CHAPTER 16
Valentina
S tanding in the guest bathroom, I braid Eden’s hair, warmed by her letting me. Today, I wove my hair into two French braids while Jason was saying goodbye to his kids. Once Eden saw me, she wanted hers to look similar.
The boys have scampered off to pick up toys in their room, and this moment lets me recover from the gym encounter. I hadn’t anticipated starting my first morning in Meadowbrook wrapped in my boss’s arms. With the way my heart raced and his eyes bored into mine, I’m surprised I didn’t pass out from desire.
Then later when he appeared in the kitchen, his shirt clinging to him, exuding a subtle eucalyptus aroma and the scent of a healthy, active man. His mouth had curved into something close to a smile and sent my heart fluttering. Was there a crackle, a spark between us? Or did I read too much into it?
I’d come from the basement intending to hide in my room until he left. But once I finished showering, the boys were pounding on my door. I’m grateful it was locked.
Though Jason didn’t ask for breakfast, I made him scrambled eggs. He ate while standing and chatting with Eden before rushing off.
“You’re good at braiding.” Eden speaks up as I finish the second braid.
“You have beautiful hair.” I wag the end of her braid. “Makes the task easy.”
Her chin tilts up, and through the mirror, her soft smile reveals her sadness. “Daddy always braids my hair.” She winces. “Not nearly this good.”
My heart squeezes. She had her hair braided crookedly the day I came to check out the house. “Not many dads can even attempt a ponytail.” Does she know how special her father’s effort is? “Your dad deserves an award for braiding your hair.”
“Thank you for fixing my hair.”
“Happy to do it anytime.” We’re bridging a gap.
She slides off the stool and tilts her head to one side, smiling at her reflection before her attention shifts to the array of essential oil bottles on my counter. She reaches for the rosemary bottle. Squinting, she reads the label.
I wave at her. “Twist off the cap and take a whiff if you like.”
“What’s all this for?”
“I add some to my shampoo and diffuser. They are natural with a clean scent. I also used them to make the bug repellent for our outdoor gathering yesterday.”
She sniffs at my candles and bottles, then peppers me with curious questions.
I point to the rose-scented candle she seems fond of. “You can have that one if you’d like.”
“Thanks!” Her face lights up and so does my heart.
“Let’s go see what your brothers are up to.” I wink. “Maybe we can catch them before they find any mischief.”
She scoops up her candle. “Are you going to show us how to do laundry?”
“We don’t have to do it today.” I carry the stool out of the bathroom and set it beside the bed.
I had Eden work on her hot-pink, dancing-girl-silhouette chore chart earlier. Her room is impeccably organized, contrasting the fun wreck in the boys’ room.
We follow the chirpy noise to the toy room, and a barrage of Nerf darts whiz past. The boys have constructed yet another fort and are firing across the room. Eden squeals, ducks, and yells at her brothers when they fire at us. We dive for cover.
Then I scout the chaos for ammunition, hand Eden a Nerf gun, and pick up stray darts from the floor. “Load that.” I distract her from lashing out at her brothers. I find a Nerf gun for myself. Soon, we’re engaged in a dart battle, our laughter mingling with the playful combat.
When our skirmish winds down, Atticus, still brimming with energy, asks, “Can we play soccer?”
“I’d rather play video games.” Felix elbows past him, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
Time to channel their energy into something productive. “Gaming will be one of the rewards if we can tackle our chore chart.”
“I want to make paper airplanes. We can play with them after too.” Atticus’s imagination is already taking flight.
“I already got my reward.” Eden pats the part between her braids, then offers to assist her brothers in organizing the toy bins. We agree to regroup in fifteen minutes after I rearrange some kitchen cabinets.
Back in the kitchen, I swing open a medicine cabinet—a messy one. I remove the containers, curiosity getting the better of me when I inspect the expiration dates. Most of the medicines and vitamins are expired.
I pull out my phone to jot down the names for a future shopping list. Then the vibration on my phone flashes a text message.
Jason: I need your help to distract Eden today. Their mom is supposed to come, and I know it won’t happen. She likes Sips and Scripts. Perhaps you can take the kids there sometime today.
What a good father. My chest squeezes as I type my response.
Valentina: Will do, Grumps.
Jason: Use the credit card on anything you need to get the kids wherever they need to go.
Valentina: On it.
He sends a thanks, and I pocket my phone, smiling though not sure why.
He got me a credit card last week, but I haven’t needed to use it yet.
Eden had wanted to show me Sips and Scripts, a coffee and bookshop, but the shop was closed when they gave me the town tour. Perhaps we can add more stops along the way to increase the fun.
With a plan forming, I secure the vitamins and medicines, halt my tasks in the kitchen, and head back to rally the troops.
I reenter the room to moderate progress, largely due to Eden’s diligent efforts. The boys, eager as ever, are already itching to play outside.
“Maybe you can give me another tour of your town.” I don’t have to mention why I added visiting town to our list today.
“Mom’s coming today.” Eden reaches for her phone from her hoodie pocket and checks it before sliding it back. “We need to stay here.”
“That’s what you said on Christmas break.” Atticus tinkers with a Lego before adding it the airplane he’s constructing on the table.
“She never comes here.” Felix punches at an iPad-shaped toy as if expecting it to erupt noise.
My heart heavy, I keep my expression neutral. Poor Eden seems to be the only one waiting.
Childhood memories flood me—times I’d waited for my father, only to be disappointed. But at least he had the decency one time when he waited for us at the bus stop after school to tell me it was best if he didn’t attempt a custody battle against Mami.
“What if we play outside for a bit?” It’s a good time to transition to the next task. “We just need to get one more thing off our chore chart first.”
Today is chillier than yesterday. So I tell the kids to put on extra layers. And to Eden, I mention a stop at Sips and Scripts, and her eyes light up. “You can bring your phone. If your mom calls, you can let her know where we are.”
The boys start debating what game to play next, but I steer them toward tidying up first. “Things will go faster if we work together.”
My plan for cooperation devolves into chaos as Atticus turns dish rinsing in the kitchen into a water fight, and Felix creates a bubble mountain over the sink. Only Eden manages her task efficiently, loading the dishwasher with practiced ease.
Almost twenty minutes later, after our kitchen task, we head out to play soccer with the boys. Eden joins in, and we play different soccer drills, most of which they already know.
“Will your brother teach us cool soccer skills?” Felix asks.
I hadn’t offered that, but Carlos wouldn’t turn down a chance to play sports. “Sometime, I can invite him over.” With Jason’s approval.
After our game, we head into town, and I park Jason’s Audi in the open space by the antique shop.
As we walk along the quaint street, friendly faces greet us, the air fresh with the scent of spring despite the overcast sky. We pass a nail salon, and the diner where we ate last time emits an enticing aroma of grilled food from across the street.
The boys skip ahead, Felix nearly bumping into a passerby walking his border collie.
“Boys, slow down!” I call out after them.
“Here it is!” Atticus shouts while Felix waves us toward a charming coffee shop with a rustic wooden sign swaying in the breeze, labeled “Sips and Scripts.”
When we enter the bookshop, the smell of coffee and old books envelopes me, the combination is a hug to the soul. People lounge at tables, and shelves packed with books line one wall. A woman, around my age with honey-brown hair and a warm smile, slides a book into place on a shelf.
“Hello, Eden.” She smiles, then greets all the kids by name.
“Hi.” Eden’s fingers flutter a timid wave before the woman asks what books she’s interested in getting today.
While the boys dart to a corner table scattered with Legos, their earlier energy not yet spent, I introduce myself. If she knows the kids, then she knows Jason. “I’m the kids’ new nanny.”
“The boys couldn’t stop talking about you for the last two weeks.”
Maybe she’s Jason’s girlfriend? A twinge pinches me, but her genuine smile shoves away my discomfort.
“I pretty much know everyone in this town. I’m Willow.”
“Nice to meet you.” I return her smile. “I take it you’re born and raised in Meadowbrook?”
She nods, and I ask what she does in town.
“I work here. My family owns and runs this bookstop—I call it that because this coffee shop is not a bookshop, as you can see.” She points dainty pink-tipped fingers to the bookshelves, some with empty spots. “You can borrow books, swapping them with whatever ones you don’t need. I’m also a host for the local radio program.”
She then ushers me to the counter as a man in his twenties whirls a creamy pink concoction in the blender, making a smoothie for a waiting woman.
“What would you like to drink?” Willow asks.
I already had my coffee and breakfast, but I reach for my wallet.
She waves me off. “It’s on the house.”
I don’t feel right taking pastries and coffee for free when she offers the kids hot chocolate and pastries. I have a fifty-dollar bill in my wallet, so I put it in the glass tip jar. Most expensive coffee I’ve had, but I don’t mind supporting a small business.
“You don’t look like a nanny.” Willow slides into a chair at my table while Eden browses the nearby bookshelf. The boys are sipping their drinks at the Lego table. “Is that what you’ve always done?”
I chuckle. “I often help out at my mom’s agency, but I’m supposed to be a family counselor.”
I sip my drink and so does she. A congenial buzz drifts our way from those occupying the tables, some reading, others chatting over beverages.
As our conversation unfolds, I discover she, too, has an associate’s degree in psychology. “I have no experience, but don’t tell my listeners I haven’t a clue what I’m doing.”
“My lips are sealed.” I make a show of sealing my lips with my hands.
With her so easy to talk to, we’re soon laughing. She then tips her head to the corner where three women glance our way before looking back at their table as if they weren’t inspecting us. “This is Gossip Central here. Don’t get offended when whispers go around about you. It happens in our town.”
I inquire about her radio show and the town. I’m tempted to ask about Jason, but I won’t sabotage our first meeting. I just made a new friend in town.
Soon, Eden drops a stack of books on our table and asks me for suggestions. “I’m going to start these when I finish the third book in the Chronicles of Narnia.”
As I assess her stash, she pulls out her phone. Her face falls before she slides it back. Her mom better call this time. While I help Eden narrow down her book options, Willow gets us a bag, and I promise to donate some books to her shop. Before we leave, I ask for kid-friendly activities in town and get some ideas.
With a promise to return soon, we head back to Main Street. Then I present bowling as an option to the kids and laugh at their excitement.
We don’t go too far before the boys sidetrack us to lunch at Brooke’s Diner. Before they gravitate toward the soda machine, I encourage them to eat first.
Our server is fast and gets cheeseburgers to the boys while Eden and I share a basket of chicken tenders. We are both not as hungry. As the kids mix their own drinks, Eden checks her phone, her eyes lighting up with hope each time. Only to dim.
“My mom won’t be coming today,” she finally shares. Resignation drains her earlier optimism. “She said she’ll just surprise me some day this week.”
Despite her brave front, her evident disappointment hurts.
“Let’s take one day at a time.” I can’t assure her that her mom will show up.
As if there’s a joint connection between father and daughter, my phone beeps with Jason’s text. He’s checking on how Eden is doing.
I reassure him all is well. At least I hope Eden will pull through the rest of the day.
An idea sparks as we walk out of the diner. I hope this will lift her spirits a bit. Only God can lift her spirits, which I plan to talk about later and to pray fervently for. But a temporary distraction could suffice. “How about we get our nails done before we go bowling?”
“For real?” She wiggles her bare nails, her smile hesitant. “Mimi took me to get my nails done on Christmas break.”
“It’s high time we did it again.”
The boys aren’t excited, but I entertain them with videos—airplane ones for Atticus and a gamer talking about Minecraft buildings for Felix. They take turns using my phone while Eden and I have our nails done.
By the time we leave, Eden’s smile is genuine and bright. Then we hit the bowling alley. We’re not home until late afternoon.
The familiar warmth of home greets us. Jason is there, working on his computer in the kitchen. Something smells good, even though I’m not hungry. My heart spirals, and my body temperature kicks up as our eyes connect. An unspoken bond passes between us before I lean against the counter to make way for the kids rushing to greet him.
“Daddy!” They envelop him in a group hug. His sweats lower slightly as the boys tug at him.
“You came home early.” Eden lingers when the boys skitter off.
Jason’s arms remain wrapped around his daughter. He kisses the top of her head, obviously worried about her. “Finished all I needed, and here I am.”
“Val took me to the nail salon.” She displays her azure nails. “I got the same color as Val.”
He grasps her hand and tips it side to side, then holds it up by her face. “This shade of blue brings out your eyes.”
His genuine affection for his kids provides a sense of protection and reassurance. He glances over at me, his eyes conveying a silent thank you.
I smile back in acknowledgment of our effort to keep the day positive.
“Dinner is ready whenever you are.” He tips his chin to the two pots covered on the stove.
I think it’s pasta, but I can’t be too sure. “We’ll just get the kids to clean up first.”
He winks, and my stomach flutters. I’d better go find the boys, because I’m sort of in trouble. I can’t afford to be attracted to Jason. He’s another heartbreak waiting to happen.