Chapter 31
Cooper
Naomi and I stroll home after I’ve wrapped up for the day, and she squeals running up the stairs.
“Daddy, look flowers!” she yells.
She holds the vase and shoves her face into the blooms.
I smile and pluck the card from the little fork.
“I think I know who these are from,” I tell her.
“Who?” Naomi asks excitedly.
She hasn’t smiled this widely in almost two days. Thank you Mae.
“Do you remember June’s friend, Mae?” I ask her.
She nods. “You’re her friend too, right? You were holding hands with her at Grandma’s.”
I mentally facepalm. That’s what I get for thinking she was in her own little world.
“Uh, yes, Mae is my friend too.”
“She gave me the rose,” Mae says.
“Yes, she did. These flowers are hers. She knew you’ve had a rough week, and she wanted to make you smile.”
Naomi holds out the vase, turning it back and forth to look at it. “They’re so pretty.”
“They are. Do you want to read the card?”
She carefully sets the vase down before inspecting the card, her eyebrows scrunch together, and I wait for her to figure it out.
“Dear Naomi, a princess like you deserves flowers to make her smile.”
“Good job,” I tell her. She’s been getting better and better at reading.
Naomi looks up at me with glittering eyes, and it splits my heart in two. It amazes me every day how a parent’s heart can break for their child over and over again when the unknowns of life come for them.
“Can we tell her thank you?” Naomi asks.
“Absolutely, how about we send her a picture?”
Naomi nods and picks the vase up again.
“Smile,” I tell her, holding my phone up.
She grins widely, and I snap the photo, then send it to Mae.
“Beautiful. Let’s get your flowers some more water and your stomach some food.”
She practically skips into the house, and I sigh in relief. Maybe she’s turning the corner.
***
“Thank you for coming. I know it’s late. You can put Naomi to bed in an hour. That way you don’t feel like you need to entertain her,” I say, checking my watch.
I had to push our date back to later this evening because things were chaotic and June couldn’t get here sooner, and by the time she could, it was time for dinner.
“No problem,” June says. She rolls her lips together as if she’s trying to hold her words back. “Look, I don’t mind babysitting while you answer a booty call, and I understand your reasoning, but maybe it’s time for Naomi to spend some time with Mae.”
I wince. “I don’t want her to get attached … in case it doesn’t work out.”
June glances over her shoulder at Naomi.
Today was a good day.
No meltdowns, and pretty cooperative, so I felt like it’s okay to give Naomi a little bit of time with her favorite aunt, and a woman who isn’t going to yell at her for making a mistake then disappear.
“I get that, and it makes sense. She’d no doubt put it together,” June says.
I grit my teeth. “When Mae came for Sunday dinner, she saw us holding hands, but she thinks we’re friends.”
June snorts. “Serves you right for sneaking around like horny teenagers.”
“What can I say? She makes me feel all those things.” I grin.
June pretends to gag and points to the door. “Get out before I really puke all over your freshly polished boots.”
“Auntie June, why are you going to puke?” Naomi asks.
“Your daddy is gross.”
Naomi nods. “He is.”
“Hey!” I yell.
June laughs and Naomi smiles. “Behave for Auntie June. Bed in an hour!”
“Come on!” she whines, and I leave them to it.
Maybe June is right. Maybe it’s time to introduce them. But the bigger question is: is Mae ready for that?