Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Yeah, this is Nathan.”
“Hi, Nate.”
Olivia’s voice in my ear spread warmth throughout my chest and down my limbs. This was her first time calling me.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I lowered myself into the chair. “How are you?”
“Good.”
“How’s your brother?”
“He’s good. We’re going to the movies tonight.”
“Oh yeah?”
I wondered how much Oliver and Olivia had to beg for Jenna to take them, but then I stopped wondering because I knew Jenna. I doubt she made them beg much at all.
“That sounds fun,” I told her.
“It’s going to be, for sure. But”—her voice grew quiet—“remember when you said you’d take me out on a date, and then I said we could go to the movies? Remember that?”
I smiled, catching my head in my hand. “Yes, I remember.”
“Well, could this be our date?” Olivia was whispering now. “Can you come with Marley? You can meet us there. Mom said we’re leaving in one hour. Can you leave in one hour too?”
Olivia was keeping her voice down because she didn’t want Jenna knowing what she was asking me. That was obvious. She was worried her mom would tell her no, and I wanted to tell her yes. I could swing getting there in an hour, no problem. I was finishing up for the night anyway.
“Liv, we should probably ask your mom if I can come,” I said. “Can you ask her?”
I sat forward then, hunching over the desk. The muscles in my back went rigid. Now I was suddenly worried. My plans for the night were set, in my opinion. I wanted to go with them. I wanted us all to be together.
“She likes surprises, Nate. Let’s just surprise her.”
“She might not like this surprise.”
“No, she will. I know she will. She wants to see Marley. She told me that when I asked her why she was so sad yesterday…”
My hand tightened around the phone. “She was sad yesterday?”
“Uh-huh. And she was super quiet. I knew something was up.”
I hung my head and rubbed at my neck, my eyes closing as I inhaled. Fuck, that bothered me. Jenna needed this—she needed to be around my daughter. And maybe she would eventually ask to see Marley while she still made up her mind about me, but I couldn’t wait for that.
I wouldn’t make her wait for it.
* * *
I finished up at work and drove straight to the theater.
I wanted to beat Jenna there. Olivia had told me what they were seeing before she briskly disconnected the call, too excited to stay on the phone any longer.
After I purchased the tickets, I waited with Marley and watched the doors.
The kids walked inside first, spotting us right away and waving, hurrying over.
Marley pushed against me until I let her down. She shouted for Oliver and Olivia and made little squeals of excitement. She hugged them both, clinging to Oliver’s leg and making him laugh. And when Jenna walked inside, Marley ran at her.
Jenna looked shocked to see us for all of a solid second, and for that second it was me she looked at. Then it was Marley and only Marley who made her move nearer, drawing her away from the doors and farther inside the building. It was Marley who put the smile on Jenna’s face and the tears in her eyes I noticed when I got close enough.
“Surprise!” Olivia yelled, giggling with her hands on her cheeks.
Jenna heard her. I knew she did—Olivia was loud and the lobby wasn’t that busy—but Jenna was caught up. She was holding Marley and kissing her face, telling her how much she missed her and how big she looked. How pretty. She hugged her like it had been longer since they’d last hugged. Jenna didn’t react at first to Olivia or to Oliver when he asked her if she was surprised. She didn’t even react to me when I told them I’d already purchased everyone’s tickets, which was something she most likely would have disputed.
In her eyes, we still weren’t together. She’d fight me on passing this off like it was a date. Especially with her kids here.
Little did she know, Olivia saw this as exactly that.
But Jenna was in her moment with Marley, so she couldn’t react. And that was something she needed right now. They both did. My daughter wouldn’t let her go.
“Let’s get our snacks,” Olivia suggested, tugging on my hand.
I walked with her and her brother to the concession stand and bought popcorn, candy, and drinks: soda for the rest of us and a juice box for Marley. Jenna waited by the kid who took our tickets. She watched us, looking at me like I’d just given her something.
“Hey,” she said when I walked over.
“Hi.” I’m sorry. I missed you. I love you. I need you.
We smiled at each other.
If Jenna was thinking this wasn’t a good idea yet, she didn’t let that on. She followed the kids down the hallway, passing the theaters, and kept at my side. She didn’t question what I was doing here. Maybe she couldn’t while she held on to Marley. I knew what I wanted to believe. That despite her own reservations and her worry, she wanted us together right now.