He got to be the fun weekend dad, aided by his bubbly girlfriend who probably functioned like a live-in nanny. And Oakley was the schoolmarm who sat them down for their math lessons and took them to their dentist appointments and just generally schlepped them around the island without a word of thanks.
She paused and took a moment to get her head right.
They were just kids. It wasn’t their fault.
“I need you to get changed into some dry clothes so we can go.”
“Fine!” Hayden turned and stormed into the house. Harper followed.
Oakley walked around to the front of the house and climbed immediately into her car so that Jennifer wouldn’t try to approach her with small talk.
It was crazy to her how hard the younger woman tried to be her friend. She may have only been the straw that broke the back of Trent and Oakley’s marriage, but still. She acted completely innocent, as if she hadn’t been carrying on with a married man for countless months, and it drove Oakley up a wall.
It was nearly fifteen minutes before the girls finally emerged, dark hair dripping, their favorite stuffed animals clutched in front of them like shields.
Some days – usually when they had something to look forward to – the transition was easy. This was not one of those days.
Was Trent even home?
“I don’t care,” Oakley muttered aloud, trying to nip those thoughts in the bud.
He was probably in his office, as usual.
“Hey kiddos!” She pitched her voice bright as they climbed into the car. “How was your weekend?”
“Fine,” Hayden muttered.
“It was okay,” Harper said as she buckled her seatbelt. “My team lost at soccer.”
“Did you try your best?” Oakley asked, already backing out of the driveway.
“Yeah.”
“That’s all that matters.”
“Okay.” Harper’s expression was doubtful, but she didn’t argue.
Hayden was staring out the window, completely checked out of the conversation.
Oakley made a mental note to give them something to look forward to every week on this transition day, to make it easier for them… but she spent the entire day teaching back-to-back Pilates classes. By the time she picked them up, she was exhausted. It was difficult to rally for a fun family outing after that.
“Do you want to stop at the playground?” she offered halfheartedly.
Hayden made a face. “That park is for babies.”
Oakley sighed. So many of her happiest moments had been spent right there at that rainbow-colored playground with her two little girls. But they weren’t so little anymore.
“Can we get ice cream?” Harper asked hopefully. In the rearview mirror, Oakley saw Hayden perk up a bit.
“Sure, we could do that.”
“Could we get shave ice instead?” asked Hayden.
“We’ll stop at that place you like in Hilo,” Oakley replied. “The one that has both.”
“Thanks.” Hayden settled back in her seat, looking more peaceful now.
It took so little to make them happy.
