“I hope so,” I say. “But we’ll see. Childcare and all that.”
“Yeah, Kara has the girls this weekend, so that’s not a worry.” He frowns. “She’s introducing them to the newboyfriend.”
“Oh, dear.” Kara is his ex, and I hear more about her from Brant than about anything work-related.
“No doubt that means four people are soon going to be living off half my salary, so good for him I guess.”
“Right. Well, I should…” I gesture feebly to my computer.
“Right. See you at the committee. We should just tell everyone not to date anyone, period.”
“Ha. Yep.”
He laughs once and then turns to go.
When I open my work email, the notification is already there. I have been selected for the “Policy Revision” team on office relationships, which is going to start up in a couple of weeks. I sigh. I am not looking forward to spending hours in a room with Brant, listening to his opinions on workplace romance. He is right, though; I’m still on thin ice after last summer, and this is definitely not the time to refuse any special requests.
Then I notice another name near the top of the list of six people who have been asked to serve on the committee: Oliver MacCormack. My heart lifts a little even though I’m not sure he’smyOliver. I search through the company directory for any other Olivers, then write Vivi a quick text:Emergency. Will be serving on that new committee with office crush.
Vivi texts me back on my way home from work:Definitely write a policy that says that you can have sex with members of that committee anytime you want.
I reply:Can you find out from your friend if he’s got some live-in yoga instructor girlfriend before I put in that request?
Vivi replies,Will check on yoga instructor gf.
Nick finally arrivesin the city on the Thursday night of Abby’s school vacation week. I have told this to Abby ahead of time so she can book her flight home on Friday, but I don’t tellHannah until Nick is literally on the elevator coming up to our apartment. You have to be careful, when it comes to Nick. He could land a gig on his taxi ride from the airport.
“Daddy!” Hannah shouts when she sees him, and Nick throws his arms around her and spins her in a circle, saying, “Baby, baby, baby.”
Abby watches from my sofa with raised eyebrows.
“You and Tabby are both here!” Hannah cries.
“Yeah, crazy coincidence, right?” Abby drawls.
Nick has the grace to look abashed, but only for about three seconds. “Abby,” he says, “good to see you,” walking forward to give her a brotherly hug, which she accepts with the facial expression of someone picking up a used tissue from the sidewalk.
“Nick.” Her tone is as sharp as a pen knife.
“Listen,” he says, “you stepped in to be a superhero. But it worked out this time. I’ll tell you over dinner, maybe? Laur?” He glances over at me.
“It’s a bit late for dinner around here,” I say.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. There was a delay on the runway.”
And there it is, the brief apology, as if none of this is within his control. I glance at Hannah, not sure if I should cover for him again. “Things worked out,” I reply quietly, “thanks to Abby.”
“Well, now that you’re here, Nick,” Abby says briskly, “I’m going to go out and try to catch up with a couple of friends. Not that dinner wouldn’t be fun.” She glances at Hannah. “Have a great time with your dad, sweetie. I’ll kiss you good-bye in the morning before I go to the airport, okay babe?”
Hannah’s face falls. “You’re leaving?”
“Tomorrow. I have to get back to Newfoundland, but I was waiting for your dad to get here first. You’ll come visit me for three whole weeks this summer, okay? That’s only a few weeksaway. I can’t wait.” Abby clearly didn’t tell Hannah about her departure plans, either; she also wasn’t sure Nick would turn up.
“You have your dad here to watch you,” I add, “so that should be fun, right?”
Hannah nods. She senses a tension in the air but can’t be sure of the source of it. That is one of the big downsides of my covering for Nick’s absences. It hurts Hannah less to believe that her dad isn’t at fault when he doesn’t show up, but then she blames me for the hostility that’s lingering between us. Someone has to be the bad guy, and when I let Nick duck the responsibility, there’s only one parent left.
“So where’s your hotel, Nick?” Abby asks pointedly. Bless her.
