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“You two want some lunch?” Ireland’s momma asks leaning against the doorway. Shit, Emily is a momma. It’s not what I always fantasized about, but I like this role on her. It fits.
I can tell Ireland already knows the answer when she asks, “Can I eat on my bed mommy?”
“No, but we can have a carpet picnic and you can eat on the floor here in your room. I’ll be right back. Catch.”
She throws the huge bag of Goldfish at me and leaves the doorway but she’s back a minute later with plates balancing in her hands. Does she remember that these little crackers are my favorite or is it just a coincidence?
“Okay, here we go with our five-star lunch. How do we feel about pb&j’s—one crunchy and two creamy—apple slices, cheese, blueberries and of course fishies?”
She remembers I like crunchy peanut butter! First the t-shirt, now the peanut butter and possibly even fishies! This day just keeps getting better!
“Fishies! They’re my favorite snack, Jonafon.”
“No, they’re my favorite snack, Princess.”
“They can be both of your favorites, but Ireland he did love them before you did. Before you were even born in fact,” Emily says as she gives Ireland a little poke to the belly that makes her giggle.
Well, Fuck me! I guess she remembers. Looks like I’m not the only one with a good memory. Thank you, baby Jesus!
“So, you two having fun in here?” Emily asks.
“So much mommy!” Ireland answers with a mouthful of PB&J.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, baby girl.”
Yep, I like this role on her. Emily gives good mom. She’s a natural.
“Yep, we’re having a great time. You getting through your schoolwork?”
“I’m plowing through it. I have hours left though. Please don’t feel like you have to stay. I’ve got tomorrow too.”
“Well, if you don’t mind I’ll stay here and hang with Ireland while you keep working?” I’m not really asking but I can play the part if she needs me to.
“Why do you want to do this?” she asks still sounding as puzzled as she did when I first arrived.
“What can I say, I’m a sucker for a pretty girl. You’d have to pry me away from this little princess. Now finish your lunch and go study.”
With this, I have effectively ended the conversation.
12
Emily
How in the world am I supposed to study and focus on anything other than Jonathan in the other room with Ireland? I still can’t figure out what he’s doing here. Why does he want to spend his Saturday with a four-year-old and her single mom who sits in the other room studying? I know the image I’ve kept of him from years ago has been glorified with time. But now…the real him…the him that is actually here…that Jonathan is exceeding all of my dreams of him. I am so confused.
After giving myself an internal pep talk, hours have gone by and I was able to get a lot done. I told myself that I needed to get through this school work to make a better life for Ireland and that was what I needed to focus on. Not boys. I close my book and get up to go check on the new BFF’s. When I get to her doorway, I see her fast asleep on her bed and Jonathan sitting in her tiny little bean bag chair playing a game on his phone.
“Bored yet?” I whisper.
“Nope,” he whispers back.
“You can head home now. I got all my studying done,” I say as I motion for him to join me with a nod of my head.
He gets up and walks out of the room, and I follow him into the kitchen. He helps himself to a glass of water and drinks it down before replying to my statement about him leaving.
“I was thinking, I could run home real quick, feed Frances, take her for a little walk and then come back with some pizzas and we could have a movie night.”
“Jonathan, what are you doing?”
