Chapter 43
Connor is cussing behind the closed bathroom door while he struggles to put on the Kristoff costume I gave him a few minutes ago. I know he’s struggling because by the loud bang that just occurred, I’m almost positive he fell on his ass in there.
“You okay, buddy?” I knock softly on the door.
“Fuck off, Niko.”
I howl out in laughter as soon as Connor opens the door. He’s decked out from head to toe in an authentic Kristoff costume that looks like it came directly from the set of Frozen on Ice. From the fur around his collar right down to the furry boots, he looks like he is ready to go chop some ice.
Taking a step back, I rub my chin lightly and blow a breath as if I’m not impressed. “Well, it’ll have to do, I guess.”
Connor turns around to look at himself in the mirror that’s hanging on the wall in the upstairs hallway. He smooths down his jacket. “I think I look rather dapper.” There’s absolutely no emotion on his face when he says it, and I burst out laughing again at how serious he is.
“Dude, I can see your shins.” I point down to the floor where the lower part of his legs are on full display because the pants are two sizes too small.
He turns back toward me and shoves me into the opposite wall. “Yeah, well, not my fault the costume you provided was not made for a six-foot-five man. Tell me again why you aren’t the one rocking this thing? It would probably fit you better and you’re blond. Seems like a no brainer to me.”
“It’s cute you know that Kristoff has blond hair. But seeing as I’m the father of the birthday girl, I’m excused from such acts.”
Connor mumbles something unintelligible under his breath. I’m about to ask him to repeat himself when my phone vibrates in my pocket.
“Motherfucker.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and throw my head back against the wall.
My best friend’s face transforms from annoyed to concerned quickly. “Everything good?”
“It’s Claire. She’s not showing up today after all.”
Connor shakes his head. “Fuck, man. I mean, I’m glad she won’t be here, but I’m sure Sophia was looking forward to seeing her.”
“When I talked to Sophia, she said she didn’t care if her mom came to her party. After her less than enthusiastic reaction, I told her that her mom might be able to come if she got in town early enough.”
Connor’s forehead scrunches in confusion. “I thought they got into town last night.”
A less-than humorous sound leaves my mouth. “Yeah. They did. But with Claire, I always know there’s a chance she’ll bail so I didn’t want Sophia knowing she was in town and chose not to come anyway. Which is exactly what ended up happening.”
“What was her excuse this time?”
I look down at my phone and read the text out loud to Connor.
“‘I’m not going to be able to make it today. The band got an offer to go sky-diving and it’s been on our bucket list so we can’t miss out! Tell Sophia Happy Birthday for me!’”
The look on Connor’s face resembles the one he wears anytime someone comes near Mack in the goal crease. Connor is a quiet dude until you fuck with his family, on ice or off.
“That’s fucked up. She can’t even call her own kid on her birthday?”
“That’s Claire. I told her I was done. No more pop ins or random visits. It’s affecting Sophia too much. It’s affecting us both. We need to move on without her.”
Connor looks at me in shock. “No shit? Good for you. About damn time, honestly.”
“Fuck off.”
I can’t spend another minute thinking about Claire. Honestly, I’m breathing a little easier knowing I don’t have to tiptoe around her anymore and deal with the aftermath with Sophia.
I push off the wall and clap Connor on the shoulder. “Enough about my shitty ex. Sophia will be home any minute and today is about her. You ready, Kristoff?”
Connor rolls his eyes and then puts his hat on. “You owe me.”
“Goats!!!”
Sophia takes off in a run to the fenced in area where the petting zoo animals are waiting for her. She about died when she saw her Uncle Connor dressed up as Kristoff and now my eardrums may be permanently damaged from how loud of a scream she just unleashed when she saw the goats across the yard.
My mom comes and loops her arm through mine and pats it gently. “Sadie did a spectacular job, Niko.”
“She did, didn’t she?” My eyes are on the woman I have to thank for such an amazing birthday party as she gets low to the ground to help Sophia feed the goats. She’s created some magical core memories and I’ll never be able to express how grateful I am.
“Mm-hmm.” My mother’s tone is suspicious, causing me to look down. A mischievous look awaits me when I do.
I smack my lips. “Ugh, ?iti. What is that look for?” I watch as her eyes move from my face to where Sophia and Sadie are laughing together with the goats.
“She’s pretty special, isn’t she?”
“I’d have to agree. My daughter is one of a kind.”
My mom slaps my bicep. “You know that’s not who I mean.”
Sadie stands and reaches her hands behind her head, putting her hair up into a ponytail. She looks so carefree and happy right now, it makes my stomach flutter. “Yeah, she is.”
She gives my arm a squeeze and then frees herself to join the girls at the petting zoo. I watch in amazement as three of the most important people in my life laugh together, and I can’t help but wonder if this is the beginning of something special.
The rest of the party goes off without a hitch. My entire team showed up to celebrate my girl, and even though I know they’d rather be licking their wounds after our loss yesterday, it means the world to me that they came.
I say goodbye to my parents and close the front door behind me. Exhausted would be an understatement. I’d love to collapse on the couch and watch a movie with my girls but there’s still shit everywhere.
Sophia is still outside playing with the goats so I head to the kitchen to help Sadie clean up. I’m surprised to see that the kitchen is clean other than the cake and cupcakes that need putting away.
“Damn, Sadie. You work fast.”
She grabs a Tupperware container I didn’t even know I owned and starts placing the cupcakes inside. “If I sit down, there’s no getting up. I got straight to work after everyone left.”
I start folding up the tablecloth we used on the kitchen table and tip my head toward the backyard.
“What time is the company coming back to pick up the animals?” They dropped off the animals earlier and left a couple workers behind to watch over, but they had another party today so needed the trailer to transport more animals.
Sadie looks at the clock on the microwave behind her. “Shoot. They should’ve been here by now. Can you grab my phone off the charger over there? I have frosting all over my fingers.”
She wiggles her fingers at me, and even though I’d much rather go lick her fingers clean, I grab her phone and try to hand it to her.
“Can you shoot them a text so I can finish this up? Passcode is 0617. I should have a text thread going with Uncle Don’s Petting Zoo. Will you ask them what their ETA is for me?”
It’s a small thing, her trusting me enough with something personal like the password to her phone, but for some reason it only makes those butterflies in my stomach from earlier flutter some more.
“Sure.”
I thumb in Sadie’s passcode and click her messages icon. I have to scroll a bit until I find the text thread with the petting zoo, but my thumb stops just as I’m about to click on it. I know it’s none of my business but the message below this one has me pausing.
Someone named Mark texted her last week but that’s not what bothers me. It’s the text preview that feels like a punch to the gut.
“Let me know when I can give you a call to talk about the job opportunity…”
Job opportunity? Sadie’s looking for another job? No, that text doesn’t necessarily mean she’s actively looking for a job. It could be someone from before when she was applying for jobs for the Bobcats. But she’s been with the Bobcats for weeks now. Why would they be texting her so long after?
“Did they respond?” Sadie’s voice is soft, oblivious of the downward spiral happening in my brain right now.
I quickly click on the petting zoo’s thread and type the text. They reply back immediately.
“They said they should be here in five minutes.” I don’t intend for my words to come out clipped but by the scrunch of Sadie’s eyebrows, I know that they did.
“You okay?” She stops what she’s doing, giving me her full attention.
Am I okay? Not even a little bit. But I’ve had years of experience and I know not to react prematurely to a situation.
Am I afraid Sadie might be interested in a job elsewhere?
Yes. But that doesn’t mean I should jump to conclusions.
The thought of her leaving makes me sick but that’s my past trauma talking.
I need to calm my racing heart and quiet these intrusive thoughts before breaching the subject with her.
I turn the phone over on the counter and walk over to her and kiss her temple. “I’m okay. I’m going to give Sophia a five-minute warning. I’m sure she will not be thrilled she has to say goodbye to the goats.”
Sadie eyes me skeptically but doesn’t call me on it. She simply nods and finishes putting the desserts away.
With each step toward Sophia, I take a calming breath and try to get a hold of my rising emotions. I have so many questions and feelings running through me, it’s hard to know what’s real and what I should grab onto.
Do I think Sadie would take off without telling us like Claire has done a million times before?
No. Is there a chance she still might leave us?
Maybe. Does she want to leave us? I don’t think so.
But I’ve thought that before and had my entire world turned upside down.
I’ve learned not to assume things, good or bad, so I’m not going to assume she wants to leave.
But I also can’t assume she wants to stay.