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“I’m having a nice chat with Sam here,” David continued in a voice that was unnecessarily loud. “We’re catching up on old times, and he informed me that our little girl’s name is Olivia. I love it. Named after your grandmother, right?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Right.”
“Norma,” Sam said. “Let’s go inside. David can be on his way. He has no business here.”
“Aw, don’t be such a spoilsport, Sam,” David said in a mockingly cheerful tone. “I’m the father of that little girl in there. You wouldn’t want her to grow up without knowing her real daddy, would you? I can give her a lot more than a shabby student apartment. I’m a partner now in my cousin’s shop.” The last sentence was directed at Norma.
Sam was done with this man’s pretention and snake-oil words. He moved toward David, but was stopped by Norma grasping his arm.
“Sam,” she said in a firm tone. “Where’s the baby?”
“She’s taking a nap.”
Norma gave a stiff nod, then turned to face David.
He flashed a smile and held up the flower bouquet he’d brought. “I only want to talk, Norma. Figure out how all this went wrong between us. Maybe heal a few wounds. There’s no reason for us to be strangers. Not when we share a child together.”
To her credit, Norma didn’t make a move to take the bouquet. “You can’t just show up after a year of silence, David, and expect to get anything. I’m married, and Sam’s legally adopted Olivia. There’s no place for you in our lives.”
Something like anger crossed David’s face for an instant, but just as quickly, he cleared it. “I understand you’re upset about how things ended between us, but I’m here now. I brought you a peace offering and all I want to do is talk. Do you have a few minutes for a man who’s come a long way?”
Sam couldn’t see Norma’s expression, but he could feel her thoughts turning. Please say no, he wanted to shout, but he had no right to tell her what to do. Not even as his wife. Because if there was something he wanted more than anything in the world, it was for Norma to choose him.
“All right, David,” she said. “Let’s talk. But then you’re leaving.”
David’s face broke out into a smile. “Of course, of course.” He leaned over and set the bouquet of flowers on the lowest step, then straightened. “A walk around the block?”
Norma hesitated, then nodded.
That nod felt like a knife to Sam’s chest. She was going to listen to whatever that louse David was going to tell her. But what could Sam do? If he didn’t trust his wife, then what was the point? He needed to trust her. He would trust her.
He slipped the book bag from Norma’s shoulder and stepped toward the door. Then he opened it and walked inside. Next, he did one of the hardest things in his life—he shut the door. Resting his forehead against the wood, he released a long breath. For several moments, he just breathed. Then he straightened and moved to the kitchen window that overlooked the parking lot. There...Norma and David were walking side by side, David at least a foot taller than she was. Her arms were folded, while he gestured generously with his arms, no doubt creating an elaborate maze of excuses.
How long would they walk together and what would Norma say when she returned? Would she let David see the baby? Would she let him be in Olivia’s life? Or even worse, would she forgive her ex and regret her decision to marry Sam?
Was all that he’d done, all that he’d changed and sacrificed for her, about to be swept away and tossed into the trash? Would his love for Norma become insignificant in her eyes?
Yes, he thought, he loved his wife. And he knew she was fond of him. They laughed together, they helped each other, served each other, and were generally compatible. They both doted on Olivia, and if anything took Olivia from him, he didn’t know if he’d ever recover from the heartbreak.
The minutes dragged on until a full hour had passed. Now, Sam was pacing. Checking on Olivia, who was apparently having the best nap of her life, then he was pacing again. He stopped at the kitchen window every so often, searching for the pair, but they were long out of sight. Sam shook away any thoughts of them embracing each other, speaking sweet nothings to each other, planning a future...
The front door clicked open.
Sam spun to see Norma step inside. Without a word or a glance at him, she shut the door, locked it, then headed to their bedroom. She’d been crying, if her puffy red eyes were any indication.
He remained rooted to the floor, listening as she shut the bedroom door. The telltale sound of the bedsprings creaking filled the ominous silence. Apparently it wasn’t loud enough to awaken the baby. What was Norma doing? Deciding on their future? Coming up with a gentle way to tell Sam she wanted another chance with David?
He sank onto the kitchen chair and dropped his head into his hands. Should he sit here and wait for her to come out? Should he storm into the bedroom and demand answers?
Then he heard a small cry. Olivia was awake.
He wanted to rush to the bedroom and scoop her up—hold her close and kiss her button nose. Smooth her sleep-damp hair from her face and—
“Sam?”
He almost didn’t hear Norma’s whisper. It felt like he was coming out of a deep sleep full of nightmares. Lifting his head, he saw Norma standing in the kitchen entrance, holding Olivia.
He scraped his chair back and stood. “Are you . . . all right?”
