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I sat down and looked out in the hall toward the boys’ rooms. Zach and I were only friends. We'd decided on that this morning. We were both adults, and we’d both given the other a chance to voice how they felt. When neither one said anything, we decided that we’d pack this past weekend away in our memories, because it seemed more reasonable than trying to get into a relationship with someone when things were in utter chaos in both our lives. However, now, the more I thought about the weekend, the more I wanted to be more than friends. I had from the time he'd asked me out.
I got up and grabbed the next item from the box just as my cell phone lit up again. This time when I saw his name, I stopped what I was doing and picked it up. I would not deny myself what I wanted. I’d just figure this out as I went.
Zach
"Hello," Iris's voice came over the phone.
It was like music to my ears, hearing the excitement in her voice when she heard mine.Since I’d dropped her off, I’d been wanting some time with her. I wanted to make sure she was okay after how we’d left things. Not that they were left in a bad way, but I felt uneasy after spending the night with her. It wasn’t my style to have sex with someone I wasn’t involved with.
"Hey, how are things going?" I asked.
"Not too bad. You're lucky, a few minutes earlier and you would have caught me in the middle of an inquisition."
"Inquisition? What happened?"
The line went quiet, and I sat there doodling on a piece of paper while waiting for her to come back. I heard her clear her throat.
“Remember how I said that I got a note from the principal at school?”
“Yeah.”
"Well, the boys finally told me what is going on. There are apparently some rumors flying around town. Some of the neighborhood boys have apparently heard that we were on a date the other night. I guess one boy they play with was at the Italian Affair with their parents and they told Noah and Dylan that they saw me there with you."
"Oh no. That sounds brutal. Grace asked me where I was going that night as well. She questioned why I was dressed so nice. It’s fun being questioned by a minor, isn't it?" I laughed.
"Sure is. However, I fear my two were more worried about bigger things. Things that they didn't need to be."
"Dare I ask?" I chuckled, wondering what on earth they could be worried about.
Again, the line went quiet, and I sat waiting for her to answer me.
"Well, they were afraid that I was going to replace their father and that I didn't love him anymore."
I whistled into the phone. "So young with such big questions. Are you doing okay?"
While I waited for her to answer me, I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps she wasn’t okay with our agreement on friendship. Only hours ago, we were locked away in a hotel room wrapped in one another’s arms. A place I wanted to be again so badly. Now, thinking about what she’d just said, I worried that perhaps this weekend may have been a little much for her. I wasn’t sure what to expect now.
"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting that," Iris answered. "Kind of upset me to think that they would even think I could even do that. However, I don't see the world through the eyes of a child, so I can sort of understand where they are coming from."
"True. Are the boys okay now?"
The phone went quiet again, but I could still hear Iris breathing on the other end. "I sure hope so. I explained to them that wasn't my plan, and I assured them I still loved their father. I just hope that they believed me. They have been out of sorts since we went out."
I shoved my hand into my pocket and paced the kitchen. I didn't want Iris to be dealing with these things alone. I totally sympathized with her situation. Those boys had lost a father figure in their life, at a young age. Iris was dealing with many things, not just her own feelings. She was trying to navigate raising those boys alone, just like I was raising Grace on my own. We both had been strong for them.
"Listen, I was thinking maybe we could meet for a coffee later?"
"I think I could do that." I could hear the smile on her lips.
"Alright, say tomorrow morning after the kids are in school? Our usual?"
"Sounds good. I'll see you then."
The next morning, I got Gracie off to school, but not without a fight. She fought me on every little thing. First it was breakfast, then it was getting dressed, then it was getting in the car. I'd never been so grateful to drop her off. I stepped into the diner and immediately saw Iris sitting in the back corner, a menu in front of her. She looked gorgeous in a burgundy sweater, her hair pulled back neatly in a bun. I nodded toward her table and then made my way over, Melinda following with a menu.
"I'll take a coffee," I said to Melinda, then turned to Iris. "Morning."
"Morning. How’d things go this morning? You look frazzled."
