“I can drive over and leave my car, get it tomorrow. Cathy and her husband were going to pick up Mimi and me anyway. I’ll just go with you and meet them there.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind? Do you need more time to get ready?”
I met my eyes in the mirror. “Nope, I’m pretty much ready. I’ll be there shortly.”
“I owe you.”
I grabbed my strappy gold heels and headed for the door.
When I parked in Luke’s driveway a few minutes later, I touched up my lipstick in the car mirror. The front door opened before I got up the steps.
“Val! Thank goodness,” Luna sighed.
“Hi, Luna.” I smiled. Luke appeared behind her but didn’t say anything for a moment. He watched me walk up the stairs, dark brown eyes flitting from my head to my shoes before returning to my face.
“You look really pretty,” he said in a low voice as I squeezed past him into the door.
I pressed my lips together, a fruitless attempt to hide that I was beaming.
My eyes took him in, too, traveling down and back up. Dark navy suit that hugged in all the right places, white shirt, no tie. He didn’t have his shoes on yet, which gave his formal look a dash of fitting humility.
When I turned to face the living room, Luna was already sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the couch, brush in her hands.
Luke puttered listlessly around the kitchen while I wove Luna’s hair into two matching French braids. We chatted about her plans with Clara and their other friend tonight. Apparently they were making their own pizzas and watching movies. Clara’s mom was an innovator on how to entertain little girls.
“Maybe next time we can do it here,” Luna said.
“I’m sure you can talk to your dad about that.” I caught Luke’s eye over my shoulder.
He looked mildly terrified at the concept of entertaining three eight-year-old girls, but he said, “Yes, we can do that. We’ll do make your own…snack mix?”
“Yeah!” Luna agreed.
I giggled. It was a great idea. And a lot easier than pizzas.
When I was about done with Luna’s second braid, she said, “Next time, can you teach my dad how to do the braids? So he can do them after you leave?”
The words hit me like a blow, stealing my breath. My throat constricted.What does she mean, after I leave?
Who told her I’m leaving?I hadn’t talked about leaving since I quit my job a month ago.
“Yes, of course I can show him.” I forced the words out softly.
My hands trembled, threatening to unravel the taut hairstyle. I had to focus ten times harder than usual to finish the braid and tie it off with her little black hair tie.
“All set.” I tapped both her shoulders, hoping she couldn’t hear the emotion in my voice.
I dashed from the couch to the little office off the entryway, closing the door behind me. My heartbeat roared in my ears.
Two raps on the door. “Val?” Luke’s voice floated into the room.
“Yeah,” I choked out. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him, assessing me from head to toe. When he saw the look on my face, he closed the gap between us in an instant.
“Hey, hey.” Luke reached for my face, wiping at the tears I didn’t realize had pooled under my eyes with his thumbs. I tried to steady my breaths, forming an O with my lips.
He pulled me into his strong arms, wrapping me up, his hands stroking my hair gingerly. “Tell me what happened.”
“She said she wants you to learn to braid her hair. For when, when,” my voice quivered, “Ileave.”
