"You want a cookie, buddy?" Amos holds out the container.
Sam takes one but doesn't say anything.
"Excuse me. Where are your manners?" says Amos.
The boy's eyes go wide for a moment. Then he mumbles a "thank you" before taking his cookie and running off with Kyra to sit in the fort and eat them.
"You want a cookie?" Amos offers them to me, and I grab one.
I bite into the chocolate and there are chocolate chips inside, soft and melting. I close my eyes as the flavors hits my tastebuds and let out a soft moan.
When I look up, Amos is staring at me with a choked expression on his face.
"You need to stop making those noises," he says in a lowered voice, "if you don't want me to repeat what we did that one time."
"Oh my God, sorry! I didn't mean to..." Heat inflames my cheeks, and I turn away.
"I made too much Bolognese," Amos says. "You should come over and have some with us."
I give him a wary look.
"With Kyra, obviously," he adds.
I'd love to come over to Amos's place and eat bolognaise all together, like a family. Then put the kids to bed and...
I stop my fantasy right there. I haven't been given a date yet for the adoption board. I just need to hold it together a little longer.
"Thanks for the invite, but I promised Kyra pizza tonight."
"Okay." Disappointment flashes across Amos's face, but he hides it well. "I'll see you next Tuesday at the park again?"
"Sure will."
As he and Sam head off to the car, I can't help watching Amos's butt in his tight jeans. Sam walks next to him, and with their blonde hair, they could be any father and son.
Not for the first time, I wonder what I'm missing out on.
"Can we go home now?"
Kyra peers up at me as her little hand slips into mine. I look into the face of the daughter of my heart, hopeful, smiling, carefree, and I remember that it's all worth it.
19
AMOS
"Do you want another slice of pie, honey?" Mom reaches for Sam's plate before he has time to say no.
"With a little ice cream on top?" He nods his head three times, and Mom slides a slice of apple pie onto his plate.
"Thank you," Sam says, giving Mom a small smile, which is more than he gives me. Once again, Mom has won someone over with her home cooking.
It's been four weeks since Sam came to live with me, and I still haven’t gotten much more than a sentence out of him. He's ignored all the toys in his room and instead plays with the rusty blue car that came with him.
It's the playdates with Kyra that bring him out of his shell. They run around together in their own world. I guess a kid doesn't ask too much of him.
Alana says it will take time, and she's right, but it's damned hard waiting.
We've been coming to Mom's a couple of times a week so he can get comfortable with his new family and eat decent food once in a while.
