Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Simon, Sally, and Dot pulled up in front of Sarah’s place just as the lasagna was browning in the oven, and Sarah finished tossing the salad.
“Get the door,” she said to Riley, who carried a sleeping Dash in her arms. But when the door opened and he heard Dot’s cry, Dash woke and wriggled until Riley set him down. He and Dot ran to each other as though their separation had been weeks rather than a mere ninety minutes.
They all stood around watching the reunion and laughing at the pair, then Sarah took the chocolates Simon handed her.
“You didn’t have to bring anything,” she said.
It had been a long time since a man had brought her chocolate, and she was pleased despite the fact that he was only a dinner guest. A dinner guest who was still standing next to her and holding the other side of the box, looking like he wanted to say something…
or maybe do something. She swallowed hard, and he seemed to come back to himself.
“I picked them up a few days ago from that little chocolate shop downtown,” he said, letting go of his side of the box. “Thought we might have some for dessert.”
She glanced down at the box and back up to him, not able to keep a smile from her lips. “These will be a treat. I’ve looked in the window of the HeArt of Chocolate. The chocolates are almost too beautiful to eat.”
“Almost,” he laughed. “But believe me, they taste as good as they look.”
“Come in and sit down.” She stepped away, breaking the connection between them. “What would you like to drink?”
She walked back to the kitchen to pour a glass of lemonade and brought it to him on the couch where he now sat, watching the girls on the floor with their kittens.
“Look, Daddy,” said Sally. “They’re tumbling again. Dot’s happy now.”
“Yes,” he said, chuckling. “They do enjoy their time together.”
“Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes. Girls, go wash your hands, please.”
“Okay,” said Riley, not moving.
“Riley,” Sarah said again.
“Come on, Sally,” Riley said reluctantly.
“I’ll watch the kittens,” Simon said, and the girls must have decided he was qualified because they scampered off to the washroom. Sarah soon heard giggling. The girls returned moments later and sat at the table she had set for four, and Simon excused himself to wash as well.
When he returned, she had already set a serving of lasagna and a bowl of salad sat in front of the only empty seat, the one facing her, and she struggled not to look at him, failing miserably because he seemed to be finding what the girls were saying just as amusing as she did.
She also found she liked sharing a meal with an adult who wasn’t her mother. An adult who, she hoped, would be a good friend by the end of the summer.
They were halfway through dinner when they heard galloping coming from the living room and the girls rose and ran to see what was happening. “Oh no, Dash. Stop!” And a moment later, there was a crash.
Sarah rushed to the living room to find a vase she was quite fond of smashed on the floor, and a pair of tiny kittens hiding under a couch nearby.
“Mom, I’m sorry. I’ll make sure he’s in the bathroom next time we eat,” said Riley, her eyes wide as she looked at the shattered vase and back to her mother. “Please don’t make me send him back.”
Sally stared up at her, her eyes just as wide.
“Riley, go get a broom and a dustpan before someone steps on the glass,” said Sarah.
“I should have suggested we keep them locked away,” said Simon, who joined them in the room to see what was happening. “I’m sorry about the vase.”
“It’s just a vase,” said Sarah. “Mom warned me to put all the breakables out of reach, and I should have done it.”
Riley returned and handed Sarah the broom and dustpan, then scooted away from the mess while Sarah picked up the pieces.
“Daddy gave her that,” she heard Riley whisper to Sally.
“It’s just a vase,” said Sarah. And maybe it was fitting that it was now as broken and beyond repair as their marriage had been.
She had held on to it longer than she should have, but some things were easier to let go of once they broke. “I liked the colors, but it’s just a vase. Now,” she said, as she swept the last pieces into the dustpan, “let’s finish our dinner, shall we?”
“And you two behave yourselves,” she said to the kittens, who were still peeking out from under the couch.
She led the way back to the kitchen, discarded the shattered glass, washed her hands, and returned to the table. “Can I get anyone a second helping?”
Simon watched her as though he expected her to lose it, so she smiled to reassure him all was well. It was the nicest present her ex had ever given her, yes, but it was only a piece of glass, and there were others.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, then Sarah asked, “Are you looking forward to volleyball camp next week?” She had signed Riley up for as many weeklong activities as she could, to fill the summer with new experiences and keep the girl occupied. She knew both girls would be attending the camp.
“Yes,” said Sally. “Someone from the UBC team is coming to teach this year.”
“Really?” Riley grinned. “They’re a great team.”
She took another forkful of salad and listened as Sally told Riley all about what she’d read in the brochure—a brochure her daughter had not bothered to read—and listened to the pair chatter on.
“Which other camps are you signed up for?” asked Simon.
“Mom has a list,” said Riley. “Which one is after that?”
“Pottery.”
“We’ll see you then,” said Simon. “That’s the one I’m teaching this summer.”
“You teach pottery?”
“I do,” said Simon. “I’ve been hand-building and throwing pots since I was a teenager.”
“What got you into that? It seems an unlikely hobby for a teenaged boy.”
“A girl, of course,” said Simon.
“Mom?” asked Sally.
He shook his head. “No, I met your mother when I was in college. This was during high school, and when Maggie May Smith signed up, I decided to join her. She didn’t stay in the class—broke her wrist in week three—but I decided to continue.”
“You enjoyed it that much?” asked Sarah. “I’ve never tried it.”
“I enjoyed it, especially throwing pots, but I have to admit being the only boy in a class full of young women who didn’t mind me getting dirty… That was what most appealed to me at the time, I suppose.”
Sarah laughed. “I can understand that. My sister was a tomboy. Always coming home grimy. I think she would have enjoyed having an excuse like clay to turn to. “
“Speaking of, how is your sister? Has she had her twins yet?”
“She’s due in about two weeks. Mom wanted to get there early and settle in before everything kicks off.”
“When are you planning to go out and see her?”
“I’ll probably go for a weekend during my vacation. When Riley is visiting her father. We’ll see. We have that pair in there to worry about now.”
“If it’s only for a weekend, I can take the kitten,” said Simon quickly.
“Well, thank you. I’ll let you know once the twins come. Now, can I interest you in a coffee or tea?”
“If you have it,” he said, “I’d love a cup of decaf.”
“Riley, you two can clear the table and fill the dishwasher. I’ll serve the dessert and coffee.” She stood and moved her own dish to the counter. “Who wants ice cream?”
After the girls cleared the table and finished their ice cream and one of the chocolates, Simon and Sarah lingered over coffee. “I hope the little mishap with the vase didn’t make you regret your decision,” he said.
“Really, it was just a vase.” Every time she said it, the vase seemed to lose any power over her. “And when I look at how happy Riley is with the kitten, I don’t regret it at all. She’s even doing her chores without complaint, and I’ll milk that for as long as I can, believe me.”
He laughed. “It’s always good to have leverage.”
“So this summer you’re teaching pottery. What else are you planning to do with your holiday?”
“Besides break in a kitten? We’ll spend some time at the beach. Go for hikes. And I have a lot of reading to catch up on.”
“Sounds heavenly. I wish I had more than three weeks off a year.”
“It’s long hours during the year, though. And it gets harder every year. The classes are getting larger, and students often have complex challenges. Still, I love it and don’t regret my career choice.”
“And you have hours similar to your daughter most days,” she said.
“Sort of,” he said. “We’re in school for the same hours, but I always have several hours of prep and follow-up to do afterward. During the school year, I always send Sarah to an after-school program. Then I only have about an hour more work when we get home.”
“Maybe I should have been a teacher,” she laughed. “But no. I enjoy the law, and my mom’s been a huge help the past couple of years.”
“You must miss her.”
“I do. But we’re adapting.” She smiled at the shrieks and giggles emanating from the other room. “And we now have Dash to occupy our time and keep us out of trouble.”
“What do you do when you aren’t working?” he asked. “Do you have any hobbies?”
“I swim a few times a week. I like how I can leave all my stress in the pool. And this summer I have to keep up Mom’s garden so she can have her fresh tomatoes to can—and fresh veggies all summer.”
“I haven’t got the room, unfortunately,” said Simon. “We live in a town house, so my garden is a container garden, which I often forget to water.”
“Ah, and plants do enjoy their water.”
“But gardening for vegetables intrigues me. I have my name on the list for one of the community garden plots but wasn’t lucky this year. The waiting list is long, and the number of people who give up their plots is short.”
“Well, if you ever want to practice your weeding skills, let me know.” Sarah looked over at his empty cup. “Would you like some more coffee?”
“I would, but I think it’s best we get home and give Dot some more time to settle in. I thought tomorrow, if you like, I can take Dash and Dot to my place while the girls are in camp. That would give them a few hours together for the next few days.”
“And I can drop both girls off and pick them up afterward,” said Sarah. “The camp is at the college gym, and I work nearby.”
“That would be great. It’ll give me time to do some tasks I’ve been trying to get to for months. I’ve managed to go three weeks without a lightbulb in the laundry room, but I need to do something about that now.”
She chuckled. “Perfect.”
“Oh, and tomorrow, if you like, I can return the favor of dinner. I make a mean spaghetti.”
A few minutes later, after dealing with the girls’ objections by promising they would see each other in the morning, they were standing together in the doorway.
He was close to her, or perhaps she had somehow gravitated toward him.
For one wild moment, she thought it would be the perfect time for him to kiss her good night.
She stepped back before she could do more than think about that idea.
“Good night,” she said, closing the door behind her and turning to lean against it. This cat adoption idea had been a huge mistake. How would she keep her growing attraction to him at bay?
Riley came into the room, carrying Dash. “Look, Mom,” she said, putting him down on the floor and pulling a feather from her back pocket. “He wants to catch the feather.”
And as Riley scampered around the floor on her knees, holding a feather in front of her new friend, Sarah remembered herself. She had to keep all thoughts of Simon in the friend zone. Anything beyond that would be dangerous and could hurt Riley.
And the last thing she wanted to do was hurt Riley.
Her phone buzzed in her purse again, and she got up to check her messages, thinking it could be her mother. But it was Graham again.
Chaz said he saw you shopping at the pet store with Riley and a man and his daughter. What’s going on?
What exactly do you think is going on? she thought, a flash of anger rising before she got it under control. And what business is it of yours anyway?
She took a deep breath, her fingers hovering, considering what to say in response.
The last thing she wanted was to start a fight.
Since Graham had left, they’d been very civil, always putting Riley first, though at times like this she wanted to scream.
She hadn’t asked for any of it. She hadn’t been the one to walk away from their marriage.
She drafted a response—You don’t get to audit my life—then erased it and tried again.
Riley and her best friend have adopted a bonded pair of cats, and we are coordinating their care. The girls are happy, and that’s what matters.
She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she plugged the phone into her charger in the kitchen and leaned against the counter to close her eyes, gathering perspective and resolve.
The last thing she needed this summer was trouble with Graham, or for Riley to get hurt.
Yes, she decided. It was best to keep Simon in the friend zone.