22. Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“Koa Keaton, get back to cleaning!” I swat him with the wet rag and try not to die from embarrassment as he laughs his way all the way back to his task. If nothing else, this experiment will prove how easily thrown off I am by a very rich man with a ridiculously high confidence level.
Dinner with an exhausted child ended when said child promptly fell asleep while waiting for the food to arrive.
Rather than try to force Dusting to sit up and eat, Koa suggested we get the food to go and take him home, which the waiter was more than happy to accommodate.
Once he brought our food, we woke Dustin and got him outside before he whined about being too tired to walk.
Which brings me to this moment, the one where I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am in too deep to back out now.
“If he’s too heavy, we can sit for a bit.” I carry the bag with our takeout while Koa carries Dustin, totally spent, head resting on Koa’s shoulder, snoring.
“Nah, he’s fine. Let’s get him home. I shouldn’t have encouraged you to bring him out this late after such a big day.” Koa pats Dustin’s back and carries on like a champ.
He’s good on the pivot. He can handle the quick changes in planning when a child is involved, even if it ruins his plan for the night.
What’s better? He does it without complaint.
Koa’s night hasn’t been ruined by a tired, whining eight-year-old.
If anything, it’s proven he’s more laid-back than I initially would have thought.
After all, I suppose anyone could be off their manners game when everything has been taken from you and your family name is blasted across the news as if your life is fair game for assessment by millions of people who don’t even know you.
By the time Koa struggles to get Dustin in the back seat of his car, buckled up, and comfortable, the sun is setting over the Savannah River. I’ve never seen it before, but I have a feeling it’s downright spectacular. Dustin seems fine, so before Koa puts his car in drive, I grab his hand.
“Wait, let’s watch the sunset first.”
He glances toward the river, then back to Dustin. “Are you sure? I’d understand if you want to get him in bed.”
“He’s fine. I promise. Watch the sunset with me.”
Koa’s gaze meets mine. An understanding of a different sort passes between us, but he doesn’t break the silence with unnecessary words. We’re here right now, testing the waters, but only time will truly tell if we’re both up for this monumental task.
I settle into the passenger seat and watch the sky explode in a fire of oranges, pinks, purples, and yellows.
Koa laces his fingers between mine and turns his attention to God’s daytime finale.
Cloud pillows drift in all the right places, soft and lazy, as the riverboats dock along River Street.
The sweet scent of pralines and the soft hum of distant music lulls me into a comfortable state I haven’t experienced in so long, I’m not sure how to process it.
Eventually, the yellow and orange and pink fade to all purple just before blending into a brilliant navy that deepens by the minute.
Darkness falls over Savannah, and the stars peek out to begin God’s evening show.
It’s all so glorious in its complexity, even as it stares down at us, reminding us of how simple our minds are.
How much we need Him every day, for everything.
How much of this life is outside of our control.
How much I need to let go, let Him hold the broken parts of me, listen to Him.
Neither of us is willing to break this blessed silence, but I do have a child asleep in the back and none of us has eaten dinner yet. I roll my head over the headrest to look at Koa. His profile is shadowed, but dots of moonlight highlight his face.
I don’t say anything. Something in my soul won’t allow me to break this moment, so I let it happen. I let the beauty of God’s creation soak in deeper until the clock hits an hour I can’t deny. With a reluctant sigh, I say, “I guess it’s time to go.”
Koa puts his car in drive without complaint or argument and takes us back to our little apartment. Back to reality. For a blessed hour, I got to forget about my troubles, and for that, I can’t thank Koa enough.
No sooner do we park in the lot, Dustin pops up from the back seat and says, “I’m hungry.”
Koa laughs so hard he snorts, which only makes me laugh harder.
“What’s so funny?” Dustin looks between us, bewildered at the behavior of two adults.
“Come on, kid. Let’s reheat the food and get settled for the night.” I push open my door and motion for Koa not to worry about escorting us to the door, but he won’t hear of it. He’s at my side in a second, waiting patiently for us to get our life together.
“I’m going to make sure you get inside safely.”
He walks us to the apartment door, waits while I unlock it, and chuckles when Dustin snatches the food bag and runs inside. “This kid, I swear I don’t know what I’m going to do with him when he hits teen years.”
Koa’s chuckle matches mine. “Buy more food, for sure.” He shifts his weight but doesn’t move to come inside. “I had a nice time tonight.”
“Me too. Thank you for taking us out.”
“Lina, I can’t leave without making sure you know I’m not here just for Dustin. I told the truth when I said I have growing feelings for you, but more than anything, I need you to know that I respect your hesitation.”
I nod, unable to explain how I feel at the moment. Starstruck, anxiously excited, cautiously optimistic, but scared as a feral cat.
“I have no intention of breaking your heart or Dustin’s.
I’d like to say you’re stuck with me, but that wouldn’t be fair to you.
You have every right to tell me to kick rocks, but I hope you don’t.
I hope you give me a chance to show you that I have staying power.
This is important to me, and I’m willing to wait or go as slow as you need to prove that. ”
I nod again, my grip tightening on the door handle.
“I also understand that might be hard for you to accept, so I have a proposal. It’s not exactly the one Dustin wants me to offer you, but I think it might be a good place to begin.
I propose we spend time together like we have been, and when you feel comfortable enough to go all in, you come to my game wearing my jersey. ”
“Come to your game? That would require—”
“Tickets? Yes, it would.” He pulls an envelope from his pocket and hands it to me.
“Season passes for both of you. You can come anytime you want. I can’t say there aren’t strings attached, because there are.
I’m asking you to step into my world and to let me step into yours with the full intention of building something together when you’re ready. ”
“Koa, I—”
“Mom, are you coming?” Dustin meets us at the door, anxiously awaiting the food he didn’t get to eat earlier.
“Yes, I’m coming. Can you turn the oven on for me?”
“Sure. Night, Koa!” Dustin bounds off to the kitchen, not knowing what he interrupted.
Koa’s eyes train on him until he’s out of sight, then shift back to me. “You can think about the proposal and let me know tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Mmm-hmm. Tomorrow after lunch at this address.” He points to the address scribbled on the envelope. “You have a meeting with Layne and Sarah Beth about a food truck, and I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it too much to say no.”
“Oh, really?” I tease.
“Really, and I can also tempt you with my very large house, swimming pool, and room for way more people to live.”
“Are you trying to buy my affections? Seems beneath you.” I fake a scowl but we both know this is bound to be our relationship—teasing, banter, the occasional donut thrown at one another. I’m thinking of this and his proposal when he steps closer.
“I’m willing to do just about anything, even bribery.” He shrugs. “Dustin makes a reasonable argument for why this could work, honestly.”
“Does he?”
“He does.”
“And you’ve thought this through? Really thought about it? I can’t let him get hurt, you know that.”
“I’m not going to hurt him or you.”
“Then I accept your proposal. We’ll see how this goes.”
Koa’s grin is the last thing I see as he slowly pulls my door closed. “Goodnight, Lina,” he whispers, and shuts it completely.
I lock up and lean against the door for two seconds before Dustin barges back in. “Are we gonna eat?”
“Yes, yes. Let’s eat.”