Chapter 16 #2
I overheard him chatting with Poppy one day in Mrs. B’s backyard while the boys were over there playing.
She didn’t tell him everything, but she did share that she was struggling after the accident and that life was complicated for us at the moment.
They have developed a good friendship which makes life for my boys even better.
The boys have such a great network of people around them now that I don’t have to worry about them feeling loved.
“Oh, touchy, touchy, aren’t we.” We both chuckle at him acting like a teenager with his comments.
He’s going to make a great teacher, but I think he should look at high school.
He’d know exactly how to handle them. I could see him being that cool teacher that’s easy to talk to as well. A conversation for another day.
“Anyway, take the night off, and don’t worry, I’ll still pay you. Spend the night doing something you haven’t done for a while. Go out, get drunk, or even get laid. Or maybe all of the above.” The guy has no life, except for studying and looking after Kade and Nash.
“Have you even met me? I’m getting a cheeseburger meal with a frozen slushie on the way home, taking a long shower, and sleeping like the dead. Three things I haven’t done in a while.” Hearing his car door opening, I know I should let him go.
“Sounds super boring, but actually perfect. I can totally relate. Just quickly, how’d the exam go?” I ask.
“Aced it. Got another one next week. Now, that one I’m not so confident about. It’s for psychology and that psych shit is hard to get my head around.”
“I’m sure you’ll ace that one too. From what I’ve seen you’re pretty good at reading people.
Sometimes too good, but I’ll let that one slide.
All jokes aside, though, Felix, don’t doubt yourself.
You’ve got this, my friend. And when you graduate, the boys and I will be there cheering the loudest.” I didn’t have positive older adults around me at his age, there to give me words of encouragement.
Maybe I can make some small difference in Felix’s life by letting him know that we’re all on his team.
“Thanks, Landon. That means a lot. But we all know that no matter where Kade is, it’s a given he will be cheering the loudest. That kid doesn’t have a volume control or off button.” The affection in his voice reminds me how glad I am he came into our lives.
“And I wouldn’t have him any other way. Have a good night, and I’ll see you at the usual time tomorrow.”
“Night, Landon, give the boys a noogie for me and tell them I said hi. Wouldn’t want them to miss out on our nightly ritual.
Because we all know I’m such a highlight of their life.
” Felix laughs after talking himself up.
The noogie’s his signature move with the boys.
He grabs them in a loose headlock, rubbing his knuckles on the top of their head, and they end up in hysterics, all three of them.
But watching Nash and Kade do it back to him is even funnier.
“Not a chance, that’s your thing. I’m a grown, sophisticated man, unlike you.
Catch you later.” Hanging up the call, still hearing him laughing at me in the background, I already feel a little lighter from just talking to Felix.
Thinking about my kids always gives me a reason to smile.
Knowing I’m about to spend the next few hours with them, Poppy, and Mrs. B, feeling like the family I’m longing for, has my heart lifting.
The dark mood I felt hanging over me at the bar earlier is disappearing the closer I get to home.
POPPY
“Kade, do you have an elephant?” I ask, even though I know he doesn’t because he keeps flashing his cards to everyone. He’s having trouble sitting still due to the excitement that has him bouncing in his seat the whole time.
“Go fish!” he screams so loud I’m sure the neighbors across the road can hear him.
“Shucks, I’ll have to pick up,” I say. Mom winks at me from across the table where she’s sitting next to Kade, helping him, while I have Nash next to me.
He’s old enough that he takes the game very seriously, holding his cards so close to his body and half the time is almost ducking under the table to check them so no one can see what he has.
“Yes!” Kade yells again, fist-pumping the air, proud of himself for making me pick one up.
Now that he’s turned five, you can tell he is more than ready for school.
Good luck to that kindergarten teacher, I say.
I can’t help but giggle at him, and I love watching Mom be so patient with him.
She’s going to be the best grandmother when the time comes.
I keep trying to push thoughts of my biological mother out of my head.
Until I know for sure, I don’t want to entertain the idea that she wants to be part of my life.
So, spending time like this with the boys and watching the only mother I’ve ever known is just what I need.
I was so blessed the universe chose to bring Mom and me together as our own little family.
This woman in front of me has so much love to share, and now the boys get to benefit from that love too.
“My turn, Poppy?” Nash asks from beside me.
“Sure is, buddy.” Checking his cards again takes a few minutes.
He has collected plenty and isn’t far off from winning.
There are only two cards left in the pile to pick up, so it will be between him and Kade.
Mom and I try to make sure they both win a game each before we let ourselves win anything. It helps avoid the tantrums.
“Granny B, do you have a tiger?” Mom pretends to look through her five cards for a few seconds.
“Go fish.” She smiles. “Sorry, Nash.”
At the same time, Kade is already yelling.
“Haha, Nash, pick up the card.” Kade is almost climbing on the table he’s so excited.
Mom calmly places her hand on the back of his shirt and pulls him gently back into his seat, whispering to him to sit down on the chair.
I think she’s had to do that at least ten times since we started.
Nash looks a little sad, but the moment he sees the card, his face lights up. I’m guessing he just found his tiger. Throwing his arm above his head, he pulls it down in victory, hissing, “Yessss!”
“Oh, look, boys, there’s only one card left, I wonder who’s going to have to pick it up,” Mom announces to the table.
“Your turn, Granny B,” Nash reminds her.
“Okay, now let me see, what do I need?” She holds a finger up to her lips like she’s thinking hard, then looks across to me as I try to mouth the word turtle to her without the boys seeing.
She nods subtly at me and then asks, “Poppy, do you have a turtle?” She has the most innocent look on her face.
Who would’ve thought my mother was so good cheating at cards.
“Go fish,” I reply, and Mom gently hits her forehead with her hand.
“Oh no, looks like the last card is mine.” She reaches forward and pulls it toward her.
“Who wins, who wins?” Kade starts calling out as he lays out his cards on the table.
Not a single pair is together and half of the cards are upside down.
The total opposite to Nash beside me. His are all in order, pairs together, as he lays them neatly on the table in one single row.
He might be two years older than Kade, but it would make no difference. That’s just their personalities.
I often wonder when I watch them playing, what Lucinda was like.
I can see Landon’s seriousness in Nash and their shared need for order in their surroundings.
Although, as I’ve gotten to know Landon, he’s allowing me to see more of his cheekiness.
He also has this playful, though sometimes a little weird, sense of humor too, which I can’t resist. Was Lucinda the balance Landon needed to his seriousness, more lighthearted and carefree in her nature?
Full of energy with a silly sense of humor maybe?
Does Kade take after her? Hopefully one day Landon will feel he’s at a place he can talk to me about her without it feeling awkward.
My mind slips to thinking about Landon, which isn’t unusual.
He occupies my thoughts constantly. I try not to show on my face what I’m thinking right now, though, that the part of Landon I love the most is when it’s just us.
That wicked part of his personality. Because Landon is at his hottest when his intensity combines with his playfulness, making sparks fly, and I’m totally at his mercy. Happily.
“Wow, look at that, this time Nash is the winner. You’re both so clever, winning a game each. Poppy and I will have to get better, won’t we.” Mom’s voice pulls my concentration back into the room.
“Maybe I need to learn some pointers from you both,” I declare, which has Nash reaching for my hand and talking quietly for just me to hear.
“I’ll teach you, Poppy. I’ll hold your hand so you don’t feel sad because you keep losing.” And that right there is Landon’s beautiful soft caring nature coming out in his son.
Oh, Nash, you make my heart melt, just like your father does.
“Thank you, my sweet boy. That would be lovely.” Kade is too busy discussing with Mom the pairs of animal cards he has and what his favorites are, telling her we should have cards with spaceships and planets on them, that it would be way cooler than animals.
I’ll have to search online later to see if I can find a pack like that just for him.
And if I can’t, maybe I can find a printer who will do one with dinosaurs for Nash and another with all things space for Kade.
Mom’s phone alarm starts chiming on the table.