“Anytime.”
I don’t speak during my son’s interrogation, because these are all questions I would ask myself once Grey was on the field.
“What did you normally do during the day?” Grey asks as if it were an afterthought.
“Oh, this and that. Hang out.”
“Who do you hang out with? Most of the people I know work during the day?”
Greer doesn’t answer right away, so I sneak a glance her way. Her focus is out the window as we pass through downtown to get to the event fields.
“I usually hang out alone.”
Her answer is soft and quick.
“Oh, that sucks. Sometimes, I wish I had more alone time, but Dad is always around. Now I’ll have you, and that’s pretty exciting.”
“Hey, I like hanging out with you,” I told him.
“I like hanging out with you, too, but I’m getting older, and I need space.”
Greer lets out the smallest of laughs. “Oh, you do know how to smile,” she says and points at me. “Not bad.”
Is she flirting with me?
The fields appear before I can think much of it. Grey is racing to meet his friends as soon as he’s out of the truck.
“So, I park, and he runs off. It’s a good thing you drove us here to show me the ropes.”
She grabs the bag from my hand and waits for me to get the rest of Grey’s stuff.
I pull out a soft cooler and sling the strap over my shoulder, ignoring her teasing tone.
“Today was our day to bring snacks. The moms”—I nod toward the bleachers— “will not let you forget when it’s your turn.”
“Noted.”
“They’ll probably talk your ear off too.”
I lock the truck, and we head toward the other parents.
“I love my kid, but I won’t miss sitting here answering question after question from them.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“Simon, yoo-hoo!”
“Hi, Simon.”
The closer we get, the more moms say hi.
“Afternoon ladies, this is Greer. She’ll be bringing Grey to camp for the summer.”
I take a seat; Greer plants herself right between me and the other moms.
“Hi,” she says with a smile and a wave.
“Oh no. We love having you here.”
