, introduced himself, introduced the finalist couples, and Molly heard only about a third of what he said. Because her focus was all on Gavin. Her mind was all wrapped up in him.
So when they announced that Chris and Peter had won the competition, she didn’t feel at all like she’d lost.
Because she had Gavin.
“I’m falling in love with you, too,” she said. So how could she be disappointed? She couldn’t be. Not when she had the love of her life right by her side and unlimited chances to get things right.
…
“Mom.” Ollie raced toward her when she stepped through the door at the house. “You won’t believe what happened.”
Yeah, well, neither would he. She handed the sitter her cash, gave her thanks, and said her goodbyes. Gavin was going to bring the boys over later so they could all spend an evening together. This was going to be a new normal for them.
A new normal she couldn’t wait to get started on.
“What happened, bud?” she asked, giving Ollie her attention now that the teenager had been paid. She fixed his hair with a quick finger comb, even though he hated when she did that.
She was his mom. Moms had that prerogative.
“Charlie said I can do tuba camp with him and his grandson this summer in Minnesota if you say yes.” This string of words came out quickly and without any breaths taken in between them.
“Baby, you have stunt camp this summer.” And Molly would be walking all-the-places for the time being. She’d also get herself a bus pass until her car was running again. That would be fine, too.
“You know how you said if I change my mind to tell you…” Ollie kicked at the floor with his toe. “I think I want to change my mind.”
Changing his mind was not a bad thing. But, “Did somebody tell you to do this? You’ve been so excited about stunt camp.”
She was going to make stunt camp happen. Even if she had to walk for a bit.
Though, since the tuba arrived, he hadn’t really mentioned it to her.
He hadn’t mentioned it at all.
He shook his head. “I was thinking it would be fun to see Charlie and Agnes after they move. Charlie’s the best at the tuba. You want to learn from the best, right?”
“Right.” Molly nodded. Also, taking Ollie to Minnesota would be a minute fraction of the cost of stunt camp.
That made her actually relax her shoulders. She hadn’t even registered how tense they were until the pressure released and the heavy fog of stunt camp stress dissipated.
Dissipated leaving an essence of annoyance. She’d stressed over this and then Ollie just changed his mind!
Ugh.
Yes, she knew kids changed their mind like the Colorado weather, but her son hadn’t played that game before. Until, well, now, he’d always been very decisive.
