The house is gorgeous. My car slows to a stop in front of the garage. The car door creaks as I slam it shut and head toward the front door. My eye sore of a Corolla paints a stain on the beauty of this property with its rust spots and squeaky doors. It’s on its last leg, but it gets me from point A to point B, so I can’t complain right now.
The door opens just as my hand is about to rap on the door. All knowledge of how to speak leaves me as I take in the beauty of the woman before me. Josie was stunning when she was all dressed up at the New Year’s Eve party, but seeing her now. Sans makeup, a matching jogger set, hair clipped up. She looks even more stunning like this.
“Evie, hi!” A smile spreading wide across her face, her cheeks slightly pink like she has been running around. “I was just getting Shiloh cleaned up for supper when I saw you pull up the driveway. Come in!” Stepping back she makes room for me to step around her.
The open concept of the house is breathtaking. The kitchen sits at the back of the house, a row of countertops with a gas range stove against the wall. The light marble countertops are stunning, matched to the deep navy tones of the cupboards. Monty is in the kitchen hovering over a pot on the stove as he stirs. He hasn’t noticed my arrival yet, looking way to focused on the meal at hand.
“Don’t mind him, he’s in another world right now.” She chuckles, “Babe, Evie’s here!”
In the next moment Monty’s body turns in our direction. A smile spreads on his face while walking toward me. “Evie hi, I’m so glad you could make it!” His hand slips in mine, a firm grasp before letting our hands slide apart. He steps forward, using a tone only I could hear, “okay, so we aren’t having omelets for supper, but Ipromisewhat I’m making is just as good.” The determination on his face halts any words coming from my mouth.
Is this man serious, or is hejoking? He doesn’t really…
I feel the heat rush to my face, as I note the seriousness of his demeanor. “Oh–uh, yeah that’s totally fine.”
Relief washes over his body before he smiles and retreats back to the kitchen.
Ohmygod. That seriously didn’t happen.
Before I think too much into it I begin taking in the rest of the house. A dining table sits to the left of the kitchen, with a large patio window that allows for natural sunlight to shine through.
The living room to my left is scattered with kids toys. One of those foam climbing blocks set out, and I watch as their oldest rolls down one of the ramps. I can’t help the smile that pulls on my mouth as the infectious laughter fills the room.
“Shiloh, honey do you remember Auntie Harper’s friend Evie?” Josie asks as she takes a seat on the rocking chair in the corner of the living room.
Shiloh’s laughter briefly pauses as he registers his mothers question. His eyes zoned in on me in the next second. I don’t know why, but this five year old assessing me is intimidating as shit. Kids are brutally honest from what I’ve experienced, but I’m still taken back when he answers.
“Oh yeah, the pretty lady!” before running to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face into my stomach. When he looks back up at me, his chocolate brown eyes shine with wonder. “Are you gunna come help my momma out while she is getting better?”
A laugh leaves my lips, “I mean, I think right now I’m just here to hang out and have supper bud.” I gently remove his arms around from me and before sinking to his level. “Do you know what we’re having for supper?”
“‘Pasgetti and meatballs!” he says enthusiastically, just then a cry rings out through a monitor.
“I got him!” Monty shouts from across the space, he begins jogging down the hall, “Jos, can you toss the spaghetti in the boiling water!” Yelling over his shoulder as he disappears.
Choosing that moment, I begin moving toward the kitchen. “Don’t worry I can do it! Shiloh, would you like to help?”
“Yeah!” he yells, leading the way to the kitchen. I notice a kitchen helper off to the side, it’s a simple design with three steps. Grabbing it I move it over to the counter, careful not to put it too close to the gas range.
We spend the next couple minutes getting the pasta in the pot. Shiloh, the great helper he is, didn’t even drop a single noodle as he passed me the dried goods. We set the timer for the noodles. He loses interest quickly when he realizes the spaghetti needs to sit in the boiling water for a bit before it’s ready. So he runs back into the living room to finish his tumbling on the foam blocks.
I stand in front of the stove and stir the spaghetti, ensuring nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
“Thanks for helping out here,” the gentle timber of Monty’s voice, pulls me from my trance of stirring the noodles. I turn my head, my eyes connecting with the sweet chocolate tones of his.
Quickly, I spin around to hide the heat that has begun to creep up my neck. Giving the pasta another stir, just as the timer goes off letting me know it should be cooked. “It’s really no problem, and besides—Shiloh did most of the work.”
“I did daddy! I put them all in myself!” Shiloh yells from behind me in the living room.
“You did, buddy? I didn’t know I had a chef in the house.” Monty is off to my right grabbing the strainer from the cupboard before placing it in the sink. “Here, I can take care of this. Go hang out with everyone else while I get the last of it together.” Offering to take the pot from me, a soft smile on his face before he moves over to the sink.
Taking a breath, I make my way to the living room. Josie now has Hayes in her arms, her face is relaxed as she stares at the newborn with so much love. Her hand is gently patting at his diaper as she rocks on the chair.
Shiloh is over in the corner stacking up wooden blocks. Making my way toward him, Shiloh places a round blue block on the top carefully. When he knows it’s secure, he reaches behind himself and pushes forward a toy car. Driving it right into the tower knocking it over with a crash.
A cackle leaves Shiloh as he begins organizing and building the tower once again.
“Can I help you build your tower, Shiloh?” Sitting on the ground beside him, I point to the tower he’s working on in question.
