Chapter 33
Amelia was nervous about meeting Thario, but she’d heard about how good of a person he was from Ava and the rest of the women. Apple was able to run home at two on Friday afternoon, just in time for Thario to show up.
She was glad he was there to make the introductions.
Thario's dog was well-behaved, but she could tell he wanted to greet Lainey by the way he looked at her and wagged his tail.
When Thario told him he could move, she worried that Frog would knock Lainey over, but he was very gentle and didn't bump into her.
Lainey giggled as Frog licked her ear and then sat in front of her, wagging his tail and most of his body.
“He likes you,” Thario said.
“I like him,” Lainey said as she giggled more.
“He seems like he’s a good dog,” Amelia said.
“He’s the best. He helps me stay even.”
Avery glanced at his watch. “I need to head back.”
Amelia kissed his cheek. “I'll see you tomorrow.” She liked that he held on for a longer moment before letting go and moving to Lainey to kiss her head and then scratch Frog behind the ears.
Amelia watched him go, then turned back to Thario. She nodded toward his leg. “Danika told me about what happened.”
Thario met her gaze. “Things happen. Sharp is one of my best friends, and now Danika is, too. They've both helped me a lot.”
Amelia shrugged. “I like Danika. She’s really nice.”
Thario nodded. “I’m glad you’re here with Apple now. He needs this.”
Amelia chuckled. “It changed his life.”
“It’s a good change. I can see it in him. He’ll be good for Lainey.”
She nodded. “I think so. I should have pressed more.”
“Maybe, but life has a way of working itself out. Before the—” Thario glanced at Lainey. “Before the thing that happened, I wasn’t mature. I didn’t understand life.”
Amelia nodded. “I get that. Kind of like destiny has a way of working its way out at the right time.”
“I’m hungry. I want a sandwich. Can I give Frog a sandwich?” Lainey asked.
Thario smiled and moved to sit next to where Lainey was standing.
“He only eats a little in the morning and then some in the evening.
If I give him too many snacks, he will gain too much weight, and that would be bad for him.
But I do have some special food you can give him, but only if your mommy says it's okay.”
Lainey turned to her, her smile wide as she jumped around. “Can I? Can I, Mommy?”
She moved to her daughter and knelt so she was at eye level. “As long as you do exactly what Thario says. Frog is a big dog, and you have to respect his space.”
Thario flashed her a smile. “He is a big guy, but he’s good with kids. He’s gentle, and he understands he has to be different with them.”
Lainey ate while Amelia put together a salad to go with the frozen pizzas she’d picked up. They wouldn’t be eating until later, but she wanted the salad done so she could focus on Lainey.
Thario was a great sport and played a couple of board games with them. They ate pizza and salad, and then it was time for Lainey to go to bed. She wanted to stay up and spend more time with Frog, but her mother convinced her that it was time to go to bed after a few minutes.
Once Lainey was asleep, she came down and found Thario working on his laptop at the kitchen table. “Is that comfortable enough?”
He glanced up. “For now. I’ll switch to the couch in a bit.”
She made tea for them both and set the mug down in front of him. “You look intense.”
He picked up the mug and took a sip. “Thank you. Before the bomb, I don’t think I ever would have found myself at a kitchen table sipping tea. Now, I can’t imagine not having this kind of life. It’s different, but I think much more satisfying.”
“What are you doing now?”
“I’m looking for information on the guy. I don’t want to be surprised by him showing up here.”
“Do you think he will come here?”
Thario shrugged. “I'm not sure. I mean, he could. I'm here to make sure you're safe tonight while Apple is gone. That doesn't mean he will show, but we need to be prepared.”
Every one of Apple’s friends she’d met were great. She was grateful for them and what they did for each other. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. I should be able to stay here on my own, but I was afraid.”
“We all have things we fear. It's easier to manage when we have someone to lean on. Having Frog is my safety net, plus the guys help, too. They keep me even.”
“That’s good.” She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “I wasn’t expecting the women to be so helpful and kind. They are all like Dena, my friend.”
“How is Dena?”
She shrugged. “Not good. The doctor has little hope for her. If she wakes up, she won’t be the same, but at least she will be alive.”
“Alive is good. I woke up and wasn’t the same. Many don’t ever wake up. I’m happy with my life.”
She nodded. “I hope the doctors give her time to get better. She needs time to heal. The accident was awful.”
“I’m sorry she is suffering. It’s unfair.”
She blew out a breath. “I guess life isn’t fair. But we make the most of what we have.”
“If we’re lucky, we learn that lesson. Some people never learn.”
She sipped more of her tea, hoping she could learn the lessons she needed to learn.
The responsibilities she’d been juggling for years had piled up and she hadn’t examined her mind or how she felt.
Now she had time, and it was hard to really think about the paths taken and what opportunities she had access to now.
If she could keep everything together and nothing bad happened, maybe she really could get ahead.
She was in love with Apple, and he loved her.
Could they make it? Would their relationship last?
Sometimes love wasn’t enough, but she hoped it would be, because she liked the future she saw with Apple and she wanted to experience it.