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The thing that surprised me most about Natasha's resurfacing was the way I didn't want an explanation from her about why she had left the way she had. Honestly, I had spent so many nights drumming up possible explanations, and now, I didn't care to know. In my mind, nothing would be good enough. All that mattered was how she acted moving forward. Her little attentive routine wasn't sitting well, but I had accepted that I needed to at least give her the chance.
"Hey, Dad," Hailey said as we sat around the campfire later that evening. "This was the best camping trip ever. Thank you for taking us and letting mom tag along. I’m sure it’s weird for you and Molly. I guess I didn’t think about it before, but I want you to know I appreciate it. "
I smiled, the warmth from the fire nothing compared to the warmth in my heart. "It’s all good. We’d do anything for you."
21
MOLLY
By the time Monday night rolled around, as my contractor Rodney would say, I was more exhausted than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Sure, the weekend had been amazing, filled with laughter, s'mores, and enough mosquito bites to make me feel like a human pin cushion. But dealing with Natasha's constant presence? Let's just say it took a lot of deep breaths and mental pep talks to keep my cool.
As we pulled into the driveway, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Home sweet home, where the only drama I had to deal with was deciding which pajamas to wear while binge-watching my favorite trashy show.
Jake, ever the gentleman, helped me carry my bags next door. And by "helped," I mean he basically carried everything while I made a valiant effort to not faceplant on the porch steps. Hey, I never claimed to be graceful.
As we lugged my stuff inside, I couldn't stop my mind from wandering to all the possibilities the summer held. Weekends at the lake, cookouts with our friends, more movies in the park... It was like a montage of happiness playing in my head, complete with a cheesy soundtrack and slow-motion high fives.
And the best part? There were only a few more weeks of school left before I could trade in my teacher's pet persona for my summer alter ego: Molly, the Queen of Fun in the Sun—patent pending.
But first, I had to survive the final stretch of the school year. Which, let's be real, was easier said than done. Between wrangling hyperactive kids hopped up on the promise of summer vacation and dealing with the never-ending pile of grading, I was going to need a lot of coffee. And possibly a few gallons of wine.
But you know what? Bring it on. Because with Jake by my side and the promise of a summer full of love and laughter, I could handle anything. Even if it meant having to play nice with Natasha and her constant need for attention.
I mean, sure, she might have crashed our camping trip like a bull in a china shop. And yeah, maybe I had to resist the urge to "accidentally" push her into the lake a few times. But in the grand scheme of things? She was just a minor blip on the radar.
And if there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that nothing—not Natasha, not the end-of-year chaos, not even the inevitable sunburn I was bound to get—could bring me down. Because I had Jake, I had Hailey, and I had a heart full of love.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he stood at the doorway. He smiled and leaned in to give me a kiss. His lips brushed mine and he lingered there for a moment, before pulling away. "Good night."
As I unpacked, I found myself daydreaming about living with Jake and Hailey full-time. It was so easy to imagine the three of us sitting around the table, sharing stories about our days, or having lazy family nights. The best part would be waking up with Jake every morning.
Although maybe not at five in the morning.
I was still me after all, and some things would never change.
The thought of it brought a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart and then a frown. My plumbing would be done soon enough and even while I only lived fifteen minutes away, I didn't rejoice in the added distance. I didn't think Natasha was a threat to my relationship with Jake. They both seemed focused on Hailey, at least when I was around. I had no reason to distrust him, and, I had never gotten the impression he was the cheating type, but he had lied to me once.
I shook my head, clearing the thought like an Etch A Sketch. It wasn't helpful. I just had to focus on the here and now. The past was in the past. I had to remember that.
Tuesday morning came predictably fast. By the way the kids were acting, I would have thought it was the last day of school. They were more fidgety than usual, and every time I stepped into the hall and saw one of my colleagues, the exasperated looks on their faces told me, they were riding the same struggle bus.
Days after breaks, even short ones like Memorial Day, were always hard. By blessing or sheer skill, I made it to the end of the day. To say the least, I was relieved to be heading home.
The beautiful weather we had over the weekend was gone and the sky was blanketed in fat gray clouds that promised a good thunderstorm. A cozy feeling tingled in my belly at the thought of being cuddled up on Jake’s couch while the storm raged outside.
I dashed to my car, the first fat raindrops splatting against my face like water balloons. Just as I slipped into the driver's seat, my phone buzzed in my purse. I fished out my phone, trying not to dump the entire contents of my bag onto the floor. "Hey, Rodney!" I chirped, mustering up my best fake-cheery voice.
"Hiya, Molly," he replied, his gruff voice a welcome change from the chaos of the day. "Listen, I just wanted to let you know your house is all but done." He launched into a detailed explanation of the remaining tasks, but my mind was already drifting to thoughts of Jake and Hailey.
"The inspector is coming out tomorrow," Rodney continued, oblivious to my mental tangent. "Unless he finds something majorly wrong, you should be good to go."
My heart sank like a stone in a pond. "Oh," I managed, trying to sound enthusiastic but failing miserably.
"You don't sound too thrilled," Rodney noted, his voice laced with concern. "I thought you'd be chomping at the bit to move back in."
I scrambled for an excuse, not wanting to dump my emotional baggage on my unsuspecting contractor. "No, no, I'm totally stoked!" I insisted, cringing at my own overwrought peppiness. "I was just, uh, thinking about the bill." Smooth, Molly. Real smooth.
Rodney chuckled, and I could practically see him shaking his head. "Oh, that? Don't worry about it, kid. The house warranty covered most of the repairs, so it won't be too bad. We'll go over it together."
